You may remember that in March Transition Shipston members carried out a shopping survey, comparing prices in Stratford Tesco's with prices at Shipston's independent shops and Co-ops. The analysis showed, based on an Internet shopping basket selection, that it need cost no more to shop in Shipston, even before you take into account the high petrol costs of driving to Stratford or Stow or Banbury.
Now there is even better news about shopping in Shipston. Following pressure from local residents, the larger Co-op (previously Somerfields) has lowered its prices to match the price band of the Stratford Tesco's, resulting in 1000s of price cuts over a variety of goods. They now have a shelf sticker saying ‘Family Value’ for all items which have been reduced by 10% or more to help shoppers identify the best value as a result of the reductions. The smaller Co-op is exploring whether it can match these price reductions, and we hope all this will lead to more people shopping locally. This will help keep all the independent shops thriving too, and they offer an amazing variety of food, clothes, hardware, flowers, gifts, craft products which people who live far away often seem to appreciate more than those of us who actually live in this very special market town.
Helen Winnifrith
Stretton Goes Solar
Stretton-on-Fosse Village Hall has installed solar pv panels with the help of village residents. The panels are expected to earning £1400 per year in“Feed in Tariff” - this is the government scheme by which the hall will be paid 43.3 pence per unit of electricity generated. The village hall can also save around £500 per year in electricity bills if it can use the electricity as it is generated.
The 21 Sharp solar panels, which are manufactured in Wrexham, should produce around 3339kW hours of electricity a year and save nearly 2 tonnes of carbon emissions. The system which is rated at 3.89kWp was installed by locally based company The Green Electrician who have an office in Brailes. The surrounding trees could be left untouched because they do not shade the panels from the sun.
The Village Hall was able to raise the £12500 for the panels with an innovative loan scheme. Local residents were invited to loan the Village Hall the money at 2% above inflation. Fifteen residents took up the offer and signed a loan agreement which lasts for the 25 years- that is the period that the government guarantees to pay the Feed-in-Tariff. The investors can however withdraw their money after 5 years if they wish. The Village Hall is still expected to make over£1000 per year on the deal after paying out the interest.
The secretary of the Village Hall Izzi Hazelwood said “We are very pleased to go green with this community scheme. The money raised will be used to make improvements to the facilities of the Hall.”
Healthy Food
Pam Bennett has been doing some publishing work for the The International Raw Food Restaurant Directory, she says: “This is a listing of over 600 restaurants in over 45 countries world wide, who offer a raw food menu. If you are new to raw food, this is a vibrantly new way of eating that consists of mainly, or totally raw foods. It can have amazing health-giving effects, which have been documented. Candida, cancer, diabetes and lupus are amongst those which can be helped.
Please see this link for morehttp://video214.com/play/gT9VoSWgibD4XNdeEObIHQ/s/dark
Do please pass this on to anyone you think could be interested.”
Tree Planting packs
In celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee the Woodland Trust is offering free tree packs of 105 or 420 trees. Transition Shipston and Surrounding Communities is applying for a tree pack and would love to hear from transition members as to possible places to plant them.
Packs we can apply for comprise of Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Hazel Birch, Rowan, Oak, Cherry, Dogwood, Ash, Hornbeam, Hazel, Crab Apple, Elder and Dog Rose. We will apply for 105 trees, but if there is enough response, we will try for 420.
Please get in contact ASAP with your location ideas!
Jenny Lanham, photojourno2003@yahoo.co.uk, Phone: 07855 374471
Fruit Picking
For the last two years Transition Shipston has picked unwanted apples and other fruit from orchards around Shipston then shared them with the High School and others who have pressed them for apple juice and made fruit pies. This year we will be collecting and distributing fruit again. If you can help with picking, or have unwanted fruit please contact us.
Dave Passingham 01608 661816
Request:
‘I was unable to attend the workshop last year on how to prune apple trees. I wonder if anyone in the group knows how to do this and would be interested in passing on their knowledge & assisting me later in the year in exchange for a share in our apples. Sharing in picking the apples during the coming month is also a welcome option – we have one Discovery and one Bramley tree.
Please contact Geri on 01608 662848 if interested.
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