Working to help sustainable communities

2:30pm Monday 21st July 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

SUSTAINABLE communities, the environment, school closures, climate change and renewable energy are all issues on the agenda of the Golden Valley Environmental Group (GVEG).

GVEG has 75 members and meet monthly to discuss how these issues affect them locally and work to positively improve their area.

Their next meeting with include a flavour of self-sufficiency which will be added to a buffet supper at a meeting to be held at Vowchurch village hall on September 18.

The meal will be a way to encourage all members, their friends, and those who turn up, to use home grown or locally produced ingredients which will be followed by a talk on self-sufficiency, said GVEG committee member Sarah Morgan of Bredwardine.

“We try to have a green supper twice a year whre the meal is a way to enocurage members and their friends to bring a dish to shre. All food is made with home grown or locally produced ingredients.

“Our green supper is produced with a minimum of food miles and we hope to remind people that when they buy local 80% of the cost remains in the local area while every pound spent on imported services, produce, merchandise has only 20% value to the area,” she said.

Sarah moved with her husband, David to the area 20 years ago and bought a house with five acres of land but says she has always been an environmentalist.

“I was brought up on a 12 acre small holding in the States where we grew our own vegetablies and fruit and raised our own beef and chickens.

“Now we are retired we can grow our own again. We rent some of the land out for sheep to graze on so we don’t have to mow it and it helps keep our carbon footprint down,” she said.

The group is enthusiastic and passionate about their beliefs and talk to their neighbouring parishes about plans but they also network closely with each other.

“Our members share experiences and suggestions and keep up to date with grants and technical contacts and I maintain the website but I need to encourage members to use it more,” said Sarah.

Many of the GVEG members live their beliefs with some creating a trust to develop community supported agriculture and run workshops and others have reduced energy costs by converting to wind turbine and solar energy. Another member has installed wind turbine, wood burning boiler and reed beds to aid his cheese making processes.

If you’d like some advice or want to get involved contact Sarah on 01981 500155 or visit the website: www.goldenvalleyenvironmentalgroup.org.uk