The Teme Valley Environment Group (TVEG) was set up about
three years ago by people who felt concerned about the impact our
lifestyles were having on the planet. We started by doing a carbon
footprint of a representative group of people, a selection of public
buildings and businesses so we had a baseline to work from. The plan
was to reduce this. Our aims were:
We ran a free film festival showing films on the impact of climate change, sources of energy and energy efficiency and sustainable food production. Our actions to date have been to run a free Household Energy Service supported by Lightfoot Enterprises who employ an energy officer who give a report to the householder; this is now branching out into businesses and public buildings.
Our food group managed to link someone who wanted to grow vegetables and had no land with a landowner who wanted to support a local grower and now we are lucky to have vegetables available from Hill Cottage Market Garden grown on the hill between Knighton and Presteigne.
We also have a community allotment on the Town Field which has just finished its second season and has been very successful and productive. This is open to anyone who wishes to join in. Contact Sheila (520019). In addition we have just restarted the Zero Miles stall at Knighton Farmers' Market which sells produce from the Knighton catchment area.
In conjunction with Knighton Fairtrade group and Green Presteigne we supplied Fairtrade hessian bags to the shops to sell for just £1 to encourage people to use in preference to plastic bags. We have also requested the shops to have reused plastic bags available.
At the Farmer's Market we have had an information stall promoting our group and our activities. In the spring we had a seed and seedling swap.
Along with Tidy Towns we have done regular litter picks in the town parks and cleaned up the Cwm brook.
We are always open for new ideas and hope to look at sustainable transport and a community orchard in the town in the future.
If you'd like to join our group email Anne Mary (amdskyborry@hotmail.com) or phone Sheila on Knighton 520019.