Transition Town West Kirby

Next energy group meeting

2011-12-16T15:14:00.000Z

TTWK Energy Group are gathering again. This time we are making "Simple Solutions to Planet Pollutions"

When? On Monday 09 January (7.30pm till 9.00pm)

It promises to be a fun, highly practical session with demonstrations of how to make the following:

A simple hay box oven

A solar water heater from plastic bottles
A solar funnel cooker
A plant pot fridge

Attendees are encouraged to become budding scientists and inventors for the night (fancy dress optional). Bring some examples or some ideas/photos/or designs of other low cost, energy friendly contraptions that may have sparked the imagination.

You may have made it, bought it, heard of it or seen it on the internet - now is the chance to share the ideas or simply come along join in the fun.

Where? In a splendid local venue: The Old Unitarian Church, Brookfield Gardens, West Kirby. CH48 4EL. Please do not park in Brookfield Gardens (park at the Concourse) or be less planet polluting by cycling and walking.

Useful energy related websites

2011-11-27T10:34:00.000Z

Domestic energy efficiency and renewable energy

List of useful websites and contact details (correct as at 22 November 2011)

Contact details/websites of organisations mentioned in the talk

Warmer Wirral 0800 512 012

http://www.warmerwirral.org.uk/

Energy Saving Trust 0800 512 012

Grants and discounts database can be found at: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Take-action/Grants-and-Discounts-Database

Warm Front 0800 316 2805

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Energyandwatersaving/Energygrants/DG_10018661

Cosy Loans 0151 647 5471

http://www.wirral.gov.uk/my-services/housing/help-your-home/energy-efficiency/cosy-loans

Home Repair Assistance Loan 0151 691 8090

http://www.wirral.gov.uk/my-services/housing/help-your-home/financial-assistance/home-repair-assistance-loan

Wirral Handyperson Service 0151 691 8371/606 2020

Changing tariff

List of reliable price comparison websites - http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/get-advice/energy/confidence-code

Suggestions from the Energy Saving Trust - http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Take-action/Grants-and-savings/Stop-wasting-energy-and-cut-your-bills

Guide to changing tariff - http://www.cse.org.uk/downloads/file/advice_leaflet_switching_tariffs.pdf

Free advice

Energy Saving Trust 0800 512 012

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Take-action

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/In-your-home

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Solar-PV-electricity-panels/Solar-Energy-Calculator - estimates return from PV

Centre for Sustainable Energy

http://www.cse.org.uk/pages/resources/energy-advice-leaflets

http://www.cse.org.uk/pages/energy-advice/

Centre for Alternative Technology

http://info.cat.org.uk/

http://www.cat.org.uk/catpubs/pubs_content.tmpl?subdir=catpubs&sku=PUBS_30 (small charge for downloads)

Keeping up to date with developments

http://www.yougen.co.uk/

http://www.businessgreen.com/

For those that want to get into the detail

Sustainable refurbishment guides:

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Publications2/Housing-professionals/Refurbishment/Sustainable-Refurbishment-2010-edition

http://www.constructionproducts.org.uk/publications/dbfiles/Domestic%20Refurbishment%20Revised11010%20%28low%20res%29.pdf

Green building info:

http://www.greenspec.co.uk/housing-refurb-retrofit.php

Energy event slides now available online

2011-11-27T09:59:00.001Z

The excellent presentation by David White from our recent energy event is now available online. You can download the powerpoint slides here.

TTWK update: Energy event this Tuesday

2011-11-22T15:37:00.001Z

We have a great event coming up this Tuesday on energy in the home. Details below along with all the other latest TTWK news.

Energy seminar, November 22^nd

TTWK is holding an Energy Efficiency and Home Renewables event this Tuesday, November 22^nd. We are extremely fortunate to have David White as our speaker. David has a real passion for making our homes more energy efficient as well as exploiting all that renewable technology has to offer.

You can download the event poster which has more details here. The venue is the URC hall on Meols Drive. Refreshments will be served from 7pm and the event itself stats at 7.30pm.

Honouring our elders

Thanks to everyone who made it to the Honouring our Elders film screening on November 2^nd at Hilbre High School. A superb website has been created which captures the work and spirit that has gone into this project. It’s well worth a look and you can find it here.

4^th Hoylake Local Food Fair

Advance notice that the next Hoylake Local Food Fair will take place on Sunday, February 26, 10am-2pm.

If you attended the most recent Food Fair or any of our other recent events, we have created a feedback form for people to leave comments and suggestions. So, if you have something to say, please do take a couple of minutes to let us know what’s on your mind.

And finally...

Our friends at the Merseyside Cycling Campaign are extending an invitation to their Annual General Meeting speaker event. This will be held at the Quaker Meeting House on School Lane in Liverpool, on the 3rd of December (Saturday), beginning at 10am.

Confirmed guest speakers are:

Steve Evans - Cycling First Aid

Luciana Berger MP - Climate Change and the Role of Cycling

If you would like to come along, please register here

Please note that non Mersey Cycling Campaign members are asked for a £5 contribution to cover lunch.

Yours in Transition
the Transition Town West Kirby team
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/
http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

Energy Efficiency and Home Renewables event

2011-11-11T12:35:00.001Z

Please click to enlarge this image.

TTWK update

2011-10-27T19:09:00.001+01:00

A brief update below with more details on this Sunday’s Food Fair, news of an upcoming energy event and a local project film screening “Honouring our Elders”.

3^rd Hoylake Local Food Fair

Hoylake Local Food Fair this Sunday is shaping up into a great event but we still need more helpers on the day. Remember, these events are run by the community for the community so if you can spare half an hour to help out, please visit this link and let us know.

For more details about this Sunday’s event please click here.

Honouring our elders film screening

We are pleased to be launching the first stage in this project with the Friends of Grange Park, involving local youngsters and elderly residents.

The film screening launch event will be on Wednesday, November 2^nd at 7.30pm at the media studio, Hilbre High School. We hope to hear a little about the Grange Park area and learn from those who can remember life before the age of cheap oil. The project seeks to inspire us to examine our life styles, tread more lightly upon the earth and be more community spirited.

Do come along and bring friends, young and old.

Energy seminar, November 22^nd

TTWK is holding a seminar next month entitled “Energy efficiency and renewable energy in your home - what works and how to pay for it”. This promises to be a great event for anyone interested in cutting their fuel bills and reducing their exposure to rising energy prices.

More details nearer the date but please mark your diaries for the evening of Tuesday, November 22^nd.

Did you miss our last film screening?

If you missed our screening of the excellent documentary Gasland about the shale gas industry in the USA but would like to see it, the DVD is available. Just respond to this email or ring 632 5366.

And finally...

Our friends at CRed Wirral have details of free cycle training and maintenance sessions. For all the details, please click here.

Yours in Transition
the Transition Town West Kirby team
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/
http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

Hoylake Food Fair latest

2011-10-27T14:18:00.001+01:00

Help needed
Hoylake Local Food Fair this Sunday is shaping up into a great event but we still need more helpers on the day. If you can spare half an hour to help out, please visit this link and let us know.

Even more producers
We have more producers this time, selling an even bigger range of local produce. New this time are Amaretti Cakes, Dafarn Dywyrch Cider, Emma's Country Kitchen, Fellowship House, Friarspark Jacobs, Funky Flapjacks, Hemingways Pasta, Ostrich Direct, Su Casa Mediterranean Cuisine and Taste of Anatolia. Visit our website to see more information on producers.

BBC's Great British Bake-off
Come and see Yasmin Limbert's stall at the Food Fair - star of the BBC's Great British Bake-off. See Yasmin's recipes for the series here on her blog.

Patisserie Masterclasses
Les Bell patissier and proprietor of the renowned Chantilly Tea Rooms in Hoylake will be holding 3 free masterclasses during the fair. Demonstrations will include question and answer sessions:

11.00 - The world of bread making - the art of handmade bread
12.00 - The mysteries of puff pastry explained
1.00 - How to make the perfect gateau

Event details
The Local Food Fair is at Hoylake Community Centre, Hoyle Road, CH47 3AG, from 10am to 2pm. The Community Centre is 5 minutes' walk from Manor Road station, or there will be parking along Hoylake Promenade.

Transition Town West Kirby update

2011-10-18T22:57:00.001+01:00

Welcome to another update from TTWK.

Gasland film this Friday

A reminder that our next film screening takes place this Friday, October 21. The venue is the URC Church Hall on Meols Drive. Screening time will be 7.30pm with admission by donation. This is a highly topical screening of Gasland, the widely acclaimed investigation into the impacts of shale gas or “fracking”. You can get more details about the film here.

3^rd Hoylake Local Food Fair

Sunday 30th October, 10am to 2pm, Hoylake Community Centre.

All the usual local producers will be there, joined by several new stalls selling cider, local rare-breed lamb, Anatolian cuisine, ostrich and more. There will be cookery demos from pastry chef Les Bell of Chantilly, and a chance to buy produce from Yasmin Limbert, Wirral's contestant in the Great British Bake Off. Please come along and support local producers.

The event is organised and run by volunteers, with any profit going directly to improve facilities at Hoylake Community Centre - more details at www.wirralfood.org.uk. We would welcome offers of help from anyone who would like to be part of the great team of volunteers who continue to support the event. Please click on this link to let us know if you can offer any help (no matter how small).

Lantern making workshops

Half-term lantern making workshops for young and old, Tuesday, October 25^th 10:30-1pm at the drop-in centre, URC Hall, Meols Drive and Wednesday, October 26^th, also 10:30-1pm, at the scout hut, Grange Park (top of Lang Lane). Suggested donation to cover costs £4. Please book in advance with Ian Morris on 625 8474.

Any adults wanting to go for a more adventurous lantern can join the TTWK Yellow Group on Tuesday, November 1^st at the URC at 7pm.

Travelling Light Peace Parade, 11.11.11

This year, as well as being joined by the Wirral samba band again, Cantemus, the Calday Community Choir, will sing some songs of peace. We meet at 5.30pm on November 11^th in Coronation Gardens for Songs of Peace and an enactment of a St. Martin legend. The parade will start at 6pm. If it’s wet and windy we’ll stay in Coronation Gardens using led lights for safety so please, if you can, bring lights to substitute candles if necessary. Please also bring a mug for a hot drink afterwards.

If anyone knows a film maker willing to record the event, please let us know.

“Growing Recovery”

Crass Routes is funding the planting of fruit trees for a community orchard at the transition allotments, Gilroy Road. A group from the Drugs and Alcohol Action Team and Wirral Mind’s Fountain Project will be working on the first three Wednesdays in November. If you would like to help, please respond to this email.

Incredible Edible Hoylake
This community group planting edible plants in public spaces around Hoylake is really flourishing. They have fruit, vegetables and herbs planted on Manor Road station and various borders and gardens around Hoylake as well as a recent successful bid for funding to plant 100 fruit and nut trees. To find out more or get involved, email incrededhoylake@gmail.com

Other Wirral-based events taking place soon

22nd Oct - 10am to 1pm, Swap Day
St Andrews URC, Greenwood Road (next to Railway Inn), Meols
Give unwanted household items in usable condition and take anything free of charge (for your own use). For more details see la21.net, the website of Wirral Environmental Network (WEN).

Meanwhile, this Wednesday, October 19^th, WEN is launching its Sustainable Living Project. Over the course of the next year the project hopes to work with community groups and schools to develop a new concept called Environmental Community Planning – a holistic look at our present unsustainable lifestyles and the way we can start to influence changes, whether as individuals or groups.

The event will consist of a short presentation followed by question and answers and will be held at the Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd Birkenhead starting at 1pm.

Love Food, Hate Waste project

Estimates nationally suggest that more than 16% of the waste we throw away is unused food. The monetary value per household is thought to be £680 per year or in the case of a single person living alone £450. The aim through this project is to work with the public to reduce the volume of waste food thus saving participants significant sums of money.

Wirral Council is looking to identify five members of the public in whom they will invest training and time to give them a better understanding of the subject of food waste. Before starting they will have members of our team analyse the residual waste of the participants and after the training the team will periodically re-examine the waste produced to identify weight savings. The team will also be on hand to provide ongoing support.

Part of the training will enable participants to pass on their knowledge to friends and family and as they gain confidence we will ask them to identify someone else in the area that they will train. This will be a 'rolling' process. The same level of support will be offered to the growing number of participants and after an agreed period the Council will review the entire project to establish whether it has achieved the desired results.

If you are interested and would like to know more, contact Jim Smith, Waste & Recycling, Wirral Borough Council: jimsmith@wirral.gov.uk or phone 606 2122

Yours in Transition
the Transition Town West Kirby team
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/
http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

Gasland screening, October 21

2011-10-04T10:50:00.001+01:00

Please click on the image to enlarge.

Admission is by donation.

Sustainable Living Project

2011-09-23T11:23:00.000+01:00

Wirral Environmental Network would like to invite you to the launch of our new Lottery funded Sustainable Living Project

Over the course of the next year the Wirral Environmental Network hopes to work with community groups and schools to develop a new concept called Environmental Community Planning – an holistic look at our present unsustainable lifestyles and the way we can start to influence changes , whether as individuals or groups.

The event will consist of a short presentation followed by question and answers and will be held at :

Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Rd Birkenhead, Wednesday 19^th October

Agenda

12.40pm Arrivals tea and coffee

1.00pm Presentation : Goodbye Industrial hello Environmental Revolution

1.40pm Questions / Answers and discussion

2.20 pm Finish

If a representative of your group / organisation / school would like to attend please contact – kenny@la21.net - as places are limited.

Transition Town West Kirby update

2011-09-13T23:37:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the latest news and events from TTWK.

Change of venue for our banner making event tomorrow, September 14

Come and help TTWK make its very own banner from recycled materials. Help spread the Transition message, add a touch of colour to all our events and (if you can’t already) learn to sew. Please note that the venue for this event has changed. It will now take place at the URC hall on Meols Drive tomorrow September 14 at 7.30pm. We have also had to change the time and venue for our forthcoming AGM. Details will be provided in the next update.

TTWK film screening: Gasland

Our next film screening takes place on Friday, October 21. The venue is the URC Church Hall on Meols Drive. Screening time will be 7.30pm with admission by donation.

This is a highly topical screening of Gasland, the widely acclaimed investigation into the impacts of shale gas or “fracking”. You can get more details about the film here.

Next Hoylake local food fair
The hugely popular local food fair at the Hoylake Community Centre returns on Sunday, October 30. The fair runs from 10am-2pm

....and finally
Any parents or teachers out there may be interested in “The Oil Game”. This is a hugely effective tool to engage young children, teaching them about our dependence on oil and how we can build a more resilient community.

Full details and a downloadable workbook are available via the Transition Culture blog.

Yours in Transition
the Transition Town West Kirby team
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/
http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

Hoylake Food Fair, October 30

2011-09-02T17:23:00.000+01:00

The next Hoylake local food fair will be October 30, 10-2pm at the community centre

TTWK update

2011-08-04T17:12:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the latest news and events from TTWK.

“Sweet dreams” Songs and Poetry evening, August 10th

With new members and fresh enthusiasm in our “Yellow” group we have a couple of forthcoming come-and-join-in gatherings. Building on the popularity of recent “Songs on Toast” events, the Sweet Pea cafe in West Kirby is hosting a songs and poetry evening on Wednesday, August 10^th from 5.30-7.30pm. “Sweet Dreams” is also an invitation to write, draw or compose a dream of how West Kirby and Hoylake would look as truly resilient communities. We will be using recycled material to make our own bunting to hang at this event.

A poster is available for this event. Please download to display and forward to your friends.

Also, on September 14^th at 7.30pm, you can come and help TTWK make its very own banner to help spread the Transition message and add a touch of colour to all our events. The venue is a new and exciting one for TTWK – the former Unitarian Church, Brookfield Gardens, CH48 4EL. And, if you can’t sew, it’s a chance to learn a new skill!

Tasty fare for free in Hoylake

Incredible Edible Hoylake have published a very special menu of all the fabulous free food that is sprouting up around the town. You can have a look for yourself here. The group has an active Facebook page if you want to keep in regular touch. You can also find TTWK there. Why not join us?

Calling all car owners
Does your car spend most of its time sitting in the drive way, depreciating? Ever wondered how much you could save by car sharing? Not to mention the environmental benefits.

If you are interested in pioneering a car share scheme for West Kirby/Hoylake please email us or ring 632 5366.

Wirral Coastal Strategy
Wirral Council has just publicly announced news of its Coastal Strategy. As a response to this, there is a proposal to bring together a (mix-disciplinary) group who might be interested in forming a Wirral Peninsula Futures Project team. The purpose of this would be to contribute an integrated long-term 'cultural' perspective to the development and progress of the Coastal Strategy. Meetings have been arranged with Council staff to develop this proposal.

If you would like to see Wirral encompass a stronger cultural element in devising its coastal strategy and are interested in getting involved, please reply to this message or phone 632 5366 in the first instance. You can learn more by following the coastal strategy link or by studying the shoreline management plan.

....and finally
Please make a note in you diary for our Annual General Party on the evening of Friday, September 23^rd. More details, including the venue, to follow, but please note the date for what promises to be a special event.

And, if you would like to join our core group to help further the cause of Transition in Wirral please ring 632 5366.

Yours in Transition
the Transition Town West Kirby team
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/
http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

Tasty fare for free in Hoylake

2011-08-03T09:00:00.001+01:00

Incredible Edible Hoylake goes from strength to strength. Just look at the menu of free fare currently available.

Fortunately, you can click on the menu to enlarge it. Press ctrl+ for further enlargements.

Sweet dreams, Wednesday August 10, 5.30-7.30

2011-07-29T10:45:00.000+01:00

CLICK TO ENLARGE

TTWK update

2011-07-22T17:28:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the latest news and events from TTWK.

Film screening: Robert Newman’s History of Oil: Friday, July 22^nd 7.30pm

Join us for Robert Newman’s acclaimed and side splitting tour through 100 years of our addiction to oil. This will be at the URC Church Hall Meols Drive/Bridge Road on Friday, July 22nd.

Refreshments/introductions from 7.30pm while the hour long film will be screened at 8pm followed by discussion/refreshments. Admission is by donation.

You can download a poster for display via our blogsite.

Energy group news

Solar panels are increasingly common with many installations in and around West Kirby. If you are thinking of going solar, check out the very useful guide on our web site. If you already have solar panels why not share the details with us and we can use this to help inform others.

Also a reminder that Wirral Council provides free home insulation across the borough so, if you haven’t already done so, there really is no excuse. Full details are on the TTWK website. You can keep updated on Wirral’s efforts to cut carbon via the CRed Wirral website.

Transition Conference 2011
Last weekend, Liverpool saw an amazing coming together of Transitioners from all parts. You can read Rob Hopkins inspiring review of the event and delve deeper into the conference via the Transition Network’s conference blog.

Yours in Transition
the Transition Town West Kirby team
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/
http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

Film screening, July 22

2011-07-06T09:31:00.000+01:00

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Honouring the Elders update

2011-06-13T12:23:00.000+01:00

Some young people from West Kirby Grange involved in the Honouring our Elders project interview and film several Elders from the community to learn about the history of the area they live in, but also about the times before cheap oil.

It was especially interesting to see the allotment of a keen older gardener and then go to the new allotment site in West Kirby- initiated by TTWK.

Incredible Edible Hoylake

2011-05-17T14:06:00.001+01:00

The Wirral Globe today reports on the Incredible Edible Hoylake project.

You can read the full report here.

Transition Town West Kirby update

2011-05-11T13:55:00.001+01:00

Welcome to another update from TTWK. Lots going on as usual starting with:

Film screening: The economics of happiness May 20^th

Join us for an uplifting screening of the acclaimed film The Economics of Happiness. This will be at the URC Church Hall Meols Drive/Bridge Road on Friday, 20^th May.

Refreshments/introduction from 7.30 while the hour long film will be screened at 8pm followed by discussion/refreshments. Admission by donation.

You can watch a preview and download a poster for display via our blogsite.

Recent Events

If you enjoyed some of our recent events you can relive the magic online. Reports/photos are available for the 2^nd Hoylake Food Fair and the most recent Songs on Toast.

West Kirby Farmers' Market
The TTWK Food Group has decided to set up a separate committee to develop a Farmers' Market in West Kirby. This will be a market for genuine local food producers selling only what they themselves have produced. Let us know if you would be interested in joining the Farmers' Market Group.
We have dates in mind and producers queuing to come, but are being somewhat frustrated by the Council at the moment who don't seem to be able to measure the distance from Birkenhead to West Kirby. Is there a Chartered Surveyor out there who could give us a (pro bono) opinion on the distance between two specified points in Wirral?

Incredible Edible Wirral
Ever fancied a spot of guerilla gardening? Courgettes at the Concourse, lettuces at the library, peppers in the park? Have a look at the Incredible Edible Todmorden website for inspiration (http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/home). Incredible Edible Hoylake has already got started, planting some herbs, fruit and lettuces around town. Come to a meeting on 23rd May at Melrose Hall. For more details download their poster. www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/files/incredible_edible_hoylake.doc

Local Food Directory
We would like to put together a directory of which local businesses support local food. For example, did you know that Roberts butchers in The Crescent make their own sausages from West Kirby pork (China Farm). They're just introducing pork & apple, pork & leek and pork & tomato. Go into local shops and ask for local food, and then let us know what you find out! Email ttwk.food@gmail.com

Allotments in Pensby
We are investigating the possibility of a new allotment site in Pensby. Anyone in the Pensby/Irby area who wants to get involved in developing this site should email us at ttwk.food@gmail.com

Dale Farm Plant Sale
Sunday 15th May between 10 to 4pm. As well as perennial, bedding plants and some organic veg plants for sale (all grown on the farm), there will be a BBQ and other refreshments, some organic vegetables for sale and of course their fantastic preserves and honey (beautifully presented - make great presents).
51 Oldfield Rd, Heswall Wirral CH60 6SN. Tel: 0151 342 7819

Claremont Farm
Local food workshops at Claremont Farm, including beekeeping, cheese making, sausage making and preserving. For more details on the courses and how to book, see their website
http://www.claremontfarm.co.uk/forthcomingevents.html

Allotment Waiting lists in England 2011
TTWK has just published a new report on the allotment waiting lists of every principal local authority in England.
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/files/ttwk_nsalg_survey_2011.pdf

It demonstrates that demand is still high. It explains that local authorities have a statutory duty to provide sufficient allotments, and shows that the number of plots in new allotment sites brought into use by local authorities in the last year represents only about 1% of the number of people on local authority waiting lists.

The Government seems to think that TTWK is now the authority on allotment waiting lists.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2011-03-02a.43457.h&s=allotments

What's on locally?
Visit www.wirralgroups.org.uk - a diary of local fun. Marauding Vikings in Meols, Hilbre Rock Pooling, Concerts in the Park, Model Yachting 9th World Championship.

And finally…

If you would like to gain a greater understanding of the world of Transition, the highly acclaimed annual Transition Conference is coming to Merseyside in July. More details here.

Yours in Transition
the Transition Town West Kirby team
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/
http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

Film Screening: The Economics of happiness

2011-05-10T10:39:00.001+01:00

Join us for an uplifting evening with refreshments from 7.30pm.

You can enjoy a preview of the film here.

Second Hoylake Food Fair

2011-03-29T14:56:00.001+01:00

The second Hoylake Food Fair has surpassed the first, with more than two thousand visitors flocking on Sunday (27 March) to buy the locally-produced meat, vegetables, bread and other goods.

19 producers attended from Hoylake, Meols, West Kirby, Bidston, Birkenhead, Storeton, Bebington, Heswall, Neston, Burton, Wallasey and Port Sunlight, as well as some from Cheshire and North Wales - all within an average distance of only 13 miles.

Along with twenty eight stalls featuring a wide range of produce, the visitors packed a cooking demonstration by local celebrity chef, the Michelin-star-winning Aiden Byrne, who showed kids and their parents how to make home-made marshmallows.

This time, the fair had expanded to use the upstairs rooms at Hoylake Community Centre, allowing a wide range of new producers, including Birkenhead micro-brewery Peerless and Meols preserves specialist Angela’s Farmhouse Kitchen.

Returning producers said that the second Fair was as successful as the first: “Just like the last time it’s been fantastic,” said Grace Aderonke Adegoke of RNK Foods, who was selling Afro-Caribbean dishes. Mary Walton of Mary’s Home-made Cakes had queues of customers for her scones, which she was cooking to order. “It’s been fantastic,” she said, “we sold absolutely everything.”

The Fair organisers, from Transition Town West Kirby and Hoylake Community Centre, will meet over the next few weeks to decide when to hold the next event. “Local people told us they wanted a farmers’ market-style event, and they’ve really demonstrated their support for it twice now,” said Margaret Campbell, who leads the organising team. “Hoylake Community Centre is ideal as a venue, with lots of space inside for visitors to wander round the stalls, sample the foods and talk to the producers. You could see today that people were really relaxed and enjoying the experience.”

Film screening, May 20

2011-03-29T10:05:00.001+01:00

TTWK will be screening The Economics of Happiness on the evening of May 20th at the URC on Meols Drive.

More details to follow later but you can read Rob Hopkins' review of the file at Transition Culture.

Transition Conference comes to Liverpool

2011-03-23T20:31:00.001Z

This year's Transition conference will be in Liverpool. More details here.

Songs on Toast photos

2011-03-20T10:06:00.001Z

A great event at Toast on March 16.

Capture the buzz with photos courtesy of Janette Porter here.

Transition Town West Kirby update

2011-03-10T21:27:00.000Z

Welcome to the latest update from Transition Town West Kirby. Lots coming up in the weeks ahead:

Another slice of Songs on Toast - Wed 16th March, 5-7pm

With the amazing Krunk Band
Bring a song or a poem.
At Toast, West Kirby station.

Download the poster and find somewhere to put it up, if you can.

Razor clam sortie on Sunday 20th March
(dependent on weather)

Join us in a forage along the seashore for razor clams. Gordon Ramsay describes them as "quite a treat as they come with sweet and meaty flesh" in this recipe - Razor Clams with Sautéd Mushrooms

All welcome - Meet at 4.30 - 4.45pm outside 192 Meols Parade, Hoylake (not far from the junction with Dovepoint Road). Please email ttwk.food@gmail.com or telephone 625 0608 to book a place and give contact details - it can only go ahead if the weather that weekend is suitable.

You must wear wellingtons or similar, as we will be walking across sand, mud and very cold water. Bring along a couple of plastic water bottles (such as a 750 ml bottle) with the 'sqeezy' type end so that water can be jettisoned out of the top of the bottle and into the holes in the sand that are caused by the clams. The contents of the bottles should be an extreme salt solution which can be created by boiling a kettle and pouring the water into a bowl and dissolving into it table salt until it dissolves no more! (i.e. just keep on pouring the salt in until it no longer dissolves.) Alternatively one can just bring along a couple of plastic cartons of salt (but from experience the bottle idea is far superior). There will be some cockling bags that can be used to carry whatever we catch, and if we have time we will show people how to gather cockles using a rake.

2nd Hoylake Food Fair Sunday 27th March, 10 - 2pm

A repeat of the very popular Food Fair last October. Buy from a huge variety of fresh and seasonal food brought directly to you by local producers. This time we've taken over the first floor at Hoylake Community Centre too, so there'll be more choice, more produce and more room to circulate. Keep an eye on our website to see who will be there.

At 12 noon there will be a children's cookery demo from tv chef Aiden Byrne, new chef of The Collingwood, West Kirby.

The Food Fair is run by volunteers, with profits going to support Hoylake Community Centre. If you're able to help please fill in our online form or contact ttwk.food@gmail.com

Please circulate this email, speak to friends and family about the food fair, and if you can, put up our poster somewhere - in your office at work or local shop, church, school etc

Incredible Edible Wirral

The beauty of Incredible Edible is its simplicity; it's about communities using currently unproductive land and spaces to grow their own produce to feed their own communities. Projects are owned by local people working together to improve our local environment. http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/

A guest speaker from the group who established and now manage the wonderful work at ‘Incredible Edible Todmorden’ has generously agreed to come to Wirral and explain how they have created a sustainable environment of which they are justifiably proud.

The talk will be part of Wirral Council's Envirochamps Conference at Pacific Road Arts Centre, Birkenhead, on 22nd March at 10am - 3:30pm. Other speakers on the day will cover topics relating to Wirral’s Parks and Open Spaces, Rights of Way Network, Carbon Reduction and Waste & Recycling.

To reserve a place contact Streetscene on 0151 606 2004 or email envirochamps@wirral.gov.uk. If you can't go to the conference but would like to be part of Incredible Edible West Kirby, contact us at ttwk.food@gmail.com

Yours in Transition
the Transition Town West Kirby team
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/
http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

2nd Hoylake Local Food Fair

2011-03-08T15:54:00.001Z

More Songs on Toast

2011-03-08T15:40:00.001Z

Events

2011-03-08T15:05:00.003Z

News of a good night out and two 'foodie' events coming up in March from Transition Town West Kirby.

Another slice of Songs on Toast - Wed 16th March, 5-7pm

With the amazing Krunk Band
Bring a song or a poem.
At Toast, West Kirby station.

Razor clam sortie on Sunday 20th March
(dependent on weather)

Join us in a forage along the seashore for razor clams. Gordon Ramsay describes them as "quite a treat as they come with sweet and meaty flesh" in this recipe - Razor Clams with Sautéd Mushrooms

All welcome - Meet at 4.30 - 4.45pm outside 192 Meols Parade, Hoylake (not far from the junction with Dovepoint Road). Please email ttwk.food@gmail.com or telephone 625 0608 to book a place and give contact details - it can only go ahead if the weather that weekend is suitable.

You must wear wellingtons or similar, as we will be walking across sand, mud and very cold water. Bring along a couple of plastic water bottles (such as a 750 ml bottle) with the 'sqeezy' type end so that water can be jettisoned out of the top of the bottle and into the holes in the sand that are caused by the clams. The contents of the bottles should be an extreme salt solution which can be created by boiling a kettle and pouring the water into a bowl and dissolving into it table salt until it dissolves no more! (i.e. just keep on pouring the salt in until it no longer dissolves.) Alternatively one can just bring along a couple of plastic cartons of salt (but from experience the bottle idea is far superior).
There will be some cockling bags that can be used to carry whatever we catch, and if we have time we will show people how to gather cockles using a rake.

2nd Hoylake Food Fair Sunday 27th March, 10 - 2pm

A repeat of the very popular Food Fair last October. Buy from a huge variety of fresh and seasonal food brought directly to you by local producers. This time we've taken over the first floor at Hoylake Community Centre too, so there'll be more choice, more produce and more room to circulate. Keep an eye on our website to see who will be there.

At 12 noon there will be a children's cookery demo from tv chef Aiden Byrne, new chef of The Collingwood, West Kirby.

The Food Fair is run by volunteers, with profits going to support Hoylake Community Centre. If you're able to help please fill in our online form or contact me directly.

Please circulate this email, speak to friends and family about the food fair, and if you can, put up the attached poster somewhere - in your office at work or local shop, church, school etc

Incredible Edible Wirral

2011-03-08T15:02:00.001Z

The beauty of Incredible Edible is its simplicity; it's about communities using currently unproductive land and spaces to grow their own produce to feed their own communities. Projects are owned by local people working together to improve our local environment. http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/

A guest speaker from the group who established and now manage the wonderful work at ‘Incredible Edible Todmorden’ has generously agreed to come to Wirral and explain how they have created a sustainable environment of which they are justifiably proud.

The talk will be part of Wirral Council's Envirochamps Conference at Pacific Road Arts Centre, Birkenhead, on 22nd March at 10am - 3:30pm. Other speakers on the day will cover topics relating to Wirral’s Parks and Open Spaces, Rights of Way Network, Carbon Reduction and Waste & Recycling.

To reserve a place contact Streetscene on 0151 606 2004 or email envirochamps@wirral.gov.uk. If you can't go to the conference but would like to be part of Incredible Edible West Kirby, contact us at ttwk.food@gmail.com

Transition Town West Kirby update

2011-02-10T15:32:00.001Z

Welcome to the latest update from Transition Town West Kirby. Below you’ll find details on a forthcoming film screening, our upcoming tree planting event, more Songs on Toast and all the latest on our Food Group activities.

A Century of Challenges: Film screening and discussion, February 21

On February 21^st TTWK is hosting a film and discussion event entitled “A Century of Challenges”. This is a screening of a presentation from the producers of the renowned Automatic Earth website. It provides an invaluable insight into the origins of the financial crash and how its combination with the environmental crisis and resource depletion will shape our future in the coming years.

Tea and refreshments will be provided. Admission is free with a suggested donation of £3.50 to cover costs. The venue is the United Reformed Church hall on Meols Drive, CH48 5DA. Please arrive at 7.45 for an 8pm prompt start. You can also download and display a poster for this event.

And, if you needed any further encouragement as to the pressing need to end our dependence on oil, this week’s press has been reporting the latest WikiLeaks revelation that oil reserves in Saudi Arabia have been grossly inflated.

Gearing up for Spring with another slice of Songs on Toast

Toast café at West Kirby Station will again host music and poetry on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16th from 5pm - 7pm. Bring a song or poem of your own or just come and enjoy the company and entertainment.

The transition 'Yellow' group is organising this event. If you have a passion for Health & WellBeing, the arts, spirituality and the psychology of change and would like to join our next meeting, do get in touch with Marko or Hara at the event or simply reply to this email.

Tree planting and bread making, February 23

On February 23rd there will be another tree planting session at Grange Community Park. We will also be tending the trees and shrubs already planted over recent years. This time, we are combining the event with a bread making session so if you don’t fancy digging and pruning come and bake a loaf instead.

The bread making starts at 10:30 in the Scout Hut at the top of Lang Lane. Places are limited for this so booking is essential. Telephone 625 0608.

The tree planting commences at 11am in the park next door. We aim to finish by 4pm so feel free to come along at any time.

Food news

We are delighted to announce a repeat of the hugely successful Hoylake Local Food Fair. This will be on March 27th, 10am to 2pm.

Quality, local food direct from the producer. This time everything will be more spread out, with lots happening upstairs - more cookery demos, more stalls, more produce and more room to circulate.
Hoylake Community Centre, 31 Hoyle Rd, Wirral CH47 3AG.
A few hundred yards from Manor Rd station, or car parking on Meols Parade.
For more details see www.wirralfood.org.uk or email ttwk.food@gmail.com

TTWK allotment
We would like to hear from anyone interested in helping to set up or support activities on the new TTWK allotment at Gilroy Community Allotment site. Please get in touch with ttwk.food@gmail.com, to discuss what activities we might get going.

Finally, you can enjoy an update on all the recent Food Group activities on our blog site.

Yours in Transition
the Transition Town West Kirby team
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/
http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

Tree Planting and Bread Making, February 23

2011-02-10T14:52:00.001Z

Click on the image to enlarge

A Century of Challenges, film and discussion, February 21

2011-01-23T16:01:00.001Z

Please click on the image to enlarge

West Kirby Library Community Day

2011-01-21T13:54:00.000Z

TTWK today participated in West Kirby Library's Community Day

Nicole Foss: We Need Freedom of Action To Confront Peak Oil

2011-01-20T22:01:00.002Z

TTWK at The Wirral Society

2011-01-20T16:52:00.000Z

TTWK will be presenting to the Wirral Society on January 25th.

If you would like to attend please call 632 5366.

Further details here.

Food Group update

2010-12-21T12:40:00.000Z

I thought it might be nice to summarise what happened last year, as a celebration of what went on, as thanks to those who organised and helped, but also because many of these things will be continuing and evolving alongside new projects for 2011.

Community Orchard
Grange Park now has almost 100 extra trees planted by TTWK and The Friends of Grange (FrOG), including apple, plum, damson, cherry, cobnut, walnut, quince, fig, mulberry, medlar and sloe. It's presently an opportunity to practice planting, pruning etc of fruit trees, but in a few years will be a great resource for community activities - apple days, cider making sessions etc.

Foraging
Fabienne and Zel led a well-attended and enlightening walk along the Wirral Way in the Spring which revealed a plethora of edible plants within a very short distance. This was complemented by a picnic with breads, falafel, salads and dips made using locally foraged food.

Bread Making
Bridie took a group through the process of breadmaking using yeast and interesting flours and a variety of added seeds, fruit, veg etc.
Marko led another session on the principles & practice of sourdough breadmaking, including bringing along his own family starter to share.

Fungus Foray
Ted Tuddenham of the famous Haringey Fungus Foray once again came north to stay with Zel and lead an amazing fugus foray. We estimated 50 different types of edible and non-edible fungi were found, including the most beautifully perfect fly agarics found on a lawn in Caldy.

Buying Group
This continues, with six-weekly deliveries of bulk storecupboard items from a wholesale vegetarian cooperative. This is now combined with an order of organic fruit, vegtables, preserves and honey from Dale farm.

Fruitshare
Recently started, 14 volunteers have offered to come and join in sessions picking and distributing unwanted fruit from local gardens. We just need some trees to pick now, and to hear from groups that can use the fruit!

Allotment
We now officially have approval for a new allotment site in West Kirby, and work has already started on access and fencing etc. A wildlife survey has been undertaken with funding from Your Wirral. There is interest from local schools and other community groups.

Farmers' Market
We are aiming to have a regular monthly market but at the moment we are constrained by Birkenhead Market's monopoly. Our first one-off Farmers' Market was a great success in October. We undertook a survey (5.6Mb) during the event to collect evidence about where customers came from and what would be the value of a regular market in West Wirral. We have a provisional date for the second one in March - just awaiting permission from Birkenhead Market to proceed with this.

Dates for your diary
Tuesday 18th January
TTWK food group - 7pm on Hoylake Community Centre. All welcome. As well as developing the projects currently underway, a chance to think about new projects for 2011.

Wednesday 23rd February
Community tree planting, 11- 4pm, Grange Park. Planting new trees and pruning 2-year old fruit trees. Includes lunch with home made bread.

Wednesday 23rd February
Community bread-making session - 10.30, Scout Hut, Grange Park. Come and have a go at bread making, take some home, and bake some to share for lunch with the tree planters.

Saturday 5th March
Apple Espalier Day, 11am to 3pm, Dale Farm, Heswall. An RHS-accredited tutor will cover the principles of espaliers, covering staking and wiring, tree selection, planting and pruning, with practical guided pruning of establishes espalier. There will be a small charge to cover the cost of the tutor.

Sunday 27th March
At the moment still a provisional date for the next food fair at Hoylake Community Centre, but hopefully this will be confirmed soon.

With very best wishes to you all for Christmas and looking forward to an active and fulfilling new year.

Margaret

--
Margaret Campbell

Contact for Transition Town West Kirby Food Group
www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk
Tel 0151 625 0608

Merseyside Transport Plan 2011 to 2024

2010-11-25T14:59:00.000Z

Give your views on the Merseyside Transport Plan 2011 to 2024

A Transport Plan is being drawn up for Merseyside to cover the period from April 2011 until 2024, and there is currently public consultation on the plans until 30 November. TTWK has already made a submission which you can read here (pdf 5MB). However, the issues and concerns we have raised have been largely omitted from the summary of responses and the Draft Strategy itself. We would therefore encourage you to make your voice heard before the final deadline on November 30.

Many people feel that the key questions governing what the roads will be like over this period are
(1) whether speed limits are reduced on non-major roads from 30 mph to 20 mph, as has been done in many cities on the continent and some in the UK, and
(2) whether or not there is a large increase in the share of funding allocated to walking and cycling (currently the share is less than 10%, contrasting with the statistic that 60% of people on Merseyside do not own a car).

If you would like to have your say on these questions, you can copy the text below, and paste it into an email to info@transportmerseyside.org. Then edit the text to reflect your views, add your postcode, any other opinions, and your name, and send it with the header “LTP3 Consultation”. The Merseyside Transport Partnership which is running the consultation has said that all views submitted will be taken into account however they are received.
----------------------------------------------------------

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to give my view concerning Merseyside’s Third Local Transport Plan.

(a) I would like the speed limit in the road where I live to be 20 mph / 30 mph (delete as applicable)
(b) I would like the speed limit at my local shops to be 20 mph / 30 mph (delete as applicable)
(c) For every £100 of my taxes spent on the roads, I would like £*** to be spent on facilities for motor vehicles and £*** to be spent on walking and cycling (complete as desired)
(d) My post code is ***
I also think ***

Yours in Transition
the Transition Town West Kirby team
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/
http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

TTWK update

2010-11-10T14:30:00.001Z

A quick update with details below on Thursday’s Lantern Parade, a report on the recent Hoylake Food Fair and our Fungus Foray in West Kirby.

Lantern Parade this Thursday

The Lantern Parade is meeting at 5.30pm this Thursday at Coronation Gardens. If it is fine we will walk around the Marine Lake. If it is windy and damp we will just walk the prom. If the weather is really bad we will adjourn to the URC on Meols Drive. If you need any further details please call Hara on 07790 643 216.

Please also remember that if you would like a hot drink at the end of the walk to BRING A MUG or CUP along with you! Otherwise we cannot guarantee you a warming cuppa.

Hoylake Food Fair

Hoylake Local Food Fair was a great success last week, when 2,200 local people turned up to buy a huge range of local food from 24 producers based in Wirral, Cheshire and North Wales. Some of the ingredients on sale were showcased in cooking demonstrations by award-winning chef Colin Parry of La Paz restaurant in West Kirby.

Plans are already afoot for the next one in the Spring, hopefully leading on to a regular farmers' market which will support the local economy and offer a real alternative to supermarket shopping. For the next event Hoylake Community Centre will open additional rooms to offer stalls to a few more producers, but to also to give a lot more room between the stalls for people to circulate.

The event was organised in partnership with Hoylake Community Centre, and with permission from Birkenhead Market and support from Wirral Council. Much of its success was down to help from volunteers in the local community, who really rallied behind it, with dozens of people offering to deliver flyers in their own streets beforehand and stewarding on the day.

Visit this link to see how you can help with this - even if your time is limited, there will be something you can contribute.

Fungus Foray

And finally, if you were one of the 40 or so people who took part in the recent fungus foray you can enjoy some photos of the event here.

Fungus Foray photos

2010-11-01T20:18:00.000Z

A few photos from our most recent fungus foray. Over 30 people attended. A great event.

TTWK in the news

2010-11-01T20:16:00.000Z

http://www.wirralnews.co.uk/wirral-news/local-wirral-news/west-wirral-news/2010/10/27/hoylake-community-centre-hosting-west-wirral-s-first-local-food-market-this-sunday-80491-27545033/

Click on the link for some coverage of the first local food fair in Hoylake

TTWK update: First Hoylake Local Food Fair & Annual Lantern Parade

2010-10-21T09:38:00.000+01:00

Details below of the first Hoylake Local Food Fair, that TTWK and Hoylake Community Centre are organising at the end of this month, and Travelling Light, West Kirby's 3rd annual lantern parade.

Hoylake Local Food Fair Sunday 31st October, 10am to 2pm Hoylake Community Centre 31 Hoyle Road, Wirral CH47 3AG The Food Fair will run along the lines of a farmers' market, with only local producers directly selling the food that they produce. In addition there will be cookery demonstrations from Colin Parry, chef at La Paz, West Kirby, using seasonal produce from the event. We've had a huge interest from local producers, with an amazing range of food available (*see below). There will also be tea, coffee, freshly cooked bacon sandwiches (using local, rare breed pork, of course) and hot scones coming straight out of the oven. We hope that this will be the first in a series of regular West Wirral Farmers' Markets, but we need to show that there is local support for this - please forward this email to a few friends who may not already know about it, and think about telling others when you are out & about.

We still need helpers on the day - can anyone volunteer to spend half an hour stewarding or helping with refreshments? *Confirmed produce: Afro-Caribbean ready meals, spices, sauces and Wirral grown African/Caribbean seasonal vegetables. Jams, jellies, chutneys, marmalades, sauces, mustards, cordials, compotes, fruit cheeses. Welsh-reared buffalo meat, burgers and sausages. Lamb and lamb burgers. Pork, pork sausages and sweet dry cured bacon. Sourdough bread, flapjacks and tea time treats. Heswall honey and preserves. Handmade, individual pies - including Sausage & Apple, Cheese & Potato and Goats Cheese & Onion. Samosas. Cupcakes. Locally grown fruit and vegetables. Oak smoked fish, meat, poultry, cheese, seasalt, vegetables. Organic beef & lamb. Cakes, scones baked fresh at the market, Welsh cakes. Jersey ice creams and sorbets. Homemade beef pies from home-produced beef. Culinary herbs in pots, baskets and boxes. Handmade frozen ready meals from local produce, Champagne pâté in Kilner Jars, speciality mayonnaises, dips, meringues / pavlovas. Freshly cooked, hot bacon butties from rare breed pork. Traditional real ale & old-fashioned still soft drinks. Great British steamed puddings, chocolate, ginger, sticky toffee, citrus and more. Award Winning Handmade Fudge. Asian chutneys, samosas, bhagees, and curry sauce. Cheshire cheese, soft blue cheese, fresh soft cheese, pickled Cheshire damsons.

Travelling Light - West Kirby's 3rd annual lantern parade Come to our lantern workshops to make your own lanterns from paper and willow. Tues, Oct 26th, 10:30-12:30, at West Kirby URC Hall Wed Oct 27th, 11-1pm at theScout Hut, Grange Community Park Bring your own lunch to share if desired. Booking essential via Ian Morris 625 8474 The Lantern Parade Thursday November 11th, 5.30 start at Coronation Gardens, West Kirby A lantern lit walk around the Marine Lake, closing with a circle of light on the beach and refreshments. All welcome, bring lanterns or torches if you can.

Food Group update

2010-09-20T12:21:00.000+01:00

Food Group activities going on at the moment:

"Loaves of Love"
Wed 29th Sept - 7pm
A skill sharing session on making sour dough bread. Numbers limited, booking essential.

Fungus Foray
Sat 9th Oct 11am to 3pm
A repeat of last year's foray on Caldy Hill with mycologist Ted Tuddenham of the Famous Haringey Fungus Foray. Great fun last year when we found 44 different varieties, six of which were edible. Numbers limited, so book a place if interested.

Apple espaliers
Guide to planting, training & pruning apple espaliers from RHS accredited tutor. Hands-on pruning of established espalier at Dale Farm. Date in Feb/March, to be confirmed. Let me know if you are interested in this day.

email ttwk.food@googlemail.com if you are interested in any of these events.

TTWK update

2010-08-22T11:52:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the latest update from TTWK. Exciting news this month on our first local food festival, progress on allotments and sustainable transport as well as a new community talent show.

We are very pleased to announce the first Hoylake Local Food Festival. This will be on Sunday October 31st 10am - 2pm at Hoylake Community Centre Hoyle Road, Hoylake CH47 3AG
Meet real producers selling what they produce locally.
Enjoy fresh, local fruits and vegetables, eggs, cheese, honey, meats, cakes, baked goods, free draws and lots more.
Tell your friends, and keep a look-out for posters appearing locally soon.
Email ttwk.food@gmail.com or telephone 625 0608 or go to http://www.wirralfood.org.uk to find out more.

Our efforts to support the new Gilroy allotments site are proceeding apace. Plans include community facilities and plots for local special interest groups. If you would like to know more or get involved please get in touch.

As previously reported, TTWK is pressing for better recognition and support for sustainable transport. We recently carried out a community consultation in Newton with some very interesting results. You can read all about it on our blog site.

All of this is being fed into the current Transport Plan for Merseyside. The next stage of consultation starts with a breakfast briefing in Liverpool on Wednesday 8 September at 8.30 (all welcome), followed by community consultation which continues until the end of November. Please contact us if you would like to get involved.

You may remember that TTWK has spent a lot of time putting the Transition perspective to the recent local and regional strategy consultations. There have been major shake-ups in regional strategy of late and to see how we are responding to these follow this link.

Finally, to satisfy your artistic side why not come along to the Community Talent Show for an evening of music, poetry, arts and crafts. It’s on the evening of September 25^th. You can get all the details here.

Yours in Transition
the Transition Town West Kirby team
632 5366
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/
http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

Community consultation on Transport

2010-08-22T10:09:00.001+01:00

TTWK had a stall and carried out a community consultation at the recent Community Day held at St Michael’s Church, Newton.

The subject of our survey was the current planning for the third Merseyside Transport Plan (LTP3) and specifically what proportion of the spending should be on facilities for motor vehicles and what proportion should be on walking and cycling. We asked people to give their views by affixing a sticker to their chosen box (see photo). This method was based on a Chester City Council consultation on different options for restructuring one of its parks. That consultation was successful in terms of a good response rate, and in that the Council’s preferred option was in fact chosen by the community.

There were 31 responses. The average response was that people wanted 24% of their transport funding to be spent on facilities for motor vehicles and 76% to be spent on walking and cycling. The current proportion spent on facilities for motor vehicles is over 90%. In the Transition Town submission to the first phase of
the LTP3 consultation, we suggested that 50% of transport budgets should be spent on walking and cycling.

The method was simple, easy to set up and worked well. It was good at engaging people and stimulating discussion. We will be planning to use it again in future.

We are sending a summary of our results to Wirral Council and to the Merseyside Transport Partnership with the suggestion that they use it in their coming LTP3 consultations.

Community Talent Show, September 25th

2010-08-16T10:33:00.000+01:00

Community event

“Talent Show”

An evening of music, poetry, and art&craft.

St Luke’s Methodist Church, Market Street, Hoylake

25^th September 18.00-21.00 hours

Free entrance, any donations toward the cost of the venue are welcome. Refreshments will be available.

We have a lot of creative talent in our community.

This event, one of many to come aims to create a venue for local creative people of all ages and ability to contribute and share with friends and neighbours in an informal and friendly atmosphere and enjoy a fun evening.

Contact Istra Toner 625 1337 or istratoner@googlemail.com

Next Food Group meeting

2010-08-10T15:28:00.000+01:00

The next meeting of the food group will be on Tuesday 10th Aug at 8pm at Hoylake Community Centre.

We will discuss the items from previous meetings, plus any new ideas that you may want to raise, but the main item will be planning the first Farmers' Market for later in the Autumn.

Honouring the Elders, presentation July 3

2010-06-20T15:56:00.001+01:00

Local students are conducting a project seeking to learn the lessons from an older generation who remember what West Kirby was like before the era of cheap oil.

There will be a presentation about the ongoing project at the scout hut by Grange cemetery on July 3 at 5pm.

Tea and cakes provided. All welcome.

TTWK update

2010-06-10T22:52:00.000+01:00

Lots to digest below including details on a free bike maintenance course, an update on allotments and other food group activities, local consultations on transport and waste as well as something for anyone interested in renewable energy in the home.

Free bike maintenance course

TTWK has helped organise a free bicycle maintenance session for adults and children aged 10 and upwards. The course takes place on Saturday June 19^th in West Kirby from 1.30 to 3.30. There are a small number of places left so don’t delay if you want to secure a spot. Further details here.

Also, if you need encouragement to get out on two wheels why not join in the free guided bike ride between Hoylake and Hamilton Square this Saturday. Click here for all the details.

TTWK in the news

TTWK has a growing profile in the local media. Most recently, our attempts to secure additional allotments has again been featured. However, we reached a much wider audience recently when numerous national media picked up on our updated report on allotment provision across the country. This showed that Wirral is by no means alone in having a chronic and growing shortage in allotment provision. You can access our report and the extensive media coverage via Transition Culture.

Local consultations on transport and waste management

TTWK recently coordinated a response to the local transport plan for Merseyside on behalf of Transition groups across the region. You can download the findings here. For further details on our transport related activities, visit our website.

A new consultation on dealing with the region’s waste strategy is now up and running. If you would be interested in contributing to a response please get in touch.

Food Group News

Or recent “food for free” walk was a great success with dozens of participants. Photos of the event are on our blog site. We discovered over a dozen varieties of “free food” along a half mile stretch of the Wirral Way. Thanks to everyone who participated. Another foray is planned for the Autumn so stay tuned.

We will also be repeating our skills sharing session on bread making as the last one was over subscribed. To find out more email ttwk.food@gmail.com and if you have any other ideas for skill sharing do get in touch.

Renewable energy in the home

Feed-in-tariffs for domestic renewable energy came into force in April. These have prompted a surge in interest in domestic energy generation. If you have installed renewable energy in your home and would be willing to share your experiences with others via a brief talk or a site visit then please email ttwk.energy@gmail.com.

Further details on feed-in-tariffs can be found on Wirral’s CRed website along with lots of tips on how to cut your carbon footprint and details of local low-carbon events.

TTWK in the news

2010-05-27T16:47:00.001+01:00

TTWK recently updated it's coverage of national waiting lists for allotments.

You can download a copy of the report and read all about the extensive coverage in the national media via the Transition Culture blog.

Food for Free photos, May 15, 2010

2010-05-26T10:07:00.005+01:00

TTWK at Ashton Park Fair

2010-05-18T18:42:00.000+01:00

A quick glimpse of the TTWK stall at the recent Ashton Park Fair.

Bike maintenance course

2010-05-11T10:56:00.002+01:00

There are a few places left for a basic bike maintenance workshop delivered by Stephen Corlett and Mandy Keenan from then Council's technical department in conjunction with TTWK on Saturday,19th of June 1.30-3.30 pm in West Kirby.
If you are interested please contact
transitiontownwestkirby@phonecoop.coop
or phone 632 5366
to secure a place.
The workshop is open for children from the age of 10 if they are accompanied by an adult.

Transition Town West Kirby update

2010-05-03T10:06:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the latest update from TTWK. Something for everyone below. Enjoy!

Ashton Park May Fair - Monday 3rd May 10 - 4pm
A fabulous event featuring fairground attractions, stalls, belly dancers, singers, pony rides and plant sales. Come and see the TTWK table. If you have time to spare we're always willing to accept help. Local rhubarb and honey for sale. Why not buy a Transition takeaway vegetable garden (seed potatoes, onions and beans) and have a go at GYO?
Takes place in the park and in Westbourne Hall

A Food for Free Walk - Saturday 15 May at 1.00 pm
Walk along the Wirral Way, meeting at the West Kirby end (Grange Road), with tasters of some dishes prepared earlier, pictures (to help identification) and recipes.

More Songs on Toast, anyone? - Tues May 18th 5.30-8pm
Following the success of the first Songs on Toast event, TTWK and Crass Roots have organised a second event. Join us for Songs on Toast featuring Jimmy Rae and Adam and Dave of Loose Moose fame.
The event is on at Toast Café in West Kirby station. Feel free to bring a poem.

Transition Coordinating Group meeting - Wed 19th May at 8pm
Our Coordinating Group's next meeting is at Marko's house. New members always welcome - come along if you have any ideas for new projects or if you simply want to get involved in creating community resilience. For more details contact info@transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk

Bread Making Skillshare - Sun 23rd May, 11 - 1pm.
The first of a series of skillshare sessions - come and join in an informal bread-making session at Margaret's house.
All welcome, but numbers limited. Email ttwk.food@gmail.com for a place

Teach Lantern Making - Tuesday 25th May
A session for those who would like to help run workshops for making lanterns from willow and paper.   Our annual Lantern Parade is becoming a major fixture in West Kirby's calendar. See Matt Thomas' amazing photos. This year we would like to have more workshops, for adults and children, schools and community groups. At West Kirby URC Hall, Meols Drive. Contact info@transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk for more details.

Skill sharing
We are organising a number of informal sessions where people can meet up and share their skills. We would love to hear from anyone who wants to get involved, be it learning or sharing skills.   For details and to register interest in any of the sessions, contact ttwk.food@gmail.com
Sessions coming up:
- basic bike maintenance
- bread making (see above),
- marmalade making,
- more bread (including sourdough),
- Fungus Foray (a repeat of last year's fantastic foray, provisional date Sat 23rd October.
- Apple espalier pruning - a more formal session, with a tutor and an amazing espalier to practice on. Look out for a date in the autumn. (An espalier is a tree trained to grow along wires, especially suitable for small gardens.)

West Wirral Farmers' Market
We have been planning to get this up and running later in the year. It's looking like we have a great venue and producers interested in attending. At the moment the problem is how it might conflict with Birkenhead Market. Look out for more news in next email, and spread the word to friends that it's on its way.

New Allotment site
This is moving very slowly. At the moment we are in discussion with the council about the need for planning permission for sheds on allotments. It seems that we will need to apply for it, although none of the other (40+) Wirral sites have it. Work in progress.

Sunday Bike Rides
Join a friendly group of intermediate cyclists on their weekly Sunday bike ride. They leave about 8.30 am from West Kirby, at the junction of Church Rd and the Prom. The ride lasts 4-5 hours, to destinations such as Delamere Forest, Cheshire plains, Mold and LLangollen. For more details tel Graham on 625 2246 or email grahamlloyd@sky.com

What do you think post cheap-oil transport will look like?
The Merseyside Transport Partnership is drawing up a transport plan for Merseyside to cover from 2011 to 2024. The first phase of consultation was in March/April 2010. Transition West Kirby coordinated a joint Merseyside Transition response that you can read here.
Many thanks to everyone who took the time to help with this. The next stage of consultation will be in June/July - anyone who would like to contribute please contact ttwk.transport@gmail.com.

Other noteworthy events coming up:

Grand Opening of NEW FERRY BUTTERFLY PARK FOR SUMMER 2010
Sunday 2nd May 11am to 4 pm
Art and Sculpture Trail, Workshops and Woodland Demonstrations, Multi-storey Insect Habitats, Interactive percussion instruments, Tours, And lots more besides. Entrance Free. For more details and directions please visit their website at www.cheshirewildlifetrust.co.uk and follow the links.

Ness Gardens runs a series of gardening courses and workshops, including:
Herbs and Plant Medicine
Soils, Composting and Mulching
Wildlife Gardening
Download details here.

Dale Farm plant sale on 15th May from 10 - 4pm
Dale Farm is an adult training centre with 3 acres of organic fruit and vegetables in Heswall Dales. As well as plants they will be selling their own honey, and home-made jams & other preserves (great sustainable presents).
For more details of Dale Farm shop - organic vegetables, honey, preserves, plants, manure, wood chippings, logs etc. visit the Local Food Guide page of the TTWK website, and tick the 'Heswall' box.

And finally… a reminder to register for Wirral's CRed initiative tips on how to cut your carbon footprint and details of low-carbon events and initiatives.   For example a free sustainability audit buildings for faith communities, and free energy display meters for schools.
For more details visit the CRed website.

Songs on Taost - again, 18th May 5.30-8pm

2010-04-27T14:53:00.001+01:00

2010-03-28T20:56:00.005+01:00

Some great photos of the recent event at Toast. All thanks to Matt Thomas.

New battery regulations

2010-03-24T13:20:00.000Z

Wirral's waste and recycling officer responded to the recent TTWK update with this useful information re batteries:

Small retailers “unaware” of the battery regs

One of the six batteries compliance schemes said, on the day that the regulations came into force, that it believed smaller retailers were “unaware” of the new regulations. Wastecare, which runs the BatteryBack compliance scheme with Veolia, said that "It is thought that many smaller battery retailers haven't claimed a BatteryCan, simply because they are unaware of the new regulations. Failure to comply could lead to an investigation from the Environment Agency resulting in fines and further enforcement.".

Meanwhile, environment minister Huw Irranca-Davies urged householders to take their used batteries to “local newsagents” and other retailers. A snap poll carried out by letsrecycle.com discovered that high street names and small retailers alike were not offering in-store take-back, and staff had no awareness of the regulations.

Under the regulations, all retailers - including online and mail-order stores - selling over 32 kilogrammes a year of portable batteries must provide free take-back, and advertise the fact that they do so.

Transition Eastham film screening

2010-03-15T16:35:00.000Z

Transition Eastham has an upcoming film screening. It will be on Monday 22nd March, 7pm at the Church Centre, Eastham Rake, CH62 9AW and we will be showing 'In Transition'. Refreshments provided.

TTWK update

2010-03-10T13:56:00.003Z

Welcome to the latest update from TTWK. Loads to report on below so pay attention!

Local and regional strategy consultations

TTWK has been very busy over the past month responding to consultations on the future of both Wirral and the wider region.

We participated in a region-wide Transition response to the North West Development Agency’s strategy report. We also responded to Wirral Council's consultation on its core strategy.

Both reports are, we think, pretty groundbreaking and well worth a few minutes of your time. They can be accessed via our website (scroll down the page).

Also, Merseyside Transport Partnership is consulting on its plan for the next 20 years which is due to be in place by April 2011 (LTP3). You can give your views via the online consultation or contact us if you would like to be involved in putting together TTWK's response. The closing date is Monday 12th April 2010.

Songs on Toast?

TTWK and Crass Roots have organised a community event to put a spring in your step. Join us for Songs on Toast featuring Jimmy Rae and Adam and Dave of Loose Moose fame.

The event is on Monday March 22^nd 5.30-8pm at Toast Café in West Kirby station. Get the full details here.

Honouring the Elders update

We now have a team of 5 working on this funded project which aims to link local history with global issues and increasing resilience. The coming months will see a booklet and a brief film prepared in conjunction with pupil;s from Hilbre High School.

More details as the project develops.

Food Group News

Our food group is a real hive of activity. Current actions include:

Local Food Fayre
Skillshare
Fruit tree pruning workshop
Fruit picking (Abundance project)
GYO course
Buying group

For more details on what the group is up to and how to get involved see the food group section of our website.

Also, a local farmer is investigating how much interest there would be in setting up allotments on his land - enquiries to ttwk.food@gmail.com

Upcoming events

Some noteworthy events coming up:

Fri 12th March 7.30pm: 'Bees and Bee Keeping' by Ted Brabin.
Heswall Hall. Admission £2
[http://www.wirralwildlife.co.uk/]

Fri 19th March, 7.30 p.m. Copenhagen and the Limits of the UN Process
A talk by Chris Davies MEP, who attended the Copenhagen climate conference. The talk will be followed by a Q and A session and general discussion on climate change and related issues. Westbourne Hall, West Kirby, CH48 4DQ.

You may be interested to know that the venue was chosen because of West Kirby’s status as a Transition Town!

Sat 10th April 10am to 1pm Renewable Energy Technology showcase from the Energy Saving Trust - find out what's suitable for your home.
St Mary's Centre, Chester.
Download the event poster here.

Sustainable Easter presents
Visit Dale Farm Easter Fayre, 11th - 18th March, Mon to Fri 9am to 4pm.
Buy beautifully gift-wrapped Heswall honey, home-made jams and other preserves.
See more details of Dale Farm shop - organic vegetables, honey, preserves, plants, manure, wood chippings, logs etc. on the TTWK website.

And finally… a reminder to register for Wirral’s CRed initiative for lots of tips on how to cut your carbon footprint and details of local low-carbon events. Any members of local churches might be interested in Faiths4Change which is offering faith communities in the North West a free sustainability audit of their building. More details via CRed here.

Transition Response to Local and Regional Strategy Consultations

2010-03-06T13:05:00.000Z

TTWK has been very busy over the past month submitting a response to the North West Development Agency's regional strategy. Eleven Transition groups from across the region contributed and/or signed up to the report which is well worth reading.

We also responded to Wirral Council's consultation on its core strategy.

Both reports can be accessed by scrolling down the page at:
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/wirral-council.htm

Songs on Toast, March 22

2010-03-05T18:11:00.001Z

CLICK ON THE POSTER TO ENLARGE

Copenhagan and the Limits of the U.N. Process - Talk by Chris Davies MEP

2010-02-24T16:35:00.001Z

Chris Davies MEP will be giving a talk on the above topic at Westbourne Hall, West Kirby CH48 4DQ on March 19 at 7.30pm.

Further details here.

Film Premiere - Dirty Oil - March 15

2010-02-18T10:48:00.000Z

FACT in Liverpool is staging the UK premiere of a new film detailing the impacts of oil extraction from the Canadian tar sands.

Its on March 15. Further details here.

TTWK update

2010-01-26T15:58:00.002Z

Welcome to the latest update from TTWK. It’s been a while so lots to report on below:

Honouring the Elders: paid opportunities

Funding has been received for an exciting youth inclusion project. The Friends of Grange Community Park (FROG) would like to involve local youngsters in a creative project to interview and film elderly residents. The idea is both to learn about local history and what life was like before the age of cheap oil. Participants can use a mixture of writing, visuals and film material to share their results with the wider community.

Funding is available for someone to organise this exciting project asap liaising with Hilbre High School, FROG and TTWK. There are also funds available for project workers involved in the “hands on” work. Give Marko a ring if you are interested on 625 9974.

Food Group News

The food group is planning new projects for 2010. Suggestions have included - buying group / box scheme, farmers' market, new skills eg (breadmaking, gyo), exchange of surplus veg from gardens or allotments, and more. Please visit this link and let us know what projects you would like to see happening. Everyone is welcome to get involved with the food group - contact ttwk.ffod@gmail.com
New allotments: A new Allotment Society has been set up to look at providing allotments in West Kirby. It's first job will be to talk to people living near potential land to work out how it can best be developed to benefit everyone. For more details contact ttwk.food@gmail.com

Local food guide: our on-line guide to local food was recently launched and aims to provide details on where you can source local produce. Suggested additions are very welcome.

Recent Events

If you enjoyed our recent tree-planting day or the visit of Patrick Holden then click on the links to see photos of each event. There are also some amazing photos of the recent lantern parade courtesy of Matt Thomas available here.

Wirral’s core strategy development plan and CRed initiative

Wirral Council has launched a consultation on its core strategy development plan. If you would like to help draft TTWK’s response to this please get in touch.

Also the Council has launched its CRed initiative which encourages residents and businesses to cut carbon emissions. More details here. There is also a helpful website that includes news on the government's boiler scrappage scheme and how to get free vouchers for TV standby savers and real time electricity monitors. You can also sign up on the CRed website to make you own pledge to Wirral's Carbon Reduction campaign. To get a grip on your own carbon footprint visit our own helpful calculator.

Local transition news

Transition Village Eastham is a new initiative emerging on Wirral. To get started, they will show the film 'Age of Stupid' followed by a brief discussion, on Monday Feb 1^st, 7pm, St Davids Church, Mill Park Drive CH62 9DG. See website or contact Helena h.mayles@gmail.com or Neil 07754 897024 nchadborn@yahoo.co.uk

Transition Chester Weekend Festival January 22nd-24th

2010-01-18T20:24:00.000Z

Transition Chester has a rather exciting weekend of activities planned. Check out all the details here.

Lantern Parade photos

2009-11-27T18:14:00.000Z

Some amazing photos of the recent lantern parade courtesy of Matt Thomas at:
http://mattthomas.co.uk/blog/2009/11/west-kirby-lantern-parade/

Patrick Holden at TTWK

2009-11-27T18:02:00.002Z

The above photo shows a typical Transition moment with people from across and beyond Wirral sharing their thoughts before Patrick Holden's inspiring talk on sustainable farming.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this such a memorable evening.

Tree planting day, November 21

2009-11-27T14:42:00.003Z

Thanks to everyone who turned up for our tree planting day at Grange Park on November 21.

In total, around 100 productive trees and shrubs have now been planted in the park and represent a wonderful legacy for the work done by TTWK, the friends of the park and many others.

Special thanks to Wirral Partnership Homes who funded this activity.

TTWK update

2009-11-21T16:49:00.002Z

Welcome to the latest update from TTWK. Information below on the new allotment association meeting tonight, our tree planting day this Saturday, the Patrick Holden (Director of the Soil Association) event next week and a report on 'Travelling Light '.

New allotment association, first meeting tonight

A reminder that the first meeting of the Gilroy Road Allotment Society takes place tonight 18th November at 8pm at the Scout Hut in Grange Park, West Kirby CH48 5HH. Anyone interested in helping to set up this allotment site is welcome to come.

You can see the agenda for tonight on the project’s very own and rather exciting web site.

Tree planting day, November 21st.

Sat 21st Nov, 10am - 3.30pm Come and plant a fruit tree and help Wirral grow more local food. Bring your wellies and a spade if possible. Lunch provided. Why not sponsor a tree for a loved one? Meet at the Scout Hut, Grange Park (top of Lang Lane), West Kirby, CH48 5HH. For more details call 632 5366 or email ttwk.food@gmail.com

Sweet Pea Café will again be providing soup for lunch while Greenblade will be performing some wassailing songs to start us off. Residents of the Ark project in Birkenhead are participating and there will be a yoga session for anyone wishing to limber up mid-morning.

Patrick Holden's talk on November 25th 8pm.

Patrick will be talking about the importance of local food for farmers and consumers. Amongst those attending are local food producers, and this will be an opportunity to meet them and talk about setting up local food projects such as box schemes, a farmer's market and community supported agriculture. Tickets available on the night, or in advance via our on-line reservation form or by calling 625 0608. Tickets cost £3.50 each.

Lantern parade a great success

Travelling Light, the lantern parade through West Kirby, proved a big hit this year. If you were one of the 200 or so who attended you can enjoy a report and photos courtesy of the Wirral Globe via this link.

We’d like to thank everyone who participated and contributed including the Wirral Samba Band and Jon the Fire Juggler. Sands Café supplied hot drinks around the fire on the beech. All in all an inspiring community celebration bringing together several groups including Crass Routes, Friends of Coronation Gardens and Grange Park, Hilbre High School, VCAW and Wirral Mind. Thanks also to the local police.

Yours in Transition the Transition Town West Kirby team 632 5366 http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/ http://transitiontownwestkirby.blogspot.com/

TTWK in the media

2009-11-16T16:53:00.001Z

Local paper the Wirral Globe carried a piece on our recent lantern parade.

You can read all about it and see some photos of the event here.

fungus foray

2009-11-12T12:29:00.002Z

On Sunday 9th November Ted Tuddenham, mycologist led a group on a fungus foray on Newton Common, Stapledon Woods and Caldy Hill. As well as an enjoyable walk and picnic in beatiful woodland, with sunny views over West Kirby, the group discovered a huge treasure trove of fungi in the area - 44 different varieties, six of which were edible.

The picture is of a Birch Bracket Fungus on Caldy Hill (inedible).