18th January 2023 7pm
Chair: Sue
Notes: Deborah
Attendees: Sue, Suzanne, Sheelagh, Andrea, Rob, Bill, Jules, Helen, Richard, Deborah
Apologies: Lynn, Laura B, Laura S
Sue welcomed Richard to the committee meeting, and everyone introduced themselves.
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE LAST MEETING ON 21ST SEPT 2022:
Sue thanked everyone for their help with the banner exhibition on the church.
Sue said that Friends of St John’s had sent a card thanking TDEG for their contribution to the Christmas Carol Display in the church during Advent.
Sue asked about the gazebo (item u). Sheelagh explained it had been donated by a friend, and is currently stored in Laura B’s barn. It will be available to be borrowed by other groups. Sheelagh to email her friend’s address to Sue, for Sue to formally thank.
The new volunteer for Climate Pathfinders Youth Forum (CPYF) – Sue H – is involved in running the group, and is not in a safeguarding capacity (item b).
AGENDA ITEMS:
1. Preparations for next whole group meeting on 15th February, 7.30pm at Fountain Square Church (FSC):
Jules has booked the speaker, Jill Turner – Jules will check the date with her, and confirm with us. Jill will be asked to speak for 20-30 minutes, and Jules will find out at what stage she wants to take questions. Jules will bring tea/coffee supplies from the Repair Cafe; Sheelagh will oversee the refreshments; setting up will be from 7pm on the evening.
2. Andrea raised the question of having project group meetings after the speaker, as occurred when TDEG was originally set up. It was agreed that project group leaders could introduce each group to the whole group, and then there would be a short time (15 minutes) for the groups to meet. This would be an opportunity to re-energise the groups, and if it was felt that a longer time was needed, this could be arranged for a whole group meeting later in the year. People would be free to move from one group to another, without the disruption of a changeover time.
3. Friends of the Earth (FoE): it was agreed that the group would sign the FoE charter, to remain under their umbrella. Sue to sign the charter before the end of February.
Sheelagh attends online regional meetings, which occur bi-monthly, which are open to anyone. Sue will attend the next one – February 26th – if she can.
Co-op Banking was discussed: at present TDEG appears not to qualify according to Co-op Banking criteria, because we are a ‘Community Interest Group’. It was agreed that this needed to be explored further, as FoE is asking this of us. Bill to email Richard Dyer (FoE), to find out FoE’s opinion.
4. United for Warm Homes: Sheelagh said there had been a very positive response to the initial meeting last October. She was asked to give a talk to FoE National on Monday, using what happened here as a case study for 110 projects. Sheelagh will liaise with Bill to organise a follow up meeting. Richard Dyer (FoE) has offered to work with us on the campaign
Bill said that Connected for Warmth (Cadent) are offering free loft and cavity wall insulation, for houses in council tax bands A – D. Bill will put this on the website, via Lynn, and write something for Village Voice.
5. Hope Valley Renewables: three local people set this up in the last three to four years, to bring renewable energy to the area, and Sheelagh has been asked to join the group. They are working on installing renewables in a much bigger way than has occurred so far. It is a community investment business, ie all profits go back into the communities. It will be possible to bid for substantial funding for renewable energy projects in a community. It was agreed that Hope Valley Renewables could be invited to be speakers at the next whole group meeting. Sue and the rest of the committee congratulated and thanked Sheelagh for her work.
6. Ethical Consumer Magazine: it was agreed that the annual subscription (approximately £29) should be funded through the Repair Cafe budget, and that magazines would be taken to the Repair Cafe once a month for users to read.
7. Meetings: Sue asked Andrea as vice chair to take over the booking of venues. Sue also said that in future, committee meeting dates should not be changed, as long as they were quorate. It was also agreed that from now on committee meetings should be on Zoom, for which Andrea will be able to provide a link.
Andrea raised the issue of FSC not having wifi, which is available in the Community Hall. It was agreed that when speakers are booked in the future, they would be asked about wifi, and the appropriate venue could then be booked.
Possible future speakers: Helen – Hope Valley Travelling Light: we are not directly in their area, but Tideswell could be useful to them for specific schemes.
Lynn has also suggested having a speaker on rewilding later in the year.
8. Recycling requests: the group’s email has recently received two offers of unwanted items for recycling. It was agreed that the group cannot take that on directly, and that other avenues, such as Freegle, could be suggested. Deborah will forward these emails to Rob, who will respond to them.
PROJECT GROUP UPDATES:
CLIMATE ACTION GROUP (CAG):
CPYF – the initial young people have left school now, so Sheelagh, Andrea and Sue H will be working towards a new cohort. They are establishing projects in local schools with a view to creating eco councils. Transition Buxton were awarded a National Lottery fund to support Climate Pathfinders. £200 is being allocated to TDEG to support local youth projects.
CAG: there was a successful meeting with Peak Park on renewable energy. The new CEO is very positive about individual homeowners putting renewable energy into their homes. The next topic at these meetings will be transport in the Peak District, and its climate impact. This isn’t a public meeting, but two people can attend. Helen was invited to be one of them, and she will attend if she can.
High Peak has offered the free loan of a thermal imaging camera, and training about how to use it, to further home energy work.
Given all Sheelagh’s commitments, she is seeking to stand down as leader of CAG as soon as someone else can take over.
CYCLING:
Helen said that it was tricky to set up proficiency training for the scouts in Derbyshire, because funding for schools is not directly accessible, as it is elsewhere. She proposes instead that the scouts could be invited to the Maintenance Club, which is going to be set up, as much interest in one was expressed at the Cycling Launch Event. There is small committee giving detailed thought about how to run the Club, and what exactly will require funding. The church has given permission for the Club to be based at the back of the Old Grammar School at no cost, for a trial year, and the playground at the front could also be used for sessions.
Helen and Carina Humberstone have approached OS Maps Online about hosting a collaborative set of routes around here that people could access. They are waiting to hear back from them on more specifics.
A social ride planned for this month had to be postponed because of the weather, and will probably take place late February/beginning of March. Helen is working with someone from Little Longstone, to promote access to Bakewell via the Monsal Trail. The ride will be advertised as a ‘bike bus’ to Bakewell, and the longer-term aim is to extend the route to cover a longer stretch of the Monsal Trail, with multiple ‘bus stops’ where the group could pick up riders.
Donated bikes – one has been re-homed, with a university student whose bike was stolen.
Helen has received many emails, eg asking if the footpath through Tideswell Dale could become a bridleway that bikes could use.
Kidical Mass is a world-wide movement to promote cycling amongst young people and families, and has set dates for rallies, which the group is thinking about supporting, following contact from a family that is keen for their children to cycle to school. The idea would be to limit car access to school on one of the rally days, to help to promote cycling and start a conversation about how this could be made safer for children on their commute to school.
Derbyshire ’20’s Plenty’ campaign is meeting on 1st February. Helen will attend, to find out how we might get involved, as this could also help to support cycling around the village.
ETHICAL CONSUMER:
Jules reported that the Repair Cafe is very popular. They have a very good set of repairers, and she thanked Sheelagh, Rob and Suzanne for their help in running it.
Buy for Good is continuing, with some new members.
There may be a clothes swap later in the year, in memory of Claire.
RECYCLING:
Rob is continuing to give tips to Village Voice.
AOB
Deborah will stand down as secretary in the summer.
Vacancies: CAG Lead (asap), Secretary by AGM – all to think who could be asked to step into these roles.
ACTIONS:
1. Sheelagh to send Sue the address of her friend who gave the gazebo, for Sue to formally thank.
2. 15th February meeting: Jules to check the date with Jill Turner, and confirm to us. Jules to bring tea/coffee from repair cafe, Sheelagh to oversee refreshments; room setting up from 7pm.
3. Sue to sign FoE charter before end of February.
4. Bill to email Richard Dyer (FoE) re Co-op Banking
5. Sheelagh and Bill to liaise to organise follow-up United for Warm Homes meeting
6. Bill to put information about free insulation in Village Voice, and to ask Lynn to put it on our website.
7. Sheelagh to invite Hope Valley Renewables to speak on 19th April.
8. Deborah to forward recycling request emails to Rob to respond to.
9. Vacancies for CAG leader and secretary: all to approach anyone they know who might be interested.
NEXT MEETINGS:
COMMITTEE MEETING: WEDNESDAY 22nd MARCH (ZOOM)
WHOLE GROUP MEETTING: in the meeting the date agreed was 19th April, but Hope Valley Renewables are unable to speak then.
