News & Events
Here are the latest upcoming events, news items, recent newsletters and blog posts from ChalCAN
Latest News
Hedgehog Street (PDF)
One Tonne of CO2 (PDF) Photos of the Installation (PDF)
Chalford Walks
Recently launched – an amazing set of walks around Chalford. Great for those autumn rambles visit https://chalcan.org.uk/walking-2
Take a Climate Walk (PDF)
Air Source Heat Pumps
On 30th September the Energy Action Group of ChalCAN held an information evening on Air Source Heat Pumps at Chalford Village Hall.
Zoe, from Cotswold Energy Group gave an excellent general presentation on how heat pumps work, installations and finance etc. This was followed by a presentation from Liam, a member of ChalCAN, who had a heat pump installed in January. This perspective hopefully offered some insight into personal experiences, from the moment the gas boiler failed, through the discovery that a heat pump is a viable alternative (even in an old house…and without underfloor heating or huge radiators), to installation. After the presentations, the audience had a good opportunity to ask lots of questions, which turned into a valuable discussion of all aspects of heat pumps including Ground Source Heat Pumps too. See Heat-Pump-Article (PDF) and ChalCAN Case Studies (PDF). Do contact us if you would like more information or to visit a working example.
67 bus service replaces 61
67 bus timetables available from the Parish Centre or here (PDF)
Biodiversity Trail
A circular wildlife trail 10 km long through Chalford Parish with information boards at Abnash Bank, France Lynch Pleasure Ground, Parish Bank, Middle Hill Spinney and Meadow, and Frith Wood.
Maps and info here….or pick up a leaflet from the Parish Centre or village shop.
Volunteering Opportunities
We have compiled a list of volunteering roles ranging from helping with Frith Wood to writing articles for social media. You can see the list of positions here Volunteering Roles and if you would like further information email info@chalcan.org.uk
Become a Seed Guardian Mentor
The Stroud Community Seed Bank is looking for a Seed Guardian Mentor based in Chalford to help them set up a seed bank there. See Local Seed Bank – Mentor Role Description (PDF) Do email info@chalcan.org.uk if you would like to get involved
ChalCAN is on Instagram! follow us at @chalford.can
Upcoming Events
Thursday 28th October. 7.30-9.30pm Methodist Church Hall, Chalford GL6 8EN. A Wind Energy Information Evening. Featuring Dr Andrew Henderson – an offshore wind expert – and Ron Colyer of the Westmill Windfarm Coop. More details here Wind Energy Evening (PDF). Free entry but small donation towards hall hire would be appreciated.
Friday 26th November, 7pm Chalford Sports and Social Club. Chalford after COP’26- How we can do our bit. An opportunity to come together to share ideas about how we can work together in the community to address climate and environmental issues. A short presentation on carbon emissions in the Parish will be followed by discussions about what we can all do, and what the priorities for ChalCAN should be for the coming year of action. We’d like to hear from as many people as possible, so please do come along, whether you’d like to participate with your own ideas, or just listen to find out more about the issues.
More events with dates and times will be posted here in due course.
Newsletter Archive
ChalCAN’s recent newsletters
Click on the link to open
Latest Blog posts
Take a Climate Walk
Do you already have some awareness of climate change but nothing much more? The ‘Climate Walk’ can show you how the choices you make can have a real impact on the climate and on society.
The walk can be run physically or virtually. It is designed for small groups of 4 or 5, either recruited at a fair or similar event or split from a larger group.
Each group takes a ‘walk’ to five stopping points of a few minutes each to discuss the possibilities and implications of:
Changing personal behaviour such as giving up flying or going vegan
Local initiatives such as wind turbines
Government action such as an individual ‘carbon ration’
Natural ‘tipping points’ such as methane leaking from permafrost
Technologies such as carbon capture
(If time is limited then a stopping point can be omitted).
Each stopping point sets difficult choices and these choices are scored to yield one of three possible climate futures for 2100 – which of course range from the good to the disastrous!
For more details contact Peter Wormington on 0789 0940938 or petergwormington@mailbox.org
Biodiversity Trail
ChalCAN’s Biodiversity Action are creating a trail around the parish to encourage residents to visit the varying sites that are being managed by the group. You will find a rich
Biodiversity Bulletin Spring 2021
Spring has sprung – we hope that our projects will soon be bursting with biodiversity! Abnash Bank and Parish Bank, Chalford – volunteers have raked, striated, taken away the “arisings”,
Did your t-shirt cost the earth?
Did you know that…… The UK sends an average of 300,000 tonnes of clothing to landfill each year. One wash load of polyester clothes can release 700,000 microplastic fibres into
Our Community and Biodiversity
As individuals it’s easy to feel helpless about the effects of climate change and loss of biodiversity. We can each of us make changes and take steps to help –
Wildlife friendly allotments
Your allotment is mainly for growing fruit and vegetables, and maybe keeping some chickens; but allotments are also really important for biodiversity. There are lots of things you can do
Roadside Verges
What is the issue? Any plans to increase and restore biodiversity within our community must include a focus on the way we manage our road verges. Our verges form just
Green Spaces
There are lots of community owned green spaces scattered over the Parish, all managed by the Parish Council. Some are tucked away, quietly acting as mini wildlife reserves without the
Trees and Hedgerows
First the good news…About a third of our Parish is currently covered in trees and hedgerows. Many of these trees are on the steep slopes of the Frome Valley and
Plastic and General Waste
We need to change our habits and consume less, buying wisely. This applies across all areas of shopping from food, to clothes, to electrical appliances. ChalCAN is looking at
Upcycling and Repairs
Reuse, recycle, swap…and the impact of fast fashion Buy less junk and less new ‘stuff’. Buy things which are designed to be repairable and when you have finished with
Food
Do you want to learn something shocking? Meat, egg and dairy production use up 83% of the world’s farmland, are responsible for 58% of the world’s agricultural greenhouse gas emissions,
Biodiversity Survey
Chalford Parish Council has acknowledged that there is a climate emergency and that we should become carbon neutral by 2030. To do this efficiently and effectively, ways need to be
Gardens
About a third of our parish is covered over with houses and gardens. If we are going to increase biodiversity, all those hundreds of gardens need to be put to
Home Energy Saving
Actions to reduce carbon emissions in the home can range from tiny changes in your own behaviour, to installing energy efficient heating systems with smart controls. Here are some