Victoria's Green Matters - 27th Feb 2014

Deal With IT's Secretary Victoria Nicholls writes a regular column in the East Kent Mercury:

Funny, isn’t it, how things seem to go in fashionable cycles? It was quite the thing to believe in climate change and take whatever steps you could to minimise your carbon footprint back in the days before the financial crisis. The first fallout from this was the failure of the climate conference in Copenhagen in 2009 and it’s been downhill ever since.

Despite declarations that climate change was the biggest challenge we’ll ever face from the LibDems in 2010, relations with Tory colleagues on green issues remain very strained. Over the years since the coalition was formed we have seen lots of environmentally important policies scrapped, lack of money being given as the reason. We now see one of the results of this process – the Environment Agency budget slashed by 40% is a dreadful legacy and has caused misery for so many people. If our government’s policies are not bad enough, we now have the spectre of UKIP raising its ugly head with its hatred of all things green.

In many places around the world, talk of climate change is looked upon as some kind of left wing plot, because the actions necessary to affect change cannot be left to financial institutions and big business. After all, oil, gas and mining companies have, so far, successfully headed off any threat of action to control the carbon emissions for which they are responsible.

Only fools will deny the evidence on man-made global climate change so maybe now we will see action to limit the damage.

Victoria Nicholls. Transition Deal.

Astor Business Breakfast March 6th

Astor Business Breakfast

Following the success of our fund-raising efforts in securing the bulk of the monies for the launch of The Loyalty Card Scheme, we would like to invite you to our third Astor Business Breakfast.

Date:              Thursday March 6^th

Time:              8.00 a.m.

Venue:           The Astor Community Theatre

                        Stanhope Road, Deal, CT14 6AB

We will make a ten-minute presentation of the launch of the Scheme including its implementation and timescale. This will be followed by a Q&A plus discussion.

RSVP – Freddie Middleton

  pr@theastor.co.uk  

Or call - 01304 370220

The Astor Theatre, Stanhope Road, Deal,

Kent CT14 6AB

Victoria's Green Matters - 20th Feb 2014

Deal With IT's Secretary Victoria Nicholls writes a regular column in the East Kent Mercury:

Well, it might not be ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ but the recent incredible weather and its effects certainly look like a disaster movie.

The Chief Scientist at the Meteorological Office has said that the violent storms of the last few weeks are the result of climate change which is here and it is now! Lord Stern has also said that strong action must be taken to curb our carbon emissions – the same advice that was urged some eight years ago in the ‘Stern Report ‘that illustrated that the benefits of early action would massively outweigh the costs.

Our ‘greenest government ever’ is strangely silent on the reasons for this destructive weather that has caused such trauma around our small island. All our politicians seem to be able to do is to blame something or someone else other than themselves for failing to take action. How can swingeing cuts to the Environment Agency of 25% possibly be justified in the face of all the evidence and expert opinion regarding climate change? Despite all the cuts they have worked ceaselessly to try and minimise the effects of the flooding and to protect electricity substations so that supplies are not interrupted.

Plans exist for the protection of our rivers and coasts. These have been developed based on working with nature and saving major assets where possible but the totally inadequate budget that has been allowed is about one tenth of the sum per head spent in Holland.

What price our green and pleasant land?

Victoria Nicholls. Transition Deal.

Deal's One Billion Rising Event today ...

A big well done for all those who braved the very windy conditions today in Deal for the One Billion Rising Event at the Pier and in the High Street

Special thanks for Pam for organising - Kent One Billion Rising can be found on facebook here

Victoria's Green Matters - 13th February 2014

Deal With IT's Secretary Victoria Nicholls writes a regular column in the East Kent Mercury:

 The subject of plastic carrier bags has been in the news again this week. Instead of placing a mandatory 5p charge on all plastic carrier bags, the government has complicated the issue by trying to exempt some smaller stores as well as paper or fully biodegradable bags (not currently available).

Why this unnecessary complication? Why can’t we just follow the example of Wales and the Republic of Ireland and have a mandatory charge? The Republic of Ireland imposed the charge in 2002 and has achieved a 90% reduction in the use of plastic bags and the charge in Wales, introduced in 2011, has achieved a 75% reduction. The results speak for themselves.

There were concerns in Wales among the smaller retailers that the imposed charge would lead to the loss of sales from unplanned shopping trips, the risk of more thefts and unfavourable customer reaction but their experience has been overwhelmingly positive.

Plastic bags are made from the waste products of the oil industry so it is not a resource issue but a question of damaging waste when the bags are not disposed of properly. They cause countless problems to wildlife, both on land and at sea. If you have ever seen pictures of wildlife affected thus, you will understand.

The real answer to the problem is, of course, to stop producing the bags in the first place. Many of our European neighbours stopped having them, particularly in supermarkets, many years ago and they seem to manage very well.

Victoria Nicholls. Transition Deal.

Crowd fund raising in Deal for a healthy diet ....

Can you help us change the eating habits of East Kent?! When Chequers Kitchen Cookery School opens alongside the Restaurant in April there will be cookery courses for all tastes and skill levels. We are so looking forward to it! But what you may not know is that we are now a community interest company and behind the scenes we are on a mission to help disadvantaged people in our community to access a healthy diet. The profits from Chequers Kitchen Restaurant and Cookery School will be used to support free and subsidised cookery lessons for young parents, disadvantaged children, carers, people with mental health problems, young people in care and others who are severely disadvantaged in our community. We need to raise a further £10,000 to build and equip the cookery school. And we are asking for help from our friends, customers and all who share our vision of helping people access a healthy diet through knowing how to cook from scratch, regardless of their circumstances. Please have a look at our crowd-funding campaign and the 'Perks' on offer in exchange for your support. If you would like to help us reach our goal we will be very grateful. If it's not for you, thank you anyway and please consider forwarding this message to any colleagues, friends, family or businesses who may share our passion and perhaps like to get involved. Many thanks. With best wishes from all at Chequers Kitchen including Pieter, Stephanie and Gary

What is Crowd-Funding?   Crowd-funding is a way to raise funds to support a project. It's as simple as that. We are using a platform called Indiegogo but there are many others around, some of which specialise in particular types of project.   We decided to run a crowd-funding campaign as an opportunity for our friends, customers and local businesses to get involved. We know there is lots of support for what we are doing at Chequers Kitchen and the crowd-funding approach lets us 'reward' our supporters in fun ways.   We have until March 17th to raise our funds. Have a look at the Perks and see what you think. You can suggest additional Perks if you like - we can have up to 20 at any one time!   Thank you for your interest and do get in touch if you have comments, questions, suggestions for us. We're on 01304 362288 or you can email us ay Pieter@chequersrestaurant.com   Here's our campaign!

East Kent Transition Spring Gathering 30th March - Whitstable

East Kent Transition Spring Gathering
A chance to meet people from transition groups around East Kent and share news and experiences.

Groups from Canterbury, Whitstable, Faversham, Hythe, Folkestone, Thanet and Deal will be there

Stream Walk Garden, access via Old Bridge Road or Cromwell Road, Whitstable. CT5 1RH, Sunday 30^th March, 2:00pm to 4:00pm.

Next Deal beach clean is on Sunday 16th @ 9am Deal Pier

Deal With It's next Deal Beach Clean will be on Sunday 16th Feb @ 9am starting from Deal Pier. 

We do the beach clean's was part of the Marine Conservation Society's work to monitor on how rubblish impacts on our coastline.

We supply bags, pickup tools and gloves - please wear waterproof and warm clothing as conditions on the beach can be cold & wet. Beach clean last 1-2hrs depending on conditions and numbers.

Deal 1Billion rising - 15th Feb 2014: Noon

 

Deal's 1 Billion rising event will be on Saturday 15th Feb at 12 Noon - Meet at Deal Pier.

1Billion Rising is a world-wide set of events against violence to women 

For more info see http://www.onebillionrising.org.uk/

ONE IN THREE WOMEN ON THE PLANET WILL BE RAPED OR BEATEN IN HER LIFETIME.

THAT IS ONE BILLION WOMEN.

IN 2013, ONE BILLION WOMEN AND MEN SHOOK THE EARTH THROUGH DANCE TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS.

THIS YEAR, ON 14 FEBRUARY 2014 WE ARE CALLING ON WOMEN AND MEN EVERYWHERE TO HARNESS THEIR POWER AND IMAGINATION TO RISE FOR JUSTICE.

IMAGINE, ONE BILLION WOMEN RELEASING THEIR STORIES, DANCING AND SPEAKING OUT AT THE PLACES WHERE THEY NEED JUSTICE, WHERE THEY NEED AN END TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS.

JOIN US!

RISE. RELEASE. DANCE!