July 2015 Newsletter

A round up of news and views

Satellite Film Screening of HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD and live discussion, is on Wednesday 9th September, starting at 8pm in the Town Hall. Find out more here... We will also provide you with the latest information on what will be discussed at COP 21. Read about United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon's aspirations for this crucial summit, including the six most important principles that must be agreed by all world leaders, here...

Buses to be cut across Wiltshire - The government and Wiltshire Council are about to make a 50% cut to the subsidies needed for the local bus network. These cuts will leave thousands of local residents without any form of transport unless they are lucky enough to own their own cars. Across the county vital buses will be axed by Unitary Trowbridge Councillors, many of whom never use public transport .  Please sign Independent Councillor, Terry Chiver's petition against the bus cuts, here...

Marlborough Rail Link - The Transport Group has recently submitted a proposal for funding for a feasibility study to First Great Western.  In the meantime, if you would like to ensure that building over old railway track beds is prevented in the interests of rural regeneration, please sign this government petition...

The Government's flagship Green Deal has been axed! - This has left many small insulation businesses high and dry. Read more here... However Wiltshire Council is offering free cavity wall and loft insulation. Find out more here... You can arrange a survey, by calling the Home Energy Team at the Centre for Sustainable Energy, Bristol on: 0800 082 2234 FREE or email home.energy@cse.org.uk.

Probable carcinogen in our bread - The World Health Organisation has recently warned that the common weed-killer, glyphosate, is a 'probable carcinogen' and should not be used by gardeners, read more...  This pesticide, which is the active ingredient in Roundup and Weedol, is often sprayed around schools and play areas in Marlborough.  It is also being sprayed onto wheat a few weeks before harvest to kill the crop and remove weeds. Tests by the Defra committee on Pesticide Residues in Food (PRiF) have found that as much as 30% of UK bread contained this weedkiller.  You can read more here...

Our local Waitrose supermarket is selling Roundup and Weedol to gardeners - the Permaculture Group has recently written to Waitrose's Head Office asking for both of these toxic herbicides to be withdrawn, in accordance with advice from the World Health Organisation. Their buying department responded by saying that they will continue to sell toxic herbicides and 'let the customer decide'.  They suggested that we buy an insect house to protect wildlife!!!

Permaculture Course - The latest Permaculture Session was in Amelia's lovely secluded garden, with bee experts, Fee and Terry. They showed us the different styles of bee hives and other equipment that is needed for bee-keeping.  They also explained about the impacts of the varroa mite on indigenous bees and encouraged us to plant many more bee-friendly flowers.  Apparently dandelions are their favourite source of nectar and pollen! We then donned our protective clothing so we could look inside the hives to see the queen and her drones.

We will be visiting Shumei Natural Farm in Yatesbury on 15th August.

Save our Bees! - Bees are fighting for survival, threatened by disease, climate change and pesticides including neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids have been shown to cause harm to bees, so their use as a seed treatment is currently banned in Europe.  Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss has gone against growing scientific evidence and accepted a request made by UK farmers to use the bee-harming pesticide again this autumn. We need bees to pollinate so many of our crops and flowers. No bees means less food.

Join the call asking Elizabeth Truss to reverse this dangerous decision to allow bee-harming neonicotinoids in our fields.  Sign the Green Peace petition, here...

Thanks

The Transition Marlborough team