Go Fund our Mosaic project!

7th February 2019

DONATE TODAY

https://www.gofundme.com/meet-you-by-the-mosaic

Image example only

Our latest and exciting project is the creation of a mosaic at the front of St Leonards Warrior Square station, entirely designed and crafted by the community.

This activity will benefit the community in th following ways:
·       Improve the visual appeal of the area outside the station, for the enjoyment of both residents and visitors
·       Promote pride & ownership in the area and therefore keeping area safe and clean
·       Help to improve interpersonal skills & reduce isolation through engaging in the project
·       Encourage self-confidence and belief in what can be achieved.

We have engaged Emma Law, a well established mosaic maker. She will lead workshops involving schools, the Seaview Wellbeing Centre, Gizmo DIY Theatre Company and the general public to design and complete the mosaic. We will also employ Leigh Dyer, a local blacksmith/artist, to make a movable frame for the mosaic to sit in and be attached to the wall.

The estimated cost for the whole project is around £4,000 (approximately 25% for materials, 50% for the movable frame and 25% for the professional facilitation). We have already raised £1,500 and are now looking for contributions to cover the remaining £2,500.

We have the wholehearted approval of Southeastern Train Company and we have conducted a street survey with the local community and immediate neighbourhood, and an online survey, with a unanimous response that it would be a positive addition to the area. We are very excited about this project and aim to have it completed by summer 2019.

Podcast on Transition in the South of England

7th February 2019

As experienced by Manuel Boskamp, a very intrepid 17 year old on a research trip to England.

In July 2018, Manuel paid a visit to Transition Town Hastings. During the few days he was with us, we took him to our community garden, the West Street party and the Big Local Fair on power station site in the Ore Valley and shared our experience of transitioning with him.

Interviewing Richard Watson from Energise Sussex Coast

After that he went off, armed with various contacts and offers of places to stay, visiting Lewes, Southampton, Dorchester, Totnes and, finally, London.

Listen to his experience and assessment of what he saw in this very interesting podcast:

Hastings Older Women’s Co Housing

6th February 2019

HOWCH held a meeting in November 2018 with a shout out for talent!

The name comes from similar schemes for Older Women’s Community Housing (OWCH). This group added the “H” for Hastings. It was started in October 2017.

Brekke Larsen explained the vision behind HOWCH was from Denmark where her godfather lived in a co-operative housing scheme. This enabled him to maintain his independence whilst ensuring that he was never lonely. Many years later, Brekke’s niece separated from her husband and went to live with her children in a shared development. In this scheme, everyone had their own front doors but with some shared amenities. There is now a movement towards this type of development in the UK.

Action for Rural Sussex is one such organisation that is involved in providing advice and support for such schemes.

There are about 200 Community Land Trusts (CLTs) around the country e.g. Bristol, York, Brent (the most famous). This type of scheme also features in Hastings Borough Council’s (HBC) manifesto. In some ways, CLTs fill the gap left by the reduction in council housing.

This is the background to the idea behind HOWCH. It is not for profit. No-one will make money out of this – it is only for the community. There are now 5 people in the Steering Group. Stage 3 funding has been applied for. This will enable HOWCH to set up a legal entity, create a website etc. The next stage is to take this to the community to see what the reaction might be. The Steering Group want to be sure that what they are doing is what the community are interested in.

HOWCH skills form Download

HOWCH Open Meeting 151118 Download

Sign a Declaration of Climate Emergency!

30th January 2019

Hastings Green Party have drafted a declaration endorsement, a letter that tells the Hastings Borough Council we support them in declaring a state of Climate Emergency.

The endorsement seeks to acknowledge Climate Breakdown as the biggest challenge we all face and lays out practical steps the council could take to begin to mitigate our dreadful situation. You don’t have to a be Green Party supporter, just someone who wants a planet that can support us for generations to come.

The only way to tackle this issue is to work together which is why the letter itself doesn’t contain any mention of the Green Party because this needs to be a cross party declaration.

The council are already having a meeting next Wednesday 19th at 6pm to discuss a declaration of Climate Emergency and a decision will be made in February, so the more people support this the better!
Please sign and share!

Refill Hastings has over 50 venues!

10th December 2018

Being a seaside town, Refill Hastings is very conscious of the issue of single use plastic. It washes up on our beaches on a daily basis.

In the past Hastings has had a reputation for being a down and out seaside town but it is now experiencing a bit of a resurgence. It is a very creative and somewhat eccentric place and also has a very socially and environmentally aware and active community.

The Refill scheme was initiated by Transition Town Hastings and the local Green Party along with support from Surfers Against Sewage. These local groups (as well as the Marine Conservation Society) carry out beach and street cleans and often collect a lot of plastic waste.

Launch of Hastings Refill at the Ocean Symposium, September 2018.

We’re a small group of volunteers and, so far, we have signed up over 50 venues in the local area to be Refill Stations.

We launched the scheme at the Ocean Symposium at St Mary in the Castle in September 2018.

Julia Hilton of Hastings Green party said:

“The UK currently uses 13 billion plastic bottles every year, but only 7.5 billion of these are recycled with the remaining 5.5 billion either landfilled, littered, or incinerated but we are also lucky enough to have some of the best quality tap water in the world — and with the Refill app it’s easier and cheaper to carry a bottle and refill it than to constantly buy new bottles. We can help make carrying a bottle the norm and make sure people know how easy it is to find their refill.”

Visit our facebook page or join the facebook group to get involved.

Hastings first community energy investment offer!

10th December 2018

Energise Sussex Coast (ESC) have announced the launch of the 1066 community energy offer.

You are invited to join them for the launch event on 13 December 2018, 5:30–7:30pm at East Sussex College, Station Plaza.

This is the first community energy investment offer in Hastings. ESC, in partnership with Brighton Energy Coop, are raising £180,000 through community shares to fund 250 kilowatts of solar panels (roughly 1066 panels as it happens) on East Sussex College. The college will save roughly £4250 per year on its energy bills.

Living in a solar town was something I dreamed of when co-founding Energise Sussex Coast in 2012. And here, hopefully, is the beginning of it.
Richard Watson, ESC director

The offer is open to anyone but they are especially keen to invite as many local residents, local businesses and community organisations as possible to invest in the future of the college and Hastings.

With the transformation of the energy market underway ESC hope that excess power generated during weekends and holiday periods can be sold to local residents in the Ore Valley at affordable prices.

By investing in 1066 community energy you are supporting the transition to low carbon energy and a fairer energy future and will receive a reasonable return on your investment.

Help the LWA Amend the Agricultural Bill

5th December 2018

From local, organic food grower Pea Pod Veg‘s Abby Nicol…

“It’s time to amend the agriculture bill. Click on the link below to write to your MP and share the news far and wide. In the face of devastating climate change and widening inequality in society we need a agriculture bill that is progressive and serves everyone and looks to the future. We need to be able to shout about how the solutions exist and not feel embarrassed about calling for agroecology, organic farming, nature based farming, farming jobs, rights for rural workers and more. We need farmers 3 times a day, we must stand up for them and fight for a truly sustainable food system.”

So please take a moment to check out the Land Workers’ Alliance website and have your say before its too late.

AGM 2018 minutes

5th December 2018

TTH AGM – Sunday 25 November 2018
White Rock Hotel
Attended: approx. 30 people, including Core Team

Introduction
Andrea welcomes everyone and explains the structure of organization
Also talks about Healthy Cultures event that he and Sarah attended.

Community Garden
Alison and Chris talk about the garden including events held there and in Warrior Sq (Big Lunch)
Chris explains water problem and funding received from Quakers for water butts

Refill Scheme
Karen presented Refill, within the context of increasing use of SUP plastic bottles, many not being recycled. Refill continues growing in Hastings, with more stations being added all the time

Energy Group – ESC
Richard and Kate updated on recent activities:
meeting in Essen, Germany of community groups from across Europe, shows there is great potential
1066 Local Energy Campaign: old campus of East Sussex College is now a project in which everyone can invest, to install 1066 solar panels. Run by Brighton Energy Coop. Potential for ESC to take back the project if enough local shareholders
Model eco-home
Pier project stalled given the change in ownership
‘Dog poo’ lamp
Opportunity for new volunteers joining
bring new ideas for new projects
FIT ending in April 2019, so still opportunity to install panels on private roofs, or churches, mosques …

SOS
Update from Sarah. Inspired by Sustainable St Albans
Micro-festival, culminated in day-event at the Stade
Outlook is to repeat the festival and make it a regular event, with increased involvement of school and other community organisations

Q&A
Alison asked about Germany
Richard: people invest and don’t ask for a return. People in social housing get no benefit from solar roofs . This is about to change with new legislation – we need to lobby to make sure?
Give and take boxes in Essen, Berlin and Amsterdam
Swap shop aimed at refugees, wanting to find a use for the space to make it financially sustainable

Sherry thanks core group for all their hard work
Sarah thanks all the other volunteers who have been a great help

Q: if one was inspired to become more involved how would we do so, what would we come along to?
Alison: explains our meetings are now private but perhaps we should hold some public ones again
Chris: More film and talk nights, also looking for people who are up for offering time and effort
Karen: Green Drinks is a social event to come along to and introduce yourself and offer help

Andrea explains voting

TEA BREAK

Voting
Andrea announces the re-standing of Sarah as Co Chair, Alison and Andrea as Co Secretarys and Chris as Treasurer.
Sarah nominated Sherry Clarke as Co Chair, firsted by Sarah and Seconded by Julia

Talks

Julia Hilton
Julia talks about her Climate Emergency letter which she has drafted representing Hastings Green Party and the people of Hastings to address the threat posed by the recent IPCC report. Julia reads the letter out
Julia asks if anyone knows of
At council meetings any member of the public can ask a question and Julia is encouraging people to email questions.
Encouraging a town wide movement to step up and tackle this issue locally

Sheila – Bee Keepers Association
Explains how people can learn how to keep bees and to get in touch
People can help in other ways if they don’t want to keep bees, planting stuff in your garden to help bees pollinate , and food
Number of websites that have info on which plants to have in your garden
Weve got about 150 members and always welcoming more
Bees for development – help bee keepers in developing country in good practice at keeping bees abd help woth marketing to make it financially viable anf help the environment
Bees get a lot from trees as well as flowers
Q: do you do workshops?
S: Not really but we do courses. Few of us, all volunteers. Training courses every spring. Mantell Farm in Catsfield do course on all sorts
A tray of water with pebbles in (so they don’t drown) will help bees immensely when they’re pollinating
If you let your Ivy flower you’ll have bees all over it
Try and extend your flowering period
Honey bees are the only bees that ‘cluster’ rather than hibernate as a colony
The queens hibernate and some solitary bees
I’ve got leaflets if anyone wants to join

Colin Darbyshire – Surfers Against Sewage
Beach clean representative and
Joined SAS in 2014 because I use the water a lot as a Kite Surfer. Always picking stuff up
My daughter picked up a syringe and put it in her mouth when she was small – made me think about what I could do
Beach cleans regular feature in spring and autmn
93 people at the last one
Community leader since feb – talking with local businesses
9 businesses signed up to get on the road to being Plastic Free
working with community groups including Flag
also with the council and Forshore Trust
Working woth Fishermam now – a lot of rubbish there in old nets etc
Small supervised group doing fishing beach clean
Worked on a small area no bigger than this room and picked up a large mount of rubbish – fly tipping
Plastic Free Schools – phasing out SUPS and educating the next generation on cleaning up our mess
Working with clean up groups in country parks
Looking at acquiring funds from Head Office and FLAG for some signs along seafront
Plastic Free Schools:
Join the Resistance
On the Ground Action
Challenge the Government
Challenging Industry
You are the Resistance
Businesses awarded with recognition for phasing out SUPS with an award and sticker
Hoping to use old fishing nets for projcts by engaging with companies/orgs that make surf/skateboards out of old plastic
Visit Plastic Free Hastings on FB or email me at HYPERLINK “mailto:plasticfreehastings@gmail.com” plasticfreehastings@gmail.com
Q: what about safety of food – platic packaging is protecting food
This is a challenge but it would be about working with businesses to try and source more sustainable packaging
There are problems with that too – many plant-based packaging for example is only biodegradeable in an industrial composter

Sassie Yasamee – Eve Apple Press
Use excess apples to make apple juice so if anyone knows of any apples

Rachel Holtom
We want to roll out community lunches in the daytime – last week was a success. Every 3 months. Share food and share ideas

Lee
Doing a PhD in Energy Justice
Sharing Energy
Looking at how to help the energy transition
Want to move the question of energy generation from a concept to a practical step

Mischa
Daphne Lambert of Green Dining coming in Feb – 30 places at £12.50pp
She knows a great deal about the benefit of a food item on the body but also where it comes from and how exploitative

Chris – Finance
Our account fluctuates from between £1-2K
£1200 funding we received from Tesco’s Bags of Help is set aside for the community Mosaic at the station

Hastings Trust Legacy Archive

10th November 2018

As the long-standing, local organisation The Hastings Trust draws to a close it’s now possible to view an online archive of the trust’s work. For over 30 years the trust worked with scores of local partners on hundreds of initiatives to improve the quality of life for people in Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea. The website is a record of that achievement and a resource for those who follow in it’s footsteps. Archive materials featuring 25 years of conservation, environmental improvements and regeneration work includes complete sets of newsletters and annual reviews plus a selection of photos, films, presentations and project documents that are free to download.

Visit the site.

Celebrating sustainable practices at The Big Green Fair

27th September 2018

Transition Town Hastings will be exhibiting at the Big Green Fair this Sunday.

We have been working on a new festival launched this month called Sustainability on Sea bringing together local groups and initiatives working to make Hastings and St Leonards a more sustainable place to live. They are tackling important issues like single use plastic, a need for affordable housing and cheaper energy bills, healthy eating habits and growing our own food and using cleaner forms of transport.

The festival closes with The Big Green Fair, an all day event at the Stade in Hastings Old Town which takes place this Sunday, 30 Sept between 11-4. Entry is free.

Expect a variety of stall holders selling eco wares as well as information stalls and activities for families from Source BMX, Bike Lab Hastings, Co-wheels car sharing scheme, Refill Hastings, Plastic Free Hastings, Hastings Furniture Service, Hastings Fermentory, Hastings and Rother Beekeepers Association. Energise Sussex Coast, the organisers of the fair, will have information about how to save energy and money on your energy bills.

Bring along your bicycle to get a free bike check from Bike Lab Hastings. Kids can try out BMX bikes from Source BMX, play solar powered retro arcade games, make pompoms with plastic bags, plant seeds and have a go on bikes that generate electricity. There will be information about ways to make electricity from sunlight, wind, flowing water as well as some unusual ways such as used on Mars, electrostatically, from bent crystals and from lemons (yes, lemons!). The East Hill Sunshine Band and comedian Helen Keen will provide entertainment alongside a solar powered cinema.

Drop by for the programme of talks and demos on composting, plastic recycling, sustainable housing, Alexander Technique, Transition Town movement and permaculture in the garden.

Something for everyone young and old!

Visit the website for more details: http://www.sustainabilityonsea.org.uk