Spring is here! Its’s warming up and bees, butterflies and flowers are out and about! There’s no better time to get involved with Transition – read on to find out about joining the Steering Group, Repair Cafe (19 April – bring your garden tools!!), and exciting updates from the Energy Group. With the election looming we’re also promoting GREN’s environmental hustings on 14 April.
TTR Steering group members needed
GREN Environmental hustings Tuesday 14 April
Repair Cafe Sunday 19 April
Transition Meeting Monday 20 April
Energy Group Update
Draught Proofing
Reading Sustainability Centre
TTR Steering group members needed
It’s also time when we start thinking about who will be involved in running transition in 2015/16. We have had a great team of people planning events, organising meetings, taking minutes, raising funds and helping plan the future of TTR. If you would like to take a more leading role in running Transition, then it’s your chance to step up at our AGM on Thursday 21st May at 7.30pm at RISC. Please email info@transitionreading.org.uk if you would like to find out more about getting involved in the steering group, or ask at one of our meetings. It’s vital we get new people to help bring fresh ideas and energy into the group. To see the positions go to www.transitionreading.org.uk/about-us/.
GREN Environmental hustings: Tuesday 14 April, 7.30pm-9.30pm, Friends Meeting house (RG1 2SB)
GREN is holding a pre-election ‘environmental hustings’ at 7:30 on Tuesday 14th April at the Friends Meeting House, 2 Church Street, off London Street, RG1 2SB. All are welcome.
All major local political parties are expected to be represented and the meeting will be chaired by Professor Gavin Parker of the Henley Business School.
The debate will cover environmental issues that affect Reading in topic areas such as planning, transport, pollution, climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity, and waste – with reference to national and/or European policies as appropriate.
Format will be similar to ‘Question Time’ with pre-selected topics and supplementary questions from the floor. If you would like to suggest a topic or ask a question please do so by e-mail to secretary@gren.org.uk or hand it in on the night.
Repair Cafe at Jacksons: Sunday 19 April, 12noon-4.30pm
**IT’S SPRING TIME – BRING DOWN YOUR GARDEN TOOLS FOR A SHARPEN UP TO GET THEM READY FOR ACTION**
Come along and learn to repair your broken things! You can get your
clothes, electronics, mechanical items, toys, furniture, blunt / broken tools fixed all for a donation only! Plus there will be homemade cakes!
You’re also welcome bring along you latest craft project to get help and support and a sociable space to work on your project. So come along, join in the fun and bring along your friends and family! You can also find out about Reading LETs (Local Exchange Trading Scheme)
We are looking for more volunteers to help with organising, publicity and running Repair Cafe, if you’re interested please email repaircafe@transitionreading.org.uk
Transition Town Reading Meeting: Monday 20 April, 7:30pm at Great Expectations Pub.
Come along and discuss all things Transition Town Reading. You can help to plan the future direction of TTR, including funding, communications, the website and thinking about what we should focus on next. There will also be updates on and next steps about ongoing and new projects. We’re particularly looking for people to take an active role in helping with the Energy Group. If you have new ideas for projects, this is a great opportunity to bounce them off other interested people, get feedback and support.
TTR Energy Group
Reading Energy Pioneers has reformed under the guise of our own energy group and are hoping to get a community solar PV project going based on a community share offer similar to those being used in Oxford.
Their idea is to target charity buildings, community buildings including churches and schools offering free installations in return for some free electricity while taking the feed in tariff and exported generation to finance the scheme. The roof owners will inherit the panels at the end of the Feed in Tariff scheme so will benefit from free electricity for the following years. REPs are looking for volunteers and helpers, board members for the proposed new CBS or CIC, team members, administrators and you to assist them.
If you would like to find out more or get involved in this group, see future newsletters for the dates of next meetings or email info@transitionreading.org.uk to be added to their specific group mailing list.
Draught proofing
Is your house draughty and cold? Is it expensive to heat?
Transition Town Reading’s draught-busting project may be able to help! The materials could be paid for by a grant from Reading Borough Council if you meet certain conditions and the work is done by the end of March. The work should only take a couple of hours and if you know of people who need our help please contact us. If you would like to help with this project please join us, you don’t need to be an expert. We can show you how easy it is to carry out draught proofing for yourself and to help your friends and neighbours do their homes. If you’re interested or would like to find more info visit www.draughtbusters.net
See TTR’s draught-proofing in action on BBC South Today
Reading Sustainability Centre
RSC are currently interviewing people and canvassing their views on the hydro project. They will be having an outing to Mapledurham Mill on 23rd May with people walking, cycling, canoeing, going by boat and for the less able there will be transit by electric vehicles. See the website to contact them about what they’re up to http://readingsustainabilitycentre.co.uk/
Transition Town Reading 
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