Hi everyone, here’s a smattering of actions and local events that might be of interest to Transition minded folk. You didn’t have any other plans for Saturday, did you?!
Today: Get informed and take action
- Climate Change:
Refresh your understanding with NASA’s latest news and NewScientist’s Guide for the Perplexed and sign the global petition
- Energy:
Read the latest from the Guardian about oil depletion, and sign the petition for warm homes
- Fracking in South Yorkshire:
Check what’s afoot for 2014, see if your home could be fracked, and sign the petition
Saturday 25 January: Repair Cafe
10am – 4ish, Heeley City Farm. See RepairSheffield event flyer.
A tea-fueled event to bring together people who can mend stuff people who need things mended. Bring mending skills and/or a desire to learn how to mend, and of course your broken stuff, and useful toolkits. There are no guarantees, but they’ve a passion to see if we can help you to mend anything from small electrical appliances, toys, shoes, clothes, pots and kitchen equipment, to computers, bikes, audio equipment, and furniture. If you’re interested in helping please get in touch.
Saturday 25 January Transition Chesterfield Potato Day
The Potato Day run annually by Transition Chesterfield is so popular that they now take pre-orders. As some of the popular varieties of potatoes, onions, shallots and garlic can run out quite early on the day, you can order in advance using their order form. Prices are pretty competitive, especially as you can just buy a few tubers to try out.
See http://potatoday.
Saturday 25 January: Build a Potting Shed, Firth Park Allotments
This event is organised by WICAT and is a chance for women to be involved in the construction of a new potting shed on the Sure Start Allotment at Firth Park. You’ll get a chance to learn new joinery skills, the art of recycling building materials, the simple physics of construction etc. and have great fun with a lovely bunch of people in the process!
Construction will take place over a number of Saturdays – for more info see http://www.
Cycle Sheffield are holding a meeting of campaign groups from across the country about the Space for Cycling campaign. The aim is to ensure that Sheffield streets are safe and inviting enough for cycling to become a viable option for everyone. Venue: Showroom Cinema (see map), Sat 25 Jan, 12:00-4:30pm
Plus there’s a pre-meet on Fri evening with a Sheffield Friday Night Rides cycle ride to show off the good, bad and ugly of cycle facilities in Sheffield. Meet 7pm at Sheffield Tap (map).
Closing date Fri 31 January: Job Opportunities with Grow Sheffield
Coordinators Roles, £24,000 pro rata 1 day per week to coordinate a range of Grow Sheffield Projects to until March 2015. The coordinators will ensure that projects such as Sheffield on A Plate, Abundance, Community Growers and the Sheffield Food Network functioning efficiently i.e. with skills required in budgeting, staff and volunteer coordination, communications, and marketing.
See: http://growsheffield.com/
Friday 31 January: Cool Beans presents The Sharrow Festival Fundraiser
The lovely Cool Beans have organised an evening full of live music and DJs at everyone’s favourite watering hole – the Harley. This includes an amazing selection of both live and DJ sets.
With plenty to wrap your collective ears round, this should be a big old Sheffield-driven bash. See www.sharrowfestival.btck.co.
£2 before 8pm/£4 afterwards. Naturally all funds raised go towards Sharrow Festival 2014.
7.30pm-4am, Fri 31 Jan, The Harley, 334 Glossop Rd. S10 2HW (map)
Monday 27 January: Positive Money – Growing the campaign
Positive Money are activists for monetary reform, and this talk by Peter Verity, coordinator of the Sheffield group, will give an insight into what actions are being taken centrally, and in other groups around the country to get the debate going among the public, media, and academics. Peter will explore new initiatives needed to meet challenges, and discuss how to to communicate ideas of monetary reform. See more info.
Mon 27 Jan 2014, 7.30pm, Quaker Meeting House, St James St, S1 2EW (map)
Voluntary donation (suggested £3) requested to cover the cost of the room, and £1 for tea/coffee/biscuits.
Tuesday 11 February: Iterative Cities: Renewal and Revitalisation From The Bottom Up
A public lecture at the University of Sheffield with Marcus Westbury, Founder of Renew Newcastle (Australia) and Renew Australia
Tuesday 11 February 2014 at 6.00pm, in the Octagon Centre, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, S10 2TQ (map)
Entry is free of charge. For more information and to book a place see http://www.sheffield.ac.
Saturday 15 February: “Whose Food? Our Food!”
Introducing a new “Agribusiness” campaign by World Development Movement (WDM) with three 10-minute films showing encouraging examples, from around the world, of 21st-century alternatives to agribusiness practices
Questions, comments and discussion, partly in small groups, after each film. Food available at the beginning, as well as hot and cold drinks and biscuits. All welcome. No charge, but contributions to costs requested.
1pm-4.30pm Quaker Meeting House, St. James Street, Sheffield, S1 2EW See WDM event info.
Saturday 15 February: Introduction to Woodland Coppicing
A one-day course about native woodlands and their management, covering basic theory, hands-on practical experience and tree identification. Aspects covered on the course include planning the work area, looking at various devices, building work breaks and coppice restoration, working methods, practical coppicing, material selection, processing, and storage. This course will show you how to take neglected woodland and transform it into a productive coppice with wildlife benefits. Price £80
Sat 15 Feb 2014, 9.30-4pm, J G Graves Woodland Discovery Centre, Ecclesall Woods, Abbey Lane S7 2QZ (map). Also see info about Ecclesall Woods Craft Courses
Thursday 20 February: In Conversation with Andrew Haldane (Executive Director for Financial Stability, Bank of England)
This event is organised by the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI). Professor Andrew Gamble will engage Andrew Haldane in conversation about the financial crisis, and will take questions from the audience. Haldane has been at the forefront of ongoing attempts to change the global financial system, leading the way quite radically at times. Last year, for example, he praised the ‘Occupy’ movement for questioning the banks, whilst he was recently described by The Independent as ‘the one to watch’ at the Bank of England.
6-7:30pm, Thursday, 20 Feb at Firth Court, Western Bank, S10 2TN See more info and register.
Saturday 22 February: Sheffield Seed Swap
Annual seed swap held at Heeley City Farm, 12 noon – 3pm. See event flyer
It’s always very busy and there should be a few heritage seed varieties available.
Contact Daniele on 07535653842 for more info, Alternatively contact Darrell Maryon on 07768 932613, or email darrell@heeleyfarm.org.uk
So, there’s plenty here to get us active and inspired as we head into the new year. Enjoy!