Monday 1 November 2010

One Planet Action... a seasonal celebration

Saturday 4 December
7 ­til 11
at the
Dormer Conference Centre,
Dormer Place,
Leamington Spa. CV32 5AA
Including children¹s entertainment, performance poetry, acoustic
sounds, low carbon arts, fun and games.
Entry fee £3 payable on the door.
Vegetable soup and dhal will be available with flat bread.
Please bring drink and further contributions of food,
labelling food which is vegetarian / vegan.
Book by email: events@sparks-slc.co.uk
Call or text Derrick on 07812 795537

Burma VJ screening

Dear Canalside,

I am writing to you because, as part of Transition Towns, I know that you hold good produce and ethical production to be very important: I work with very different "produce". I am a member of Amnesty International, a leading worldwide organisation that deals with human rights issues. We campaign for freedom in many different countries, and the campaign that my school group is focusing on at the moment is Burma. In this case, the "produce" is democracy. The people of Burma have been ruled by a military junta for many years, and after the horrific events of 1988 and 2003, continue to call for democracy, freedom and an end to military rule. The first general elections in 20 years have been scheduled for early November, and this makes it a key time for campaigning. It is important for the international community to place pressure on the government to ensure it adheres to human rights standards it has previously flouted.

With this in mind, I am organising a screening of the film "Burma VJ" by renowned film-maker Anders Osterngaard. This film shows the events of the Saffron Revolution of 2003 through the eyes of the courageous video journalists who documented it and risked death and torture to get the footage out of Burma. It is an inspiring story which has won numerous awards. The screening at Gaia Foodstore (Leamington Spa) is scheduled for Wednesday 3rd November, from approximately 7:30 to 9:00, and I would be very grateful if you could publicise this as much as possible, and attend yourself. Snacks and chai will be available and entry to the screening is just 2 pounds. All money raised will go to Amnesty International.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Yours faithfully,
Amardeep Singh Dhillon (16)

Wednesday 1 September 2010

Job vacancies at Action 21

Action 21 now has two vacancies, for a Shop Manager and a Bike Projects Co-ordinator.

The details are available on their website at www.action21.co.uk/work_for_us

Saturday 28 August 2010

Traditional music events - September

From the Traditional Arts Team:

Hope you all had a good summer break and are looking forward to lots of music activities in the autumn!

On Sunday 5 September there's a free tune arranging workshop with Louisa Davies and Peter Churchill of the band Elfynn at the Bulls Head from 11am to 12:30pm. They will teach a simple tune and then look at ways of making it more interesting, exploring rhythms, chords, instrumentation and harmony. Suitable for all instruments including percussion - bring your instruments along! This is part of the Moseley Folk Festival but you don't need a festival ticket for the workshop.

On Sunday 12 September the Moseley Village Band will be playing from 2:00-2:30pm at the Waterhall Gallery in Birmingham as part of ArtsFest. This group of musicians meets twice a month to make music together and explore the style and repertoire of the English village music tradition. We welcome all musicians to our meetings at St Columba's Church Hall in Moseley at 7:30pm on the second and fourth Thursday of each month.

The next traditional music session will be at 8pm on Sunday 19 September at the Prince of Wales pub, Alcester Road, Birmingham B13 8EE, when all are welcome to enjoy playing and listening to English, Scottish & Irish folk music and song.

And if you like dancing to traditional music, there will be a ceilidh with live music from Cuckoo's Nest, caller Alex McClure at 8pm on Saturday 18 September at the Holy Name Parish Centre, 9 Cross Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham, B43 6LN. Tickets £6 from Val Comery 0121 358 2502

Best wishes - Pam

--
PAM BISHOP

Traditional Arts Team
19 Springfield Road
Kings Heath
Birmingham
B14 7DU

tel 0121 247 3856
pam@tradartsteam.co.uk

The Traditional Arts Team runs activities in the Midlands relating to traditional song, music, storytelling and dance, and publishes the Folk Monthly magazine. More info at www.tradartsteam.co.uk

Who is doing what, where and how in the Midlands folk scene? Make your views known via www.folkmonthlysurvey.info Reply early and be entered into a fabulous prize draw to win tickets to the Moseley Folk Festival!

The Traditional Arts Team is supported by Arts Council England

Sustainability Centre - official launch

The official launch of Leamington’s Sustainability Centre will be held on Saturday 11th September at 12.30. The centre and garden will be open to the public between 12 noon and 3pm that day.


The Sustainability Centre is at East Lodge, Jephson Gardens, Willes Road, Leamington Spa, CV32 4ER.

Thursday 19 August 2010

Acappella Songs to stir the soul

A singing workshop led by Sarah Pennington and Gilo

10:30-4:30, Sat 9 Oct, Unitarian Chapel, High St, Warwick (CV34 4AX)

A harmony singing workshop featuring beautiful sacred songs from different traditions and cultures around the globe: Shape note, Taize, Iona, Harmonic Temple, simple native chants, rousing gospel, and much more.

Gilo & Sarah have been teaching together since 2002 and have built up an enthusiastic following in Dorset and far beyond. They quickly create a safe and fun atmosphere and meld a group into a community of singers for the day. There will be plenty of gentle humour and a patient, sensitive teaching style. No need to read music or think of yourself as a singer: just bring your voice and a smile! The emphasis will be on harmony and simplicity, stillness and celebration, creating angelic sounds to summon up warmth and wonder.

All the songs and chants on this workshop will be taught “by ear”.

Cost for the day £24 Please bring some food for a shared lunch.
******* only £20 if full payment is made by end of August ******
Book by sending a cheque (payable to “Bruce Knight”), to 14 Kennan Ave, Leamington Spa, CV31 3HY. This will reserve your place. For more info, ring 01926 778454, or email bruceknight.voice@virgin.net Places are limited – our workshops normally sell out, so early booking is advised. Please include an SAE if you’d like confirmation and / or directions

Friday 6 August 2010

Small is... festival, 4th-5th September 2010

Dear Canalside Friends,

I would like to invite you all to Practical Action’s (www.practicalaction.org.uk) second Small is… Festival on September 4-5th 2010. The Small is… Festival is a celebration and evolution of the ideas of “Small is Beautiful”, written by our founder, E.F. Schumacher in 1970, but which still has profound significance today. The weekend event provides a space to share skills, learn about technologies, create networks, develop ideas and to be inspired about international development, sustainability and the planet. It is held in our beautiful, rural office grounds in Bourton on Dunsmore, the Leamington side of Rugby.

The first Small is… Festival in 2009 was a great success! We hope to recreate the wonderful participatory feel of last year, including the fun but productive atmosphere, the open debates, the lively networking and exchange sessions, and the international feel – but with local food and hospitality very evident. Some of the many things you can look forward to are:

· Keynote speaker: Andrew Simms, New Economic Foundation – a very interesting and entertaining speaker on why happiness is more important than economic growth, and what to do about it.

· Debate: What’s the best way to reduce carbon emissions – global, national or local strategies? With Mark Lynas (author of Six Degrees), Molly Scott Cato and Shaun Chamberlin (author of Transition Timeline).

· Workshops: make your own rocket stove; waste art activities for kids; wind turbine and micro-hydro demonstrations; learn about making tin can batteries; play interactive board games; find out about compost toilets.

· Networking and exchange: what are Transition Towns?; how to get a job in international development; who is doing what on sustainable building;

· Straw Bale Solar Cinema: films about Schumacher and much more…

There is overnight camping and great evening entertainment Friday and Saturday nights. So book your place now on our website www.smallisfestival.org (booking is essential so that we know numbers for catering and event licensing purposes).

If you would like to help out in any way, e.g. by offering to give a talk or run a workshop then that would be fabulous. Also if you have a spare marquee or large tent you can offer for the weekend we would be overjoyed! We are running the event on a shoestring and those things are really expensive to hire!

If you want to know any more or offer help then please get in touch with Canalside members Kath Pasteur or Steven Hunt at Practical Action (small_is@practicalaction.org.uk)

Thanks

Kath

Katherine Pasteur
International Programme Coordinator - Reducing Vulnerability
Direct tel: 01926 634465

Practical Action is an international development agency working with poor communities to help them choose and use technology to improve their lives today and for generations to come. www.practicalaction.org.uk

Practical Action
The Schumacher Centre for Technology and Development,
Bourton on Dunsmore,
Rugby,
Warwickshire, UK,
CV23 9QZ
Tel: +44 - 01926 634400
Fax: +44 - 01926 634401
www.practicalaction.org

Wednesday 21 July 2010

Energy Field Healing at Zoe's Garden Party

How can Energy Field Healing help you?

We’ll be at Zoe’s Garden Party on Saturday
so why not pop down and have a chat,
or try a 30 minute cleansing session for only £20,
includes free goodie bag.

Sat 24th July 12pm – 4pm
Pump Room Gardens, L’spa

For more information or to book your session call Jane on 07966 533556
Places limited so please call to avoid disappointment.

Ranger with Action 21

Dear all,

Action 21 is now recruiting for the post of Ranger, to work in the prestigious Jephson Gardens in Leamington Spa. More details can be found at www.action21.co.uk/work_for_us. Please do pass this information on to anyone who may be interested.

Kind regards,
Eleanor

Eleanor Perkins
Marketing and General Assistant
Action 21
eleanor@action21.co.uk
01926 453031

Taking practical steps towards a greener future

www.action21.co.uk

Support urban wildlife and adopt a bee: www.action21.co.uk/adopt_a_bee

Monday 19 July 2010

Heartbreak productions on the road this summer

Dear All

I hope the summer is treating you well and that a holiday is in sight!

Just wanted to flag up that “The Secret Garden”, “An Ideal Husband” and “Love in Shakespeare” are now in their stride and roaming around the various lanes of the UK. They’re all a great night out and I think I can safely say there are no other shows out this summer that are similar…

Midlands dates are:

Ideal – tonight, Grey’s Court, Henley-on-Thames
Love – Wed 21st Brueton Park, Solihull
Love – Sat 24th, Charlecote Park. Warwick
Secret – Sun 1st Aug – Calke Abbey, Derby
Secret Tues/Wed 2nd/3rd Aug – Kenilworth Castle
Secret – Thurs 4th Aug – Waterperry Gardens, Oxford
Love – Sat 7th Aug – Wickhamford Manor, Broadway
Ideal – Sun 15th Aug MK Event Centre, Milton Keynes
Love – Sat/Sun 28/29 Aug – Nottingham Castle

Do visit www.heartbreakproductions.co.uk for further info

To whet your appetite there is a video of snippets from the Leamington show now available to view on our website – follow this link and click on the video box in the bottom right hand side of the screen to play the video - http://www.heartbreakproductions.co.uk/portfolio/category/open-air-theatre

And here are some audience reactions:

"Very inventive & well paced. Excellent ensemble playing. Great to see something different!"

"Very refreshing"

"Still reeling from the Love in Shakespeare . All eleven of us had the best night out we have had in a long time due to this superb play. FAB!"

“a relaxed, funny evening out combining traditional and new drama. Very good”

If you would like me to sort out cheap tickets for you then please either e-mail or text me. It would be great to see you!

With best wishes for happy days
Maddy

Maddy Kerr
Executive Director
Heartbreak
North Hall
Spencer Yard
Royal Leamington Spa
Warwickshire
CV31 3SY

01926 430307
07812 241610

maddy@heartbreakproductions.co.uk
www.heartbreakproductions.co.uk

Thursday 1 July 2010

Grower vacancy at Canalside

Canalside Community Food, a pioneering CSA based outside Leamington Spa, is looking for a new main grower!

We are seeking an experienced grower to join our team producing organic vegetables throughout the year for our community of over 100 members. We currently have 7 acres of field scale vegetables and 5 polytunnels for protected cropping and planted up a fruit field/forest garden last winter. As well as working with two part-time growers and seasonal workers, the new grower will take a lead role in organising and leading volunteer work mornings and take a role in the overall management and direction of the project.

Full time position desirable, but will consider part-time or job share. £8 per hour (with a view to increasing this over time). See website - www.canalsidecommunityfood.org.uk - for contact details. Email Ali for more details and a full job description.

Application deadline – 31st July. Interviews Fri 6th Aug; visit project and join in with work morning Sat 7th Aug. New grower to start sometime in September.

Wednesday 16 June 2010

Master Composter training from Garden Organic

Hello,

Master Composter training is coming up in Warwickshire on 9/10th July. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer to spread the composting word please contact Caroline Faulkner at Warwickshire County council for more information (carolinefaulkner@warwickshire.gov.uk) or download an application form from the website.

www.warwickshire.gov.uk/mastercomposters

Thank you,

Kate Newman
Warwickshire Volunteer Co-ordinator
Master Gardener Programme

Garden Organic
Ryton on Dunsmore
Coventry
CV8 3LG

Master Gardener programme - encouraging and supporting people and communities to grow fruit and vegetables throughout Warwickshire.

--
Growing your own is easy, achievable and rewarding and to prove it Garden Organic is challenging everyone in the UK to make the One Pot Pledge® to give it a grow. First time gardeners, Gardening Gurus, Schools and Community groups are all welcome to join the campaign to get 30,000 more people growing something edible in a pot in 2010. Visit www.onepotpledge.org to get involved.
--
Registered Charity No. 298104. Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in Cardiff No. 2188402. Garden Organic is the new working name of the Henry Doubleday Research Association. Ryton Organic Gardens, Coventry, Warwickshire, United Kingdom. CV8 3LG

Wednesday 9 June 2010

What to do with all these lovely cauliflowers!

I know from a conversation I had with a few people in the yurt yesterday that you may be struggling to think of ways to use all the beautiful caulis we've been getting in the share recently! If you've already tried the ideas from Caz's spring/summer recipe sheet, here are a few quick links to some more recipes:

Cauliflower paratha - Indian flatbreads - Fiona mentioned yesterday at our steering group meeting that she had tried a similar recipe
http://www.indiasnacks.com/recipe/324/Gobhi-Paratha-(Cauliflower-Bread).php
Try using oil or melted butter in the dough if you don't have any ghee and ginger powder is always an acceptable substitute for fresh.

Cauliflower chickpea pitta pockets
http://www.vegbox-recipes.co.uk/recipes/cauliflower-recipe-1.php

Roasted cauliflower with cumin and coriander
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/roasted-cauliflower-with-cumin-coriander

53 recipe ideas from the BBC!!!
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search.do?keywords=Cauliflower&searchType=recipes

You might also find some inspiration in the folder I've set up in the yurt using recipe sheets I was clearing out - if you look in the spring section you will find a few recipes which use cauliflower, and a number of the recipes in this folder are on the website as well:
http://www.canalsidecommunityfood.org.uk/recipes.html

And don't forget, virtually any stir fry / veggie curry recipe can be adapted by simply using whatever veg you have available.
I'm feeling hungry just thinking about it all!
Happy cooking, Ali

Monday 7 June 2010

Help raise funds for the restoration of St. Nicholas Church - Radford Semele

Saturday, 19th June, 7:30 p.m.
The Community Centre, Radford Semele



TO HEAR THE BIRDS SING -
Conversations with my heart

An evening with author Marie Younkin-Waldman
TICKETS £5.00

See more at: www.ToHearTheBirdsSing.com

Marie, who lives and works in Rhode Island, USA, will talk about her life with deafness: growing up, marriage, raising children, studying for her degree, holding down a job hosting an award-winning TV Chat Show and then her dramatic life-changing cochlear implant. Her story will move and inspire you.

Advance sales at:
• The Post Office
• The Village Club
• The Village Stores
• Michael Preston - 22e Southam Road
Tel: 01926 451501

Monday 10 May 2010

Traditional music session on Sunday 16th May

Here's a message from Pam, one of our members:

There will be a traditional music session next Sunday 16 May at the
Prince of Wales pub in Moseley. All musicians are welcome to come along and
share a few tunes. More information on our website
www.tradartsteam.co.uk/music/musicsession.htm

Please pass this message on to anyone else you know who might be interested.

Saturday 17 April 2010

Kenilworth Festival on Sunday 16th May 2010

I recently received this email about the upcoming 'Kenilworth Festival'. Sounds like it could be an enjoyable way to spend a part of the day, especially if you'd like something to keep the younger members of your family busy!
http://kenilworthfestival.co.uk/partyinthepark.htm

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am dropping you a line to let you and your members know about an exciting event happening in Kenilworth.

On Sunday 16th May, the Kenilworth Festival "Party in the Park" will take place in the Abbey Fields, Kenilworth, from 11.30am. The event is a family fun day and admission is free.

We have just secured the BBC's Dig In Tour who will have a 20m pitch at the event. The Dig In tour will be promoting growing your own food and giving away free seeds. In addition, there will be a demonstration tent and an activity tend, along with a Gardener's Question Time, led by a BBC celebrity gardener. Every 20 minutes there will be a different demonstration and there will also be an opportunity to ask questions, swap tips and share recipes - everything from sow, grow, harvest and cook!

The Dig In team would love to see visitors with an interest in gardening who would like to participate in the question time sessions and see the demonstrations. The event is suitable for children too, with a chance to plant seeds and take away pots to plant at home.

Full details of the campaign are available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/digin/on_tour/

The Festival website is www.kenilworthfestival.co.uk

We are one of only 8 tour venues in the UK.

I should be grateful if you will spread the word amongst your members - all of whom would be very welcome at our event.

If you need any further information, do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards


Julie Thomas
Kenilworth Festival (Marketing & PR)

www.kenilworthfestival.co.uk

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A job opportunity at the Sydni Centre

Sydenham Neighbourhood Initiatives
Café Manager

Experienced person required to run our community cafe, providing buffets for up to 100 clients and serving hot and cold meals for local people. The successful applicant will need the ability to cook delicious healthy food, manage a busy kitchen and provide a friendly, welcoming atmosphere for the community.

The post is for 37.5 hours pw and attracts a salary of £16,575pa.

Closing date for applications is 26/04/10.

For more information, and to look round, contact Kate Cliffe on 01926 422071 or email manager@sydni.org