Newsletter #03
February 2025 |
A HUGE welcome to our February newsletter.
Thank you for your interest in Sustainable Chulmleigh. We very much hope to meet you at one or more of our forthcoming events, or on our Facebook group. And if you would like to get more involved in any of our events or projects please let us know. Email: info@sustainablechulmleigh.org.uk. We LOVE involving more of the community in all we do.
In this edition:
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| Friday 28th February |
An evening with Professors Fiona Matthews and Tim Kendall authors of ‘Black Ops and Beaver Bombing’ - Adventures with Britain's Wild Mammals.
Fiona is Chair of Mammal Conservation Europe and Professor of environmental biology at the University of Sussex, and Tim is Professor of English Literature at the University of Exeter. Black Ops and Beaver Bombing is a celebration of Britain’s marvelous mammals, and a rallying cry to save them
Town Hall, 7pm start |
| Sunday 9th March |
Pied Flycatcher nest box building in the Town Hall |
| Saturday 22nd March |
Repair Cafe, 1pm till 4pm, Town Hall |
| Sunday 27th April |
Plant Hunt at Cadbury Cottage, 2pm till 4pm |
| Wednesday 30th April |
Broadridge Farm visit, 2pm start |
| Wednesday 28th May |
A guided walk around Taw River Dairy with Sam and Gemma Bullingham, 2pm start |
| Early summer (May) |
Walk and Chalk round Chulmleigh |
| Saturday 21st June |
Roborough Rewilders visit, 2.30pm start |
| End June |
Repair Cafe, 1pm till 4pm, Town Hall |
| Saturday 19th July |
Summer Gathering at Cadbury Cottage: talks, tours, books, birds, invertebrates and bats.... |
| On-going |
Sustainable Chulmleigh now has its own community allotment space |
| On-going |
Cadbury Cottage Pond - developing the area for community use |
| On-going |
Rewilding the churchyard - join our working group |
| On-going |
Blue Heart Campaign - rewilding Britain, garden by garden |
| On-going |
Farm Producers Directory |
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Highlights from the last few weeks - A totally fabulous weekend planting trees and hedging at Cadbury Cottage:19 species (Beech, Bird Cherry, Blackthorn, Buckthorn, Crab Apple, Dog Rose, Downy Birch, Elder, Guilder Rose, Hawthorn, Hazel, Hornbeam, Lime, Oak, Rowan, Spindle, Sweet Chestnut, Wayfaring and Wild Cherry) and around 1200 ish individual plants. Seven mini copses of around 50/60 trees each and four new hedges were created. HUGE thanks to all the volunteers who came to help: Nick, Claire, Mike, Felix, Julie, Andy, Dennis, Ellie, Viv, Kelly, Amy and all the volunteers from the Ashreigney and Riddlecombe Nature Recovery Group.
The weather was kind as despite heavy rains on both Friday and Saturday nights, it stayed dry during the day.
We are planning a fair few events at Cadbury Cottage over the coming year: Pond days, Plant hunts, Summer gathering with speakers and walks, Moth trapping and more.... keep an eye on the website for further details....
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Meet Ellie Gibson Ferreira: wife, working mother-of-four and a bit of an eco/ sustainability champion here in Chulmleigh
A. A life lived in a way that can continue on, generation after generation.
Q. You have a delightful garden – how do you manage it to attract wildlife?
A. It all began with no mow may, from there I started leaving things alone more. Denis dug in a small pond for me and I began growing plants to attract pollinators. I now leave the last fruit picking on the bushes at the end of summer for the birds to eat and my dead sunflowers stand throughout winter as natural bird food. I also cut back anything in the spring rather than the autumn, this allows any insects sleeping for the winter to wake up and begin the next year before I disturb their habitat. My garden becomes completely dormant and left alone over winter. I leave the leaves to rot and feed the soil, and in any way that nature can lead the way I don't intervene.
Q. What are your top eco/ energy-saving tips for everyone else out there who is running a busy household?
A. Start small and notice. Small changes lead the way for me.
Firstly, notice if you run the shower or switch on the oven for longer than necessary before using them, do you throw a glass of water away that could go to the dogs bowl or a house plant? Is that piece of perfectly clean plastic OK to cover food instead of buying clingfilm? If so, pop it in a drawer and have it ready.
Another is reduce chemicals anywhere you can. This helps you as much as your environment, you are entirely connected to your own environment after all, you live there as well as the insects that are maybe eating your plants. Ask the question, so if it kills the insects what is it doing to the earth and you around those insects? Be open and notice and see where it takes you
Q. Where do you tend to shop?
A. I use the supermarkets for my main food shop, Vinted and charity shops for clothes. Jim Budden for vegetable boxes and Kelland dairy when they are back up and running. I am mostly motivated by cost with a large family but factor in sustainability where I can. I wish sustainability could be the one priority, but cost of living creates a challenge here.
Q. What is your favourite wild animal?
A. The deer. Just majestic.
Q. What is the best eco-product you use?
A. We use Smol in our house at the moment, but my new little treat is Tropic for skincare. We have a local representative here in Chulmleigh, Karen Chennell, and the company is inspiring with their approach to ethics and sustainability. Also, they are fantastic and really do work!!
Q. What is your perfect weekend?
A. Heading to the beach. I love being in the sea with no phones or distractions and on a beautiful day with clear skies we can enjoy a sunset and the stars. But then a wild stormy day is fantastic too.
Q. What are the top three behaviours do you think we should all adopt in order to live more sustainability?
A. Ask questions. Do I need to buy that? Can I use this somewhere instead of throwing it away? Does my child really need that toy? Why do I feel I should have that? Do I need to switch that on? Could I walk instead of drive? Just begin with questions.
Plant something that will feed someone. Even if it is a simple flower that feeds one bee in a window box, you did something to help.
Do it anyway. If seeing that choices harming the earth, beyond your control, are still happening demotivate you, do those small things anyway. Hearing those things in the media can make it all feel so pointless, but every small change is a change in the right direction. One tree planted is a tree that wasn't there before. One inspired child may have a family, or become a teacher. Keep doing what you can, even if it is as simple as recycling your milk bottles.
Q. As a parent, what do you think is the most important message we should all be giving to our children right now?
A. I am in no position to give out advice on how to raise children, but what I try to do myself is to reconnect our children to nature. In any way I can, I try to teach them the cycles of life, how everything is connected and linked and reliant on each other. Embedding kindness and understanding to every living thing and encourage questioning of how things are done in the mainstream.
Q. What are your hopes for the future?
A. I hope the people in power will wake up. I hope one day affordability and sustainability won't be something we have to choose between. Ethics and eco friendly won't feel like a privileged person's game, it will just be!
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Meet Gemma Ansell-Nelson, crafter and owner of The Craft Room Workshops & Supplies on Fore Street.
A. I am just as delighted to be here in Chulmleigh. I have been made so very welcome, and it's lovely to hear about all the Artistic talent of the town, and to meet so many new people.
Q. The Craft Room has been through a fair few iterations over the last few years. How did it all begin?
A. After running a very successful Children's Clothing Business for 12 years, in 2023 I felt it was time to take a side step into the wonderful world of Craft. What started as just a few balls of yarn, has developed onto a treasure trove of craft supplies, and now craft workshops for all in Creative Arts.
Q. What does sustainability mean to you?
A. In my business, I want to promote the sustainability of craft, so I choose to practise crafts where I know there is minimal or zero waste. My learners all hear about how my fused glass can be used over & over, and I teach the children in my craft groups that anything can be made out of scraps & recycling to be made into a piece of beautiful art.
Q. In just one sentence tell us what is your overall aim for the shop?
A. To bring people from all walks of life, of all ages and abilities to learn a new craft skill, which will in turn promote wellbeing & happiness.
Q. Wool has to be one of the most under-used and wasted products in this country – how can we used wool more in crafting and our lives in general?
A. Over the past few years, I have familiarised myself in the whole process of wool (from Field to Fashion I like to call it), where I have taken raw fleece, all the way through to a crocheted item. The process showed me that wool waste cane be used for gardens & for wildlife, that it can be used in the home for insulation and such like, and of course to finish off as a beautiful garment or accessory.
Q. Crafting is perfect for good mental health – in what ways can it be sustainable too?
A. Crafting can be sustainable, as handmade is good quality & made to last. I have had people with 40 year old wool jumpers come in to the shop to purchase yarn to mend the holes. It just shows that the Make do & mend movement is not all lost!
Q. Favourite part of the job?
A. By far my favourite part is spending time with fellow crafters, and crafting all day every day.
"If you do something you love, you never have to work a day in your life" - Steve Jobs
Q. What is your perfect weekend (when you aren’t working)?
A. I absolutely love being outdoors with my family, so we try to go on as many adventures as we can. I have 4 horses & 4 dogs (and 4 kids) so weekends are usually full of riding, walking, exploring and having fun.
Q. What can we, the locals, do to help your business really flourish?
A. Word of mouth is by far the best way to help any business. This really is the best way to help my business. Also, just to pop in for a browse for your next craft project or workshop, or a gift for a loved one. We have a small range of local artisan maker's items which are just super!
Q. What are your hopes for the future?
A. I would love to stay in Chulmleigh for as long as I can, as it's such a friendly & supportive town to be based. One day, maybe a bigger space where I can offer drop in Craft Sessions with a safe, warm café space. As long as I can keep crafting, teaching & learning - I am happy!
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Warming Recipes - all tried and tested
Winter soup with nettles: Recommended by Claire - queen of cakes and of soups it seems!!!!
Perfect for a quick winter lunch: put a pan of water on to boil, add one head of broccoli broken into florets, 2 handfuls either spinach or Kale and a cup of frozen peas. Cook till veggies are soft and add a generous handful of young nettle leaves and some fresh mint.
Blitz with a hand blender and squeeze in the juice of a lemon,season with salt and pepper and serve. Also good with some cheese grated in.
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Vegetable broth:Recommended by Jack.
Thickly chop whatever autumn/winter veg you can get hold of: potato, swede, pumpkin, onion, parsnip, carrot etc. Cover with water in a pan, add a bit of vegetable stock and crushed garlic and slowly simmer for a good couple of hours. We add some cauliflower florets (if you can get hold of them) about 20 minutes before the end so they remain quite crisp. As with all soups and broths, grated cheese on top as you serve is a winner!!
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Local food producers: an exciting idea from Jo Moser - A REMINDER
After the well-attended talk on regenerative farming (see above) it was clear that there is an appetite to support local regenerative and organic farmers selling directly to the public. The question was asked how do we find them? Jo Moser has offered to compile a local list of farmers for our website, with a brief spiel about each one, beginning in the new year. Happy to go Devon wide. But we need your help to find these farmers. Happy to include those starting on the sustainable journey. Please email contact details now (with very brief info – meat, dairy, veg etc) to jomoser@btinternet.com. We also plan to include farm shops which are buying local. |
Chulmleigh Garden Society presents: 'Ponds and Water Gardening': Speaker - Becca Flintham. 7.30pm on Monday 10 March in The Town Hall Chulmleigh. £3 for non- members.
High Bickington Community Woodland Committee presents: 'Devon's Wonderful Hedges'. Speaker - Dr Robert Wolton, 7pm for 7.30pm Friday 4th April at High Bickington Community
Centre EX27 9HG. £5, £2.50 for students.
Sustainable Morchard Bishop coffee morning and seed swap. Saturday 1st March, Memorial Hall, 10am till 11.30am. lf you have tools for repair or sharpening Ian Swain (theluddite.com) will be taking them on the Saturday morning. He will also have some tools to sell.
Willow planting event at Broadridge Farm, Witheridge (part of the Dayshul Brake wilding cluster), 22nd March to grow lots of future food for our resident beavers. 10am till 1pm with an after lunch tour of the beaver enclosure. Email broadridgefarm@gmail.com or call 07934 473 246 for more details and to book |
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Newsletter #03
February 2025 |
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