7 August 2010 - 10:30am - 12:00pm St Lawrence Parish Room, Colebrook St, Winchester, SO23 9LH

The next WinACC open meeting has the theme of Low Carbon Food, and will include a bring and buy stall of home-grown produce and a picnic lunch afterwards in Abbey Gardens (unless it rains).
 
We want to share ideas about low carbon food, share allotment  or garden surpluses, and build links across WinACC supporters with an interest in food. All welcome - a good chance to meet new people who share your interest in food. 

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27 July 2010 - 6:30pm - 8:30pm Hyde Tavern, Hyde St, Winchester SO23 7DY

"GinACC", WinACC informal drinks and chat for anyone interested, on 27 July at the Hyde Tavern, Winchester SO23 7DY from 6.30pm. Probably the last we'll organise, so your last chance if you've been meaning to come.

A report of a survey by a WinACC Transport Group member of car parking in central Winchester shows that the car parks were far from full on all three days.

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Kelsie Learney, Leader of Winchester City Council, spoke at the WinACC open meeting on Saturday 3 July. She set out what the new Cabinet plans to do to cut Winchester's carbon footprint. WinACC members and supporters were encouraged by her clear commitment to creating a low carbon Winchester where we want to live, and appreciated her honesty about the hard decisions that the Council's Cabinet will have to take to manage the cut  in Council finances. A detailed account follows:-

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Temperature exceeded 31°C last weekend with warning from the Met Office that hot evenings pose risks to people with underlying health problems. These temperatures extremes will be more likely with a changing climate. Local democracy think thank, the LGiU, is encouraging councillors to help communities and their councils to better prepare and adapt to these changes. Whether it is high temperatures or flooding, adapting to climate change is a local issue.

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11 November 2010 - 5:30pm - 9:30pm Central Winchester - exact location to be confirmed

This will be an opportunity for organisations in Winchester district to showcase their achievements in cutting their carbon footprint, and for organisations which want to do more to learn from each other. Exact times and programme still being planned. If you want to know more, or have ideas to offer or achievements to describe, email richard.boothman@winacc.org.uk. Sponsorship opportunities for this conference will be available.  If you are interested in helping WinACC to meet the costs of staging this flagship event and gaining some worthwhile publicity, please also email Richard.

17 July 2010 - 11:00am - 4:00pm Guildhall Square, Portsmouth PO1 2AB‎ and Victoria Park, Portsmouth

Environemtal and fun-filled fair with lots of stalls, workshops and entertainment. "Bundles of Free fun for all the family!" For more information visit the Portsmouth Climate Action Network website here.

Interesting example of workplace blog, with interesting articles and good tips on ways to be more more green from recycling batteries to the vegetables to plant this time of year. To see the Bee Green website click here.

Major organisations in the Winchester District have pledged to reduce their carbon footprints in a pioneering local declaration on climate change. 20:12, the campaign to cut the carbon footprint of Winchester by 20% by the end of 2012, was set up by Winchester District Strategic Partnership, and is led by Winchester City Council and Winchester Action on Climate Change.   The first wave of organisations to sign up included the University of Winchester, Winchester Area Community Action, Winchester City Council and Winchester College. Winchester and Eastleigh HealthCare Trust is already working to a NHS scheme for carbon footprint reduction, but as a local public service organisation it has the same goals as the Winchester Declaration and has also signed. Since the launch, DC Leisure has also signed up. DC Leisure is the Council's partner which runs the River Park Leisure Centre. The latest to sign is Colden Common School.
The Winchester Declaration on Climate Change gives organisations of all types, including businesses, charities and the public sector, the opportunity to pledge to reduce their carbon emissions by 20% by 2012. For more information about climate change, how you can make changes, or to pledge to reduce your emissions, click HERE.

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We need a vision of  Winchester in 2020 as a sustainable city where people like to live and work. WinACC would like to develop the practical and affordable themes from the event, ’24 hours to save Winchester’'. The themes picked out by our Transport Group included:

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Winchester City Council is seeking views from anyone who lives or works in the Winchester District to help shape the community strategy. The strategy provides a vision for the future and sets out how Winchester City Council will work with other organisations to improve the quality of life for the district's 110,000 residents over the next decade.

The two priorities in the draft so far are better support and services for older people, and more accessible services for residents across the district. WinACC believes that climate change should be a priority. To give your view click here before 14 August. Please don't be put off by the site - you can just say "yes" and "no" till you get to the most important page about 70% of the way through, headed "Priorities". You can also send your comments to Alison Woods awoods@winchester.gov.uk or write to her at Winchester City Council, City Offices, Colebrook Street, Winchester SO23 9LJ.

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Robert Hutchison has announced that he intends to stand down from being Chairman of WinACC at the 2010 AGM on 2 October. The trustees are seeking nominations for his replacement. They are also seeking nominations for one or more vice-chairs - see the specification for both roles.   If you would like to put forward a name, whether yourself or someone else, to be considered for chair or vice-chair, please email winacc@winacc.org.uk by midnight on 11 July 2010. The trustees will need a brief CV and statement setting out how the person meets the specification by midnight Sunday 18 July to consider at their meeting on 26 July. 

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The Winchester Churches Together and WinACC Faith Communities and Climate Change Project is offering free taster sessions for Carbon Conversations. Just gather around 7 or 8 (or more if you like) people either at one of your regular meetings (e.g. house group or similar) or at a time that suits you. We will come along and take you through a short (25-30 minute) taster session just to give you an idea of what Carbon Conversations is like.

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On 12 June 2010, around 20 people of various faith communities came together in Winchester to explore what climate change means in the context of faith, and to find common impetus and ideas for tackling the challenge of climate change.This is the report of the meeting, set up by the Winchester Churches Together and WinACC Faith Communities and Climate Change Project. Training materials to help other communities have similar discussions are being developed by WinACC – please email faith@winacc.org.uk  for more details or if you have any questions about this report.

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3 July 2010 - 10:30am - 12:00pm St Lawrence Parish Room, Colebrook St, Winchester, SO23 9LH

Kelsie Learney, Leader of Winchester City Council, will be at the next WinACC open meeting on Saturday 3 July. She will set out what the new Cabinet plans to do to cut Winchester's carbon footprint, with plenty of time for questions and discussion

WinACC open meetings take place on the first Saturday of each month. They usually have a topic for discussion, and an update about recent activities and future plans. An opportunity for newcomers and members to get involved.

WinACC's organisational forum took to the road on 17 May for a visit to Marwell Wildlife. This included a trip to see Cafe Graze - the newest building on the park, designed with as many sustainable features as possible, including sun pipes, heavy insulation and serving areas and surfaces made from recycled plastic bottles.

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WinACC is seeking a freelance project manager for a new and interesting project, "Imagining Here", which is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Project Manager will lead implementation of this project across two communities in the Winchester District from summer 2010 for approximately nine months. Please see details under Jobs at www.winacc.org.uk/about-us. Applications by email to beccy.smith@winacc.org.uk by 28 June.

On 19 June, you will find local climate change activities or stalls at the Colden Common and Olivers' Battery fetes and at Alresford Music festival.

All events would be glad of more helpers. So if you live locally, have an hour to spare and would like to meet similar-minded local people, ring Chris on 01962 827083 or email chris.holloway@winacc.org.uk to be put in touch. 

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Heating buildings using woodfuel could save you money whilst also reducing CO2 emissions and helping the UK meet its targets for renewable energy. Gillian Alker, formerly the Forestry Commission’s Woodfuels Officer for the South East, told WinACC's open meeting on 5th June, that there is over 2 million tonnes of wood available in the UK from under-managed woodland. Her presentation also emphasised that better management avoids cramped woodlands and maintains open spaces, thus benefiting native wildlife such as badgers and butterflies.

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