2024 St Albans’ Mayor’s Pride Awards nominee ‘Environmental groups’
We are a sub-group of Sopwell Residents Association – growing environmental sustainability and community resilience on our patch.
Supporting each other to tread lightly, adapt and stay strong in the face of an uncertain future
Regular Events at the Cottonmill Centre
Find more news in our Sept 23 Community Network newsletter:
Sopwell eco-stars Community Network News June 23
Past Events
ENERGY HACKS event Feb 24
Speakers including local author Judith Leary-Joyce – and training to use and borrow the Sustainable St Albans Thermal Imaging Camera. See the presentations click here
Community Cook-a-Long
Our cooking session in December 23 had an emphasis on #sustainability and helping others. Everyone learned valuable cooking skills with Danielle from The Cobbled Kitchen. We created a delicious festive chutney to take home and a winter-warming soup (SEE RECIPES BELOW) to share with the St Albans Community Pantry Monday free lunch session at Cottonmill Community & Cycling Centre.
A good time was had by all. With thanks to Hertfordshire Community Foundation for funding and St Albans Cycle Hub for hall hire.
November Repair Fair 23
- Well done to all our fixers and all the people who brought things to save them from landfill! From teddy bears to tricycles; antique coats to valve radios; breadmakers to garden tools…..Look out for our next Repair Fair in 2024.
Babies and Children Preloved and Jumble Summer Sale.
Lots of bargains were had and it helped keep items out of landfill. Thanks to all donors, buyers and great support from House of Colour Stylist Alex Shoobert, Reusable Nappies with The Cloth Bums CIC, Ethical and sustainable clothing brand Tommy & Lottie, and Period pants by WUKA.
How to Save Energy and Cut Bills at Home.
Thanks to David Reid of Sustainable St Albans, eco-renovator Judith Leary-Joyce and all the other contributors.
How Local Communities are Tackling Climate Change
Kate spoke to the Soroptomist International St Albans and District Group on 23 January, looking at how we can build resilience. You can watch the presentation below and download Kate’s powerpoint here.
Learning sustainable cooking
Cooking classes to explore plant-based meals/foraging/using seasonal and locally-grown fruit and vegetables. You can have a go at some easy recipes at home:
- Easy bread
- Gluten free soda bread
- Soup maths! (A basic formula for building a soup using ingredients you may have in your cupboards)
- Cheat’s spring veg lasagne
- Italian-style chicory salad
Repair fair
Sat 5th November 2022- with repairers on board: Bring your stuff to get fixed! Don’t throw it away! Electricals e.g., toasters, kettles, irons, radios…sewing projects…jewellery repairs. St Albans Bike Hub on standby for bike repair support
Sustainable fashion
Clothing swaps, with perhaps also toys & books
Information and awareness raising
about climate and ecological issues through literature, talks, films
Aims
We aim to support local people to manage the uncertainties we are all facing because of global warming, ecological breakdown, and related disruptions around food, energy, and the general cost of living.
Image credit: Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash
“I would like to see us launch a race for resilience. We have a race for zero that’s been launched in association with the COP, where we’re getting businesses and organizations and community groups and local authorities all signing up to say they’re going to get to net zero.
I would like to see businesses and local authorities and community groups all signing up to say that we’re going to be prepared for the changes that the climate is going to bring.
We’ve got to be prepared to make sure we live in a successful and resilient country and that we contribute to making the rest of the globe a successful and resilient world.”
Baroness Brown, Chair of the Adaptation Committee, UK Climate Change Committee, 2020
What we plan to do
- Build community resilience and adaptation to an uncertain future
Educational/awareness work to increase awareness of climate and ecological issues and practical responses.
Up-skilling around food growing, repair, insulation, and working together
Support activities that help build community cohesion, networks, and support.
Support mental health and well-being for individuals of all ages.
Reduce isolation for minority groups, the vulnerable and the elderly.
- Grow environmental sustainability in Sopwell
Help and encourage people to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in everyday lives through food, energy, and consumer projects.
Help to increase the uptake and use of renewable energy in Sopwell – to reduce energy costs and build local resilience to energy supply disruptions.
Encourage residents to reduce waste – in food, water, energy and consumer items.
Encourage repair of consumer items: electrical; clothing; furniture to reduce wastage, save money, and reduce carbon emissions.
Engage the community to protect and restore the natural environment in Sopwell – to include in people’s gardens, and in public spaces.
Partnerships
We believe passionately in creating networks of support. Working together with others brings in creativity, resources, and increased likelihood of success.
We will work together with the following partners, with whom we have existing relationships.
