A Quiet Day to re-engage with the natural world and through prayer and contemplation to explore our response to the current understanding of the cosmos and the sense of the connectedness of all creation as experienced through Franciscan Spirituality. 

The day will be led by Revd Liz Baker, Anglican Priest and Director of the Well Community and a trained Labyrinth Facilitator, drama and movement teacher.  Liz has lived and worked at the Well since 2001 and is an Associate of the Society of the Sacred Mission and has a particular interest in the sacramental in the everyday.

Full details, including a timetable for the day and a booking form, are shown on the flyer

Our Past meetings and events - see below

Affordable Warmth                                                   March 2013

Kathryn Shepherd from the USEA visited us on March 7th to talk about ways of cutting the cost of keeping our homes warm.   We started by focusing on ways of cutting down on energy usage:

• > Improving insulation – walls roof/loft and windows.
• > Replacing light bulbs and appliances with ones using less energy.
• > Choosing the right type of boiler, when it needs to be replaced.

We looked at samples of loft insulation and internal wall insulation.

Loft insulation is relatively cheap and is a very effective way of saving on your heating bills.

Internal Wall insulation isn’t a cheap option, but is an option particularly for homes with solid rather  than cavity walls.

Kathryn brought along an example of an Energy Monitor, which you can use to display the amount of electricity you are currently using (and the annual cost of continuing to use electricity at that rate). You can obtain these from DIY stores at a cost of around £25 or borrow one from your local library.  Users have found they save electricity after becoming more aware which appliances use the most.

We also learned about The Green Deal.  This is a mechanism for enabling homeowners to install energy reduction measures at no up-front cost.  The cost is financed by a loan, which is paid back only at the rate at which savings are made on the householder’s energy bills.  See https://www.gov.uk/green-deal-energy-saving-measures/how-the-green-deal-works for more details.

Switching Suppliers offers the potential for saving money, (though this doesn’t really count as a green option).  Uswitch was recommended as a good site for obtaining the best deal.   See http://www.uswitch.com/

We were also given copies of the useful EasySave booklet, recently published by the Affordable Warmth Network.   Copies can be obtained by contacting awn@usea.org.uk

Green Politics                                                      November 2012

We enjoyed an evening with Tom Bulman hearing about his experiences standing as a Green Party candidate in recent years in local elections in the north of the city. 

Tom explained that his motivation for standing for the election was to provide voters with the opportunity to vote for a Green candidate.  He found it hard to absorb all the information about the Green Party manifesto, and canvassing on the doorsteps was rather time-consuming!    

We talked about cycling issues in Milton Keynes, this being one of his favourite means of getting around.  Still on the theme of getting around in MK, Tom told us about his experience driving one of the new electric cars for hire in Wolverton – a new initiative which offers a very real alternative to car ownership for occasional users. 

See the full report in our December newsletter. 

Conserve and Preserve                                      September 2012

Hazel Roberts, from Walnut Tree, told us how she started Jammy Cow last year and has developed it into a successful small business.  She has recently been able to  employ Laura Kos, an experienced jam-maker. Jammy Cow is is fully committed to using locally grown produce in its jams.
Hazel and Laura then gave us a demonstration of jam making using frozen Jostaberries.

After not much more than half an hour the jam was ready to put into jars.  We were able to taste some samples spread on to some delicious brown bread baked locally by the Tiny Bakery.

Afterwards we were able to buy a range of Jammy Cow's products and were given a few jam making tips and recipes to take away, which are also available to download here

Please also visit the Jammy Cow website to learn more about them and to see the full range of their products at: 
http://www.jammycowmk.co.uk/

Leighton Linslade Waste Water Treatment Works        May 2012

We enjoyed a morning learning what happens to the water that we use in our toilets, baths and sinks, before it ends up in the river!

The works at Linslade, which covers a large site close to the canal and river Ouse, processes the waste water from businesses and around 35,000 homes in the Leighton Buzzard area.  The water is subjected to several separate processes and completes the cycle through the plant in 24 hours.  It is much improved, but not fit for drinking, by the end of this cycle.

We learned that not all the chemicals in the waste water entering the site can be removed by the water treatment process so, if we are concerned about water quality in our rivers and the sea, it is important for us to take care what we discard down the sink.  

The Urban Farm, Wolverton                   Friday 20th April 2012

Nineteen of us enjoyed a visit to the Urban Farm, and saw how a redundant piece of land has been transformed over a period of 3-4 years into a productive food growing area providing salads, fruit, vegetables and eggs to various outlets in the locality.  On returning to the Christian Foundation, Stephen Norrish then told us about how the Farm, and the Foundation's other environmental projects, develop skills and provide meaningful and rewarding work for youngsters for whom traditional school has not worked.

Nuclear Power - Disaster or Saviour?       23rd February 2012

This was a ”home-grown” debate produced for us by Suze, based mostly on some materials published by the Open University (a free Short course - DU311_1  Nuclear power: Friend or foe?)

We started the evening by asking everyone where they stood on the question of Nuclear power.   Each person put up a Post it note beneath a scale marked from -5 (strongly against) to +5 (strongly in favour).

We then watched a short video which explained in simple terms how nuclear power is generated.   Following this we were introduced to the two key challenges that had led us to devote an evening to the subject: the issue of energy security, and the need to reduce the carbon footprint of our energy supply in order to combat climate change.  

We learned about the fuel mix currently used in the UK to generate electricity, how the proportions have changed in the recent past, and how they are likely to alter in the future.   

Suze and Robin then talked though a pre-prepared script on the issues of nuclear safety and we had a chance to ask questions and discuss what had been said.  The process was repeated for the issue of the Economics of nuclear power (Suze and Lisa) and then Environment (Lisa and David Frost).  We emphasised that none of us were experts!

After the debate had concluded everyone was asked to say where they now stood on the subject, by putting a different coloured Post it note on the scale. 

People’s attitudes to nuclear power at the beginning of the evening were pretty neutral; by the end of the evening on average people’s scores had moved in the positive direction by 1 point.

 The evening had shown us that it is all too easy to hold a view about the safety and environmental consequences of nuclear power, based more on emotion than facts.   Although some of us were not greatly enthusiastic about nuclear power, we did learn how bad the safety records of other forms of power generation were (including hydro-electric – an early example of renewable energy).   The environmental impacts of other types of energy generation are frequently not very good either – perhaps something not widely appreciated. 

The evening had also made us focus our minds on the possibility that climate change may well have much greater consequences for humankind than nuclear power generation, although we cannot ignore that there is a tiny risk of a catastrophic nuclear accident.   We finished with a question – should the discovery of nuclear power be viewed as a God-given technology – a good provision for us for the next few decades, until we’ve worked out how renewables could be expanded to meet all our energy needs?

Green Christmas                                  24th November 2011

An excellent time was had by all who came along to the practical evening at the Well.

People were given a choice of three activities and several of us had time to try out all three.    We then had a discussion about some of the environmental challenges posed by our western-style celebration of Christmas.   Some of the ideas we talked about are shown on the Green Christmas page. 

Visit to Church Farm, Ardeley                              18th June 2011

We started our visit in the garden room, where we enjoyed a lunch which included meats, eggs and salads produced on the farm. 

We had a guided tour of the farm sitting on a trailer pulled along by a tractor driven by Tim Waygood, who provided a running commentary to explain what we were looking at. He also explained the differences between energy-intensive industrial farming and the organic animal-friendly approach at Church Farm. 

We stopped off at two points to feed chickens and pigs.

After then tour we were free to walk around the areas devoted to the growing of vegetables, herbs and salads, which we were just finishing when the rain arrived!

So that gave us the excuse to shelter in the shop and buy some of the farm (and other) products on offer and for some of us a short visit to the café for a final cuppa before returning home.

Sustainable Cookshop                              Tuesday 1st March 2011

Following Lisa’s vegan project last year, this event aimed to encourage others to review their eating habits and perhaps consider giving up, or reducing, their consumption of meat and dairy products during lent.

The event was designed not only to provide a range of vegan dishes for people to sample, but to try and engage people with the whole subject by involving them in actually preparing the dishes beforehand. 

We were able to use the excellent kitchen facilities at the Well, which enabled several groups to prepare and cook food at the same time.

15 people came along at 6.30pm to take part in the food preparation.  An additional seven – the residents of the Well - came along to enjoy the meal at 8.00pm afterwards.

Each group was provided with a recipe and the necessary ingredients, which Lisa had carefully assembled beforehand.  Some dishes were salads, whilst others required cooking.  We had a main course followed by a sweet, for which the chief ingredient was some apples that had been grown at the Well and harvested the previous autumn. 

During the meal everyone was provided with a quiz which posed a number of questions about the environmental issues connected with our food sourcing and consumption.  

After the meal Lisa took us through the answers to the questions and we had a discussion about some of the issues raised.

We had a fair-trade stall as well, and everyone was able to take home copies of the recipes afterwards.  Lots of vegan recipes are shown on our Vegan Food page

Supper at the Well at Willen                Friday 10th September 2010

Sixteen of us had a thoroughly enjoyable evening at the Well.  The rain held off for our walk around the grounds and we saw the productive vegetable plot and and fruit trees.  We were able to buy some of the recently-harvested vegetables.

We had a talk about the crop rotation being used at the Well and learned about the different types of bread baked on site (samples provided!).  After an excellent 3-course vegetarian meal, cooked using some of the home-grown produce, we learned about the history of the Well and had a tour of the premises, including the extensive library (a fantastic resource)

Visit to the Centre for Alternative Technology

Saturday 26th June 2010

Eleven of us set off on the train from Milton Keynes just after 9.00 on a beautiful summer morning for the journey to Machynlleth in the Welsh hills.  A minibus, booked in advance, was waiting to ferry us from the station to the site.  

There was plenty to see, including buildings made of different types of energy-efficient materials, and examples of renewable energy technologies.  But on this superb summer day it was a pleasure lingering in the outdoor areas devoted to the growing of fruit, vegetables, herbs, and salads and, as a bonus, the wild flowers were probably at their best.

Some of us spent nearly an hour (and quite a bit of money!) in the extensive gift and bookshop and, of course, the cafe featured in the itinerary for most of us!  

Pictured below:  The allotments which provide most of the food consumed on site;  The eco cabins, used as accommodation for people attending short courses at CAT;  The stunning new WISE (Wales Institute of Sustainable Education) building;  Break for refreshments in the cafe.

Climate Change Alleviation Projects                        March 2010

Catherine Loy, Regional Co-ordinator of Christian Aid, spoke from first hand experience about her recent visit to these Christian-Aid supported projects in Mali and Burkina Faso.

Saving Energy in the Home                                  November 2009

Ruth Wharton, Microgeneration Officer of the Energy Saving Trust, gave a presentation about the types of technology now available for householders who want to invest in low carbon heating systems, or to generate their own electricity. Ruth explained how the Feed-in tariffs work and what other financial incentives the government now offers to householders.

The Age of Stupid                                                                    September 2009

Forty people came to watch this film, depicting life around 50 years from now.  The lead character looks back to the early years of the 21st century and asks why no action was taken in response to the warnings the scientists were issuing.     

RSPB Visit                                                                                       June 2009

Weather conditions were ideal for our evening visit to The Lodge – The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)’s headquarters at Sandy.  After we had eaten our picnic tea in the grounds, Mark Brandon and two RSPB volunteers took us on a guided walk of the heathland area which is currently being restored. 

Conifers have been taken out and a scheme of planting of a diverse range of indigenous trees is under way.  We were also shown areas where they are trying to establish heathers, grown from seed.  At this time of the year the thousands of Hollyhocks provided a spectacular display.    

Against expectations, we didn’t see many birds!  But one of the aims of the restoration is to provide an environment which will be more favourable to birdlife, and species they are targeting include the Dartford Warbler, the Woodlark and the Nightjar.

Introducing the MK Carbon Reduction Programme          January 2009

Ian Byrne, Deputy Director of the National Energy Foundation, gave a presentation on the scope and purpose of the MK Carbon Reduction Programme, launched in October.

Transport: A Journey to a Fairer Future             November 2008

A full-day conference incorporating the Annual Members Meeting of Christian Ecology Link.  For a full report and photos, see here.

Eco-congregation                                                                June 2008

Fifty people came to our meeting with Jo Rathbone, who heads Ecocongregation in England & Wales. She gave a talk about this project when she came to Milton Keynes during the summer.

Having listened to her presentation, five churches agreed to adopt the project.

Milton Keynes Recycling Facility                                       April 2008

We visited the huge recycling plant at Wolverton and enjoyed an illustrated talk, followed by a tour – we were all kitted out with the compulsory ear-protectors!

The facility sorts 100,000 tonnes of materials each year - paper, card, cans and plastic bottles – for sending elsewhere for recycling.  Glass bottles are also processed here.

Travel and Tourism                                                            February 2008

We considered the environmental impacts of travel by air and sea, and of the development of tourist destinations.

We also learned about examples of exploitation of the indigenous population by holiday operators and tourists.

Brochures advertising responsible and eco-friendly holidays were on display.

The presentation was repeated in October for the Leighton Buzzard CEL group.

Why Should Christians Care for the Planet?          October 2007

Dr Martin Hodson, from the Oxford Christian Environmental Group Sage, gave a presentation on the theological basis for creation care.

The Future Growth of Milton Keynes                September 2007

We had a presentation on the future growth of Milton Keynes, from two guest speakers from MK Partnership, Cheryl Montgomery and Abigail Morgan.

Local Food                                                                                    April 2007

We enjoyed two presentations – one from Alissa Pemberton from MK Foodtrain, who runs the Farmers Market at Wolverton, and the other from Ian Nutt, who runs the Ethical Food Company at Verney Junction. 

Afterwards we sampled some delicious food and drink products supplied by the Ethical Food Company.

From A to B?  Or, making A a good place to Be?

This was a well-constructed and enjoyable day conference which took place on January 12th in the brand new church hall at St Aloysius Church, Euston.

The subject for the day – in one word Localisation - arose out of the material in the Transport module of the Ecocell programme.    We spend a lot of time thinking about how we can reduce the environmental impact of travel, but also considered whether there might be  another way to address the issue - making the communities we live in much more attractive and vibrant so that we spend more time in them and less time trying to escape from them?

CEL members George Dow and Tony Emerson did an excellent job introducing the subject.  George told us part of his recent personal story which involved leaving south London for a new life in North Yorkshire only to have to return, not long afterwards, to the same area he had left earlier.  He then explained how he had seen the area around where he lived in a new light, finding beauty in the local river and parkland that he had not appreciated fully beforehand.

We then listened to our guest speaker Dr Steve Melia, Senior Lecturer in Transport and Planning at the University of the West of England, Bristol.  His presentation included some case studies of sustainable transport achievements in European cities such as Freiburg, Groningen and Lyon.

In the afternoon there were some discussion groups, one of which focussed on what churches can do to help to make their local communities vibrant. We ran out of time before we had progressed very far, but this seems like a subject worthy of further exploration. 

Steve Melia's paper On the Road to Sustainability is available at the following link: http://www.stevemelia.co.uk/vauban.htm. Various other writings are also accessible on that website.