The gathering commenced with a meeting about reducing plastic waste and was followed by the AGM
1. Phillip Munn asked if members were interested in developing a plastic free shop to leave their contact details with him. He will organise a meeting in the new year. [First meeting has taken place see “Wirksworth Zero Waste Shop” facebook page]
2. Treasurer’s report
John Berry reported that there are very few transactions in the year and the job is not onerous if anybody wants to give it a try. We started the 2017 [sic] year with a positive balance of £400 and finished with £425[year runs from January to December].
The Give or Take event is the function that generates most income.
3. Election of treasurer for the year 2019.
Keith Orford proposed John Berry seconded by Hilary Hebron.
John indicated he was willing to stand. No-one wished to block the proposal. No other nominations were received.
John Berry was elected treasurer.
Reports from Groups
4. Activists; Hilary Hebron reported on recent rally with Extinction Rebellion a newly formed group taking direct non-violent action of civil disobedience to highlight the need for URGENT government action on climate change, as recommended by the report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] in October. Members also continue to support the campaign against fracking, attending protest rallies at various sites and online campaigns concerning the environment and human rights.
5. Energy and Housing; Peter reported on the Community Land Trust, which has achieved charitable status this year. Call for Land had resulted in 4 replies. The Group were following these and an additional option of refurbishing homes built in the 1950s. New members are charged just one pound for life membership. Please join; the more members the CLT has, the more weight it will carry as representing the people of Wirksworth and Middleton. A call was made for members to consider becoming Trustees of the CLT.
6. Gardening; Rosemary reported on the 8th year of successful growing at the Community Garden, mentioning that Growers had installed a fruit cage this year and plan to make improvements in the area below the patio and in the compost area next year. There is a new initiative, with one of the children’s nurseries, to involve pre-school children in the garden. Rosemary asked for volunteers to help with gardening at Waltham House, a newly resurrected outreach service.
7. Waste and Recycling; Kate reported that the group has been swelled this year by new members spurred to action by seeing programmes on the horrific accumulation of plastics in the oceans. The group has organised this evening to seek further members to run various campaigns to reduce waste and to inform townspeople of actions they can take to reduce plastic waste in particular. If everybody took the following 5 actions, there would be an enormous reduction in the plastic waste produced.
1. Always carry and use a reusable shopping bag.
2. Carry a reusable cup if you patronise coffee shops.
3. Carry a reusable water bottle and tap water rather than buying water or fizzy drinks when out and about.
4. Take your own reusable cutlery for takeaways when out and about and a packed lunch in a reusable container rather then buying plastic packaged sandwiches etc.
5. Refuse plastic straws- you can buy a reusable one if you must have a straw!
8. Transport; Keith reported that Trent Barton were beginning a consultation on bus routes in Wirksworth. The bus no longer goes along Bournebrook Avenue as buses couldn’t get past parked cars. New buses [and trains] are now coming into use that require much less fossil fuel for power. He asked anyone who was interested in developing a transport group to contact him [or e-mail Transition].
9. Communications; Nick reported that a new information leaflet is nearing completion. It describes Grassroots Wirksworth and is intended not to need updating. The communications group currently has only two members and help is needed to maintain communications with members. Please contact us via the Transition e-mail if you can help.
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