April 2007
Save It! was started by Brian Jeanes with his wife Kathryn.  Following his unsuccessful bid for a small wind turbine on their farm they set out to see how else they could reduce their carbon footprints.

 

April 9th
Ten people met together and discussed what were our aims.  We were taking our inspiration for the group from the Milverton Climate Challenge Group and we looked at what they were doing.  They had taken ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ as their mantra and we thought this was a good place to begin.  It was decided that we needed to focus on local elements and not to spread to world politics; a pledge to reduce consumption was a good start.  Milverton had shown the Al Gore film, ‘An inconvenient truth’, and it was decided that that would be a good way to get people interested.  We needed to get people involved and raise awareness of the need of individual action.

 

April 12th
Our next meeting where our aim was clarified as:
Help to save the world for the next generation
Climate change in our community – act local: think global

 

April 17th
We first went public with a display at the Parish Annual Meeting.  Our name had now been chosen and we had a display of our ten top tips:
1.  Change your light bulbs
2.  Turn your heating down by 1ºC
3.  Pull out the plugs; no standby
4.  Shop locally
5.  Insulate your house
6.  Wash laundry at 30ºC
7.  Boil only what you need to in the kettle
8.  Install a water meter
9.  Leave your car at home
10.Recycle
We also had power monitors for hire.

 

May 26th
We held a stall at the May Fair.  We now had our logo as well.

 

June 7th
The film was shown and Alex Morrice, from Stoke St Gregory fielded the question and answer session afterwards.  It was well attended.

July 4th
The next public meeting was held and Hilary Wright from the Somerset Waste Action Programme spoke about recycling.

 

September
A fact sheet was delivered to every house in the parish.  This included information about recycling, gained from the meeting, and about low energy light bulbs.

 

September 5th
Ruth Baker, Climate Change Campaign Officer from Somerset County Council, spoke about what we can do about climate change.  The meeting was well attended and we broke into groups for discussion.  Ideas produced:
Reducing:

                        Community car
                        Car sharing
                        Reduce ironing
                        Bulk buy light bulbs for produce market

                        Carbon reduction audit
                        Village wind turbine
Recycling:
                        Junk swaps
                        Specialist recycling e.g. computers
                        Rainwater collection

Sharing information:
                        Village web site
                        Raise awareness amongst young
                        Get into schools
                        Expand Save It! group
                        Instruction on vegetable growing

Lobbying:
                        Better building standards
                        Local produce in shop

 

September 29th
Village Eco-hunt.  This was aimed mainly at children, with accompanying adults.  Prizes were given to under 7’s and over 7’s.  Places visited were:
De Wintons                            bees and mulberry trees
Applegates                            timber framed house with wooden shingles
Taits                                        water butts and composting
Allotments                              vegetable growing
Village Hall car park             recycling
Hickmans                               swimming pool with solar panels
Pophams                               PV cells
Post Office                             local produce
Pikes                                      beer and chickens

 

November 7th
Public meeting on ‘what are we going to do’.  Nikki Lewis from Richard Huish College spoke about the carbon audit she produced for Milverton, and gave us a sample of what we might like to do.

 

Dec 1st
We held our first Save-It! stall at the monthly Village Produce Market, where we sold 24 low energy light bulbs and collected many batteries, ink cartridges and spectacles for recycling.

 

2008

February 13th

Public meeting, ‘The Nuclear Debate’, with guest speakers Peter Higginson, safety and technical manager from Hinkley Point power station and Jim Duffy representing ’Stop Hinkley’ and followed by a lively debate.

 

April 6th

Public meeting, showing of the film ‘The End of Suburbia.’  This looked at the inevitable depletion of oil in the near future, the effects it will have on ‘the American Dream’ and how they will cope by changing life styles and introducing alternative energy sources.  A lively discussion followed.

 

May 17th

May Fair where we had fun and games provided for us by Mendip District Council as well as selling our low energy light bulbs and bright new re-cycled cloth bags made for us by the North Curry Group of the West Country Embroiderers

 

July 15th

Public Meeting, “Transition” in North Curry
Guest speaker: Ben Brangwyn from the Transition Network spoke about the Transition movement.  North Curry and Stoke St Gregory decided to work together towards transition

 

July 23rd

Somerset County Council meeting.  Cllr Paul Buchanan proposed a motion that SCC support the Transition Movement in Somerset. The motion was passed unanimously and history was made.

 

September 18th
Public Meeting – launching of Transition initiative
Action groups under the following headings were convened:-
Education (e.g. further awareness-raising, school activities permaculture courses)
Food & Agriculture (local food, community garden/orchard)
Housing (energy-saving, grant information, micro-generation)
Woodland (tree planting, fuel, food) - Stoke tree planting project and White Street woodland in North Curry planned