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💚 The first community Freecycle event of the year will be tomorrow - Easter Sunday!
After much agonising over the weather forecasts, we’re putting all our eggs in one basket and going for EASTER SUNDAY as the first community Freecycle event of the year.
One day only this time as it’s quite tricky to get a whole rain-free weekend these days!
We normally like to hold the event over 2 days but this time it’s just not going to work: too much rain! Well that and a recycling collection on Saturday this week which wouldn’t be a good mix!
So now is your chance. If you have a cupboard, shed or bookshelf that could do with refreshing: weed it. Then on Sunday put your spare bits and pieces onto your doorstep with a clear ‘Freecycle’ notice.
Join in the fun by strolling round the town and helping yourself to items being gifted by your neighbours. Books, children’s things, kitchenware, all sorts are bound to be on offer to whoever is in the right place at the right time.
Obviously your things are yours till they’ve gone: please keep the walkways clear and remove what’s left afterwards.
With luck we’ll repeat this a couple more times over the summer months, so if you’re working, busy or away your chance will come.
Please spread the word and join in!
On Saturday 2nd March we’ll be at it again: showing we care about our environment in Bruton.
This time we’ll be tackling Higher Backway, shovelling away the fallen leaves that attract litter and obscure yellow lines.
We’d love you to join us.
We’ll be meeting outside Bruton Primary School at 11am.
Bring gardening gloves and tools: shovels and brooms could be handy.
Our next Bruton Community Hoedown will be on Saturday 3 February.
Meet at 11am outside the Scout Hut on St Catherine's Hill.
Bring gloves and tools.
Dates in 2023 will (provisionally) be:
Saturdays, 10.30am-12.30pm
21 January 2023
18 February 2023
18 March 2023
15 April 2023
20 May 2023
17 June 2023
15 July 2023
No session in August
16 September 2023
21 October 2023
18 November 2023
No session in December
Join us to plant patches for pollinators at the Packhorse Bridge and Jubilee Park.
See the events section for further details.
Bruton Bike Week 🚴♀️🚴🚴♂️
To round off Bruton Bike Week, here's a recap of some of the things we've suggested plus some extra useful cycling-related info...
🚴♀️ Bike routes
- 13.8km family-friendly loop through Pitcombe, Shepton Montague and Upper Hadspen, passing by The Newt: https://www.strava.com/routes/2827928289091145262
- 20km loop taking in the back end of Galhampton and through Cary: https://www.strava.com/routes/2827927390893793348
- 54.9km loop out to Longleat and Shearwater: https://www.komoot.com/tour/97735582
- Bruton Cycling Club's favourite routes: https://brutoncyclingclub.com/favourite-routes
- Or look up Bruton or Bruton Cycling Club on Strava or Komoot
🚴♀️ Bike repairs
If your bike needs fixing or servicing, there are several local bike repairers:
- CB Bike Services - 07854 161379 / cbbikeservices@gmail.com
- Xpressofix - bikes@xpressofix.co.uk
Further afield, members of Bruton Cycling Club suggest:
- Wheels of Dorset in Gillingham
- Cycology Bikes in Frome
🚴♀️ Useful sources of information
- Bruton Cycling Club https://brutoncyclingclub.com
- Lets Ride - https://www.letsride.co.uk - for finding British Cycling Free organised rides either family or women’s only
- British Cycling https://www.britishcycling.org.uk
- Sustrans - https://www.sustrans.org.uk/
🚴♀️ Bruton's Safer Walking and Cycling Group
A joint working group between One Planet Bruton and Bruton Town Council, the Safer Walking and Cycling Group is looking for ways to improve walking and cycling in the town. While it might seem quite quiet from the outside, our volunteers are working hard behind the scenes on improving conditions for walking and cycling around Bruton. With the pandemic we have had to do a lot of background work rather than face to face. We've surveyed pupils at the primary school about walking and cycling to school and residents in specific parts of the town about their walking habits and routes. If you'd like to get involved, please contact james.hood@brutontowncouncil.gov.uk
🚴♀️ Bruton Bike Hire
If you don't have a bike or would like to try an electric bike, Bruton Bike Hire has electric and ordinary bikes in a range of sizes to hire.
Contact Robin on 07812 151247 or info@brutonbikehire.co.uk
🚴♀️ Somerset Rail to Trail
The Somerset Rail to Trail Project is a community-led initiative of volunteers aiming to transform the disused Somerset & Dorset railway into a safe off-road accessible trailway for pedestrians, wheelchair users, cyclists and equestrians. Some sections of the old Somerset & Dorset railway have already be transformed. The North Dorset Trailway now runs from Sturminster Newton to Spetisbury and there are plans to extend it to south to Poole. Some sections near Bath, including the two tunnels greenway, are now excellent multi-use trailways that are enjoyed by many. The Somerset and Dorset line passed through Cole which is just outside Bruton. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this became a trailway path, providing safe off-road links to Wincanton and Shepton? It's a great idea but unless we all get behind it, this idea may never become a reality. Please do follow them on social media, share posts and get involved where you can. They have achieved a lot behind the scenes since starting in 2019 but there's still a long way to go and all help will be appreciated.
Facebook: @railtotrail
Instagram: @railtotrail
Twitter: @rail2trail
One Planet Bruton has today submitted a response objecting to the planning application for the Land North of Brewham Rise in Bruton on the basis that:
- It does not adequately respond to the Climate and Ecological Emergency declared by both South Somerset District Council and Bruton Town Council.
- The Flood Risk Assessment and proposed measures for flood management are inadequate.
- There are inaccuracies in the information provided for sewage disposal.
- There is no commitment to Biodiversity net gain.
- The cumulative impacts of development in Bruton need to be assessed
See
To add your comments, visit https://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/services/planning/search-for-a-planning-application/, click on the button 'Search for planning application' and enter the reference 20/02297/OUT.
In 2020, Bruton Town Council and One Planet Bruton set up a Safer Walking and Cycling Group led by Cllr James Hood.
Part of the Safer and Walking Cycling Group's vision is that, within ten years, almost all people living in Bruton will be able to walk to the shops, schools and station along safe and direct routes that are easy and safe to walk with a double buggy or in a wheelchair and .
The Group wanted to know how children got to school in Bruton and carried out a 'Walking and Cycling to School' survey in autumn 2020.
The online and hard copy survey could be completed by the parents or carers and students at all schools in Bruton. Bruton Primary School actively promoted it to parents so had a higher response rate than the other schools.
There were 48 responses to the survey for Bruton Primary School. The key findings for Bruton Primary School are that:
- 76 children are driven to school in Bruton from other local towns and villages
- 78% of children who live in Bruton walk to school
- Less than 1% of children in Bruton cycle to school
- Children and their parents want to walk and cycle more
- Safety is perceived as the main obstacle to both walking and cycling
- More and better crossings were the most requested improvement
A presentation of the results of the survey can be found here.
Have you ever thought about getting solar panels for your roof but not known where to go or who to trust?
Join solar PV installers IDDEA and the Green Group for an online Q&A session at 7.30pm on Thursday 28 January 2021 to answer all your questions about the Solar Streets scheme.
Solar Streets is a One Planet Bruton and Bruton and Castle Cary Town Council partnership with solar PV installers IDDEA and the Green Group to bring discounted solar PV to our towns and the surrounding area, and contribute to environmental projects.
The scheme covers up to five miles from Bruton and Castle Cary so includes Brewham, Ditcheat, East Pennard, Evercreech, North Cadbury, Shepton Montague, Wincanton and all the homes and villages inbetween.
For more information see: https://solarstreets.co.uk/brutoncaryplus
Register for the session in advance at:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIscOChrjMuH9YmbnKJjxOK7zCIEQPeV-cF
You will receive joining instructions after registration
Today, Jane Durney submitted a response on behalf of One Planet Bruton CIC about the Brewham Road North Planning Application 20-02297-OUT.
We gave our comments orally at an Emergency Bruton Town Council meeting on 28 September 2020. At this stage, we object to this application:
- It does not adequately respond to the Climate and Ecological Emergency declared by both South Somerset District Council and Bruton Town Council.
- The Flood Risk Assessment and proposed measures for flood management are inadequate.
- There are inaccuracies in the information provided for sewage disposal.
- There is no commitment to Biodiversity net gain.
- The cumulative impacts of development in Bruton need to be assessed.
Further details are contained in the letter attached.
201008 OPB response to Brewham Road North 20-02297-OUT.pdf
Have you ever thought about getting solar panels for your roof but not known where to go or who to trust?
Solar Streets is a community and Bruton and Castle Cary Town Council partnership with IDDEA and the Green Group to bring discounted solar PV to Bruton, Castle Cary and the surrounding area (within 5 miles of the centre of Bruton or Castle Cary).
For more information see: https://solarstreets.co.uk/brutoncaryplus
IDDEA's offer is a 12 panel 4kWp system from £4,000. Smaller and larger systems are available with add-ons such as batteries for storage of electricity and iBoost to heat water. The standard offering features black 340Wp panels.
IDDEA has already completed around 70 installations in partnership with Frome Town Council up the road in Frome and are running a similar scheme in St Albans and district. They are MCS-certified with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.
Benefits to the environment: Installing solar PV reduces CO2 emissions and increases the amount of renewable energy installed in our area, helping Bruton get closer to a target of being Zero Carbon by 2030. According to the Energy Saving Trust a standard 4kWp, 12 panel system saves 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
Benefits to our community: £50 will be given to a community fund for every domestic solar installation and a minimum of £100 for a commercial installation to be used towards green projects in our community.
Helpful videos
To find out more information about the Solar Streets scheme take a look at these videos:
- Why Solar Panels and How Does it All Work? (18:39)
- Payback times and break-even points – the Economics of Solar Panels (18:18)
- The UK Energy Industry & Renewable Technology and an Energy Deal (16:50)
We will be organising Zoom Q&A sessions with IDDEA and The Green Group so you can get your questions answered.
If possible, please take a look at the information above and watch the videos before attending a Q&A session.
See Events for upcoming sessions.
To get the offer
If you want Solar Panels installed, simply contact IDDEA directly by emailing Info@IDDEA.co.uk.
They will first conduct a desktop survey of your property making sure it is suitable for solar panels and they will then arrange a free, no obligation physical survey on your property (all social distancing guidelines will be followed). If you want any added extras they will explain them all to you clearly and with transparant prices.
If you have any more questions, email Info@SolarStreets.co.uk.
Image credit: IDDEA
