Puns are always a good way to start anything, let alone the year.
We know we’ve been a little quiet the past few months. The truth is, despite being energetic, dynamic, passionate (etc) people, work and life in general sometimes gets in the way of fun.
Don’t despair though. After a Christmas break, we’ve regained our strength, found new motivation, and need to burn off an excess of Christmas cake!
So, what do we want to do this year?
First-up, work with Rutland County Council and local sustainability charity, Change Agents UK , to help their fuel-poverty campaign. We want to ensure Rutland and its good folk are left more resilient, with a better quality of life, and with lower carbon footprints individually and collectively. Energy prices have been a real issue, and many people forget that in rural areas, the true fuel-poverty is higher because of the extra transport fuel costs and many different heating systems. It’s a big issue, and one we are glad to see being tackled as it offers many benefits.
Next up, we want to organise a film evening with a discussion. I know I know, it sounds a little cliched, but there is nothing like getting people together, watching something and letting all of the thoughts, worries, hopes and ideas spill out amongst other people. So keep an eye out on here for more details, or better still, join our mailing list!
What else – well, we’ll update about you all about the progess with Transition Farming in the area, the exciting work being done on Grass-Fed farming which will be better for the environment, the animals, and us. Perfect.
Oh, and I think it would be nice to get the bikes out of the shed come March, and get back on our wobbly machines in the comfort of a Community Bike Ride. And who knows, maybe we’ll organise another Bike Doctor Day, which will delight not only local residents, but the owners of local coffee shops and delis who benefited from our love of snacks!
And then there is food. We all love food here at Transition Rutland. Not just eating it, though of course that is a big big draw. We like growing it, getting it fresh, locally, and helping local farmers and growers. Why don’t you get involved? Send us an email!
Then there are more serious things like the Localism Act. Two of its many features are Community Assets/Right to Buy, and Neighbourhood Plans. The former means we can protect key buildings and places that are important to the community. The latter, that means we can shape the work of the local authority, have a stake in Rutland’s future and make sure it’s a sustainable and resilient one.
Well, that’s enough for now. I just wanted to make sure you knew we were still very much here, and that we hadn’t forgotten about you!
Oh, and one last thing. We’ll have a meeting in the last week of January – please do come along. Email transitionrutland@gmail.com to find out more.
Happy New Year to you all,
Jonathan
