Blog Title: Ruscombe Green

Happy 10th Birthday Stroud Farmers Market

Congrats to all who have made Stroud farmer's Market the best in the South West and one of the best in the country.Picture from Stroud artist Simon Watkins aka Vietnam the Movie who has helped give the market a new look.Today Stroud Farmers’ Market celebrated its 10th birthday - the market was originally launched as a monthly experiment - fashion designer Jasper Conran and the late style icon

Loft Lagging Bid initiated by MP

David Drew scheduled this public meeting for last night - 'Stroud Loft Lagging : the next steps' - tennis and the weather I am sure kept many away but nearly 20 of us assembled in The Old Town Hall in Stroud (it's going on again at 10am today at Kingshill House, Dursley).I hugely applaud David's move on this - far, far too little has been done by the Government and indeed local councils. Part of

Natural skin care wonders locally

As regular blog readers will know I occasionally feature local folk like earlier this week I-Spy author and last week artists and sound designer (see latest film here). Well did you know that in the heart of Ruscombe there are organic and natural skin care wonders being made. Tanya, an aromatherapist since 1996 along with colleague Carrie are busy handmaking in Bread Street, Ruscombe a collection

News: schools, lane closed, housing, convent, SVP and more

A quick round up of some bits and bobs of local interest:Photos: Woodcraft Folk Willow Elfin group rafting in Chalford this evening and below Open Studios exhibitions closed on Tuesday - a truimph - well done to all who made it possible.The Vine Tree pub fundraiser for Mesothelioma UK - well done to Naomi Hawkins and all who raised money for the charity by designing and selling calendars and

Social Work poem

In Scotland, the Association of Directors of Social Work commissioned this poem "for the social workers of Scotland" - I was trained as a Social Worker and now work for two charities working with people who have mental health issues. I thought it was good and worth more people seeing... Brothers and Keepers By Edwin Morgan

Outrage at seizure of the 'Spirit of Humanity'

News that Israeli soldiers have boarded a Free Gaza boat 24 miles off the shore of Gaza and cut all of its official communication is pretty outrageous to say the least.Photo: Martin Whiteside in Stroud at a recent vigil to highlight concerns re GazaThe boat was on its way to deliver urgently needed supplies to the people of Gaza when the Israeli Navy boarded and told the Free Gaza activists to

Letter to Coop re making a bee house

The Coop is to be applauded for it's 'Plan Bee' which includes research and banning eight pesticides on it's own-brand produce (The Coop Magazine Summer 2009). It is indeed time for urgent research as to why a third of UK bee hives have been lost in the last couple of years. Without bees many fruits and vegetables would become scarce and prohibitively expensive.The honeybee is an incredibly

Brook talks microbial soil conditioners

Ruscombe Brook Action Group have met a couple of times and I don't seem to get a chance to write it up here. We've had a fascinating speaker about the history of the brook - Lionel Waldon - and last week we had Julian Jones talk about microbial soil conditioning in Australia where he had just been on a sponsored tour to share information about ways of working with water.Photos: Lionel talking to

Randwick resident writes I-Spy Stroud

St Peter's RC High deputy head Philip Rush, a Randwick resident and illustrator Nadine Faye James have published just 250 copies of I-Spy Stroud, a faithful homage to the Michelin I-Spy books of the 1950s and 60s.Photo: Stroud Bookshop window and below Citizen photoPhilip is quoted in the Citizen saying: "They were quite nice little old books when we were young. Looking at them now, they seem

LGBT: Bad vote in Gibraltar and Tories crazy new alliance

I've been helping this week the LGBT greens in the South West get out some of our Green party news releases - it was good to see one of our releases make the Gibraltar Chronicle - I have to note I was astounded to discover the gay equalisation at 16 vote was defeated and think all pressure needs to be put on Gibraltar.Photo: View from WhiteshillThe Gibraltar Parliament, which is part of the UK

Video: What is Peak Oil?

The whole discussion of oil supply and demand can be complicated. How long will it last, and when can we expect to see serious impacts on our everyday lives?Pic: Russ adapted this to wink a little!This is an entertaining feature length documentary online of this topic - a chance to learn about the history, present and future of global oil production and consumption. It will hopefully 'change the

Happy 10th Anniversary Home Start

Last night was Full Council so I missed the first meeting of our allotment group in Whitsehill (still haven't got allotments yet but looking evermore hopeful) - anyhow Full Council wasn't the most riveting last night - I'll come to Home Start in a moment - the Council meeting was lots on budgets, Green party questions on where we were with tackling SDC's emissions - you'll be able to watch it

US Doctors say avoid GM foods

On May 19, 2009 the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) released a landmark position paper signed by physicians across the U.S. calling for a moratorium on GE foods: "Avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible... Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food... There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects

What will the UK Climate be like?

The new website has just been launched with climate projections - see it here. See more here - basically scientists believe winters will be wetter, particularly in the north, and summers drier, especially in the south. The projected impacts are "worse than the government had feared," according to a source familiar with the project. See the press release I sent out yesterday here on this with

Ecotherapy: Slowing Down to Nature's Pace

Linda Buzzell sent this piece which appeared in the Huffington Post - Ecopsychology does not get enough discussion amongst Greens so I have copied it here - there is nothing that hasn't already been discussed on this blog but it is pulled together very nicely - also see Linda's blog here.Photo: Randwick WoodsEcotherapy: Slowing Down to Nature's PaceNot so very long ago, humans -- like the rest of

Happy 21st Birthday Stroud Valleys Project

On Monday after work I was delighted to join Stroud Valley Project's 21st Birthday party at Slimbridge - it was for all the volunteers that are involved in their projects - some 70 joined the festivities that started with either a canoe paddle down some backwaters or a guided bird watch. A great afternoon which ended with food and birthday cake.Photos from birthday celebrations incl Mayor Andy

Green bits of interest

Going through my emails I picked out several that might interest....Photo: view from Whiteshill across to StroudWhat's in a name? There has been much discussion about whether it is better to use Global Warming or Climate Change - or Climate Catastrophe or even Climate chaos to best describe the science and it's impacts....a PR firm in the US says "our deteriorating atmosphere” is what we need to

Urgent: call for transparent inquiry on Iraq

Tomorrow parliament is voting on whether or not the Iraq Inquiry should be public. A popular outcry against a secret inquiry is already causing Gordon Brown to waver. A good result in Wednesday's vote will help force his hand.It's going to be close [see here], and many MPs haven't yet decided which way to vote - in the next couple of days our input can make a real difference. So there are plans

Pig Business

On 30 June More 4 will broadcast PIG BUSINESS - an exposé of the secretive world of corporate pig farming. We will see who pays the true cost of ‘cheap’ pig meat – the appalling conditions of factory farms endured by animals, workers and neighbours, environmental pollution and the destruction of rural economies - at least those with tellies will - I still don't have one and seemed to have managed

Local news bits: Whitestock, toilets, recycling and Tricorn

Whitestock - The Friends of Whiteshill School hope to repeat the huge success of their first music festival - gates open at school at 6pm on Saturday 4th July with the Whiteshill Samba band then a mix of various other acts including the Johnson and Kempner Partnership teachers jazz band and the Reservoir Hogs - ring Angie Mason on 753461 for details.Photo: Standish WoodsOur Wonderful World

Marine Bill: urgent action before 23rd and check your fish

Some will remember my interest in the Marine Bill (see for example here) well here's an appeal for an important environmental action that might make a real difference. It just needs a few minutes of your time before Tuesday 23rd June. Please have a look at http://www.marinereservesnow.org.uk/Support the strengthening of the bill to include establishing a coherent network of marine reserves

Simon McCorry and 'When The Lights Go Out'

This blog regularly features local folk - here is another guy who lives in Ruscombe, Simon McCorry (at first put McCurry - think I was hungry?) - he is currently making a short film about 'Wild Swimming' - should be ready v soon - as one of those folk who loves to swim in the sea or rivers I look forward to that muchly.....Simon according to his website "has worked on many theatrical productions

Jackie Garner, Louise Van Den Moysenberg and Roger Jones

As always the Open Studios have been a triumph this year - over 300 artists in Stroud District exhibiting - as some may know I have been away for a few days with family - very good - but still managed to get around a few - also many of the exhibitions (as opposed to the studios) are open until 30th June. Below I feature the three artists that have opened in this area...Photos: Jackie Gardner

'Play by the Lake' is back

This year the amazing Jenny Wren Productions are returning with 'A Child in the Forest' - based on the true story of Winifred Foley's Forest of Dean childhood...Photo: July 2007's play by the lake'Few people visited the Forest of Dean. They thought us primitive, and looked down on us.' Winifred Foley grew up in the 1920s, a bright, determined miner's daughter in a world of unspoilt beauty and

New website on badgers and Bovine TB

Local badger expert Martin Hancox has just launched a website with his views on badgers and Bovine TB - as someone who has looked at the issue at some length I am still convinced that a cull is the wrong (see many previous blogs) - it is therefore disturbing to see both Tories and Lib Dems come out in favour of a cull - I am also certain that Martin's views need proper investigation. Anyhow here