By Miranda Robertson
A group of eco-friendly people in Wincanton doing their bit to save the planet are set to hold their first face to face meeting since the lockdowns – and they are inviting people to come along.
One Planet Wincanton was established two-and-a-half years ago and members have undertaken several projects since, aiming to make the world a more sustainable place.
Their repair cafes, held on the fourth Saturday of the month (or the third if it clashes with a bank holiday), have proved exceptionally popular. A team of volunteers fix all kinds of items, saving them from landfill.
The repair cafes have been organised by Jane Langton and projects to increase biodiversity are being led by Victorya Muscat. These include planting wild flowers in Cash’s Park and managing Cash’s Copse to provide a more varied habitat including putting up bird boxes and a tawny owl box. The group has also set up a medicine blister pack recycling scheme with collection bins in Wincanton Library and Wincanton Fruit & Veg.
But saving the planet via Zoom has proved tricky, which is why chairman Janice Blackwell and the rest of the group are relieved to be getting back to normal.
The first live meeting in 18 months is due to be held at the same venue as their repair cafes – the Quaker Barn just off the High Street opposite Andrew Barclay Butchers. If you’re interested in eco matters, it’s well worth going along to see how you can help, on Wednesday, December 1, at 7pm.
Lots of projects are being planned – and most won’t take much time if enough people pitch in to help.
Janice said: “We started the group after the government’s declaration of a climate and environment emergency.
“Nothing seemed to be happening despite this declaration and we thought we needed to do something locally. For several months prior to lockdown we met at The Balsam Centre,
asked like-minded people to come along and started to come up with ideas. Annette Yoosefinejad offered to design a website for us and we now also have a Facebook page and group.
“We’re quite a loose organisation. We have some formal aspects which are required for insurance, but nothing too demanding.”
There is just a handful of very active members – it’s been difficult to really grow the group due to covid restrictions interfering so soon after launch. But One Planet Wincanton is finally able to start welcoming more people. They would love to hear from anyone with an interest in green issues and the planet, or who just love their own local environment to be well cared for. Whether you would just like to keep an eye on their activities, or get involved, or have some ideas for activities, you’d be welcomed.
Janice said: “We need dynamic people who want to take things forward because we can’t organise everything ourselves.”
The latest good news for the group came in the form of grant funding from Wessex Water, for its well-attended repair cafes.
At the Repair Café, skilled volunteer repairers carry out repairs on broken items people bring in or show people how to do so themselves. Repairing reduces the amount of stuff sent to landfill and saves the energy that even recycling uses.
The Wessex Water Foundation cash will help run the repair café, and pay for insurance and a Zoom account for the group. The first time the Zoom account will be used is for a talk on The Hidden Life of Bees by Brigit Strawbridge Howard at 7.30pm on November 10. Email info@oneplanetwincanton.org.uk for the Zoom link.
facebook.com/oneplanetwincanton
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