Category: Community Groups

“Fast Fashion”

WENVOE FORUM

Considering Tomorrow Today

“Fast Fashion”

Some time ago only the very rich could afford fashionable clothing made by a famous designer such as Gabrielle Chanel or Yves Saint Laurent and that to be a skilful seamstress and able to “copy” the designs was a very useful attribute, though of course matching the same fabrics was a different challenge. As the economy gradually grew after WW2 a bigger range of fashionable, (not designer) garments came within the reach of far more people. Now fast forward to the present when so called “Fast fashion” uses the abundant cheap labour in less economically prosperous countries and allows the fashion conscious to change their wardrobe 2 or 3 times a year.

It sounds like a very straightforward example of developing economies. We are mostly gradually getting richer and the consumption of resources seems almost to have become the reason for life. We know that climate is changing and that we must change our behaviour if our grandchildren are going to be able to live out their lives comfortably on Earth. But is the fashion industry an important target and what would we do anyway, we have to wear clothes!?

Well, a very short investigation on the world wide web will find you plenty of statistics that may surprise you. By some calculations, starting with the growing of crops and including the dying of materials and making up the final products, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions. It is the third most polluting industry, worse than aviation; clothes production is growing and the length of time garments are in use is getting shorter.

Rather than fill the page with negative statistics let’s concentrate on some positive ideas others have had.

Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney’s, Institute for Sustainable Futures in Australia suggest that we must aim to reduce our purchase of new clothing by a whopping 75%, buying clothes designed to last and recycling them at the end of their lifetime.

An Oxfam blog tells us that we buy more new clothes per head in the UK than the rest of Europe. To help convince you that you really can manage

with many fewer clothes there are campaigns in which you choose 10 items from your wardrobe and restrict yourself to wearing only these for a month. Apparently having done so you soon learn about coordinating colours and valuing garments that can be worn in different ways.

Recycling clothes through charity shops or fashion swops makes good sense. Some readers may remember the scrum at the beginning of a really good jumble sale to come up with a bargain.

A little skill with a needle and thread can open up all sorts of possibilities.

If there is really no other option a surprising range of natural and synthetic fabrics can be recycled into new fabric often using less energy than is used with new fibres.

We may yet return to older practices. I remember my arms aching as I held them up to be used to hold a skein of wool taut, as my mother unravelled a jumper so that the wool could be reknitted into something else.

…………………………………

Many thanks to those who gave garden tools and pots to the Reuse table that Gareth and Glenys Stone organised at the Tucker’s plant sale. Not only were lots of items sent off to new homes, rather than the recycle unit, but donations made a healthy contribution to the overall proceeds for the Wild life group. We kept some of the less blemished pots with some plans for Christmas in mind.

Gwenfo.Forum@gmail.com or via Facebook: GwenFo@ https://www.facebook.com/gwen.fo.1/ and Wenvoe Forum @ https://www.facebook.com/ groups/635369267864402

We do hope that you find these ideas and tips useful.  Good luck with your gardening. Please keep a look  out for our other activities, and join us or send  messages on:

Facebook: Gwen Fo @ https://www.facebook.com/  gwen.fo.1/ and Wenvoe Forum @ https://  www.facebook.com/groups/635369267864402  twitter @ForumGwenfo or e-mail –  gwenfo.forum@gmail.com

 

May Meeting of Wenvoe W.I.

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

May Meeting of Wenvoe W.I.

Wenvoe WI met on the first Thursday of May in their venue in the Church Hall. This meeting was the annual AGM, led by Mrs Claire Atherton , one of the WI Advisors. The meeting consisted of reports of the year’s activities by the Secretary, Treasurer and President. The new committee of eight members had already been confirmed, and Mrs Jan Young was duly unanimously elected as President for the forthcoming year. Mrs Deidre Smee and Mrs Carol Charlson were appointed to the positions of Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.

Mrs Atherton addressed the members to encourage and exhort them, and expressed her delight at their sustained growth, friendship and enthusiasm , despite setbacks during the last year. The meeting concluded with the usual fayre of homemade cakes and a welcome cuppa.

The next meeting is on Thursday 6th June in the Church Hall at 7pm, when Dr Natalie Hepburn – a local shepherdess – will describe her work and her recent visit to Brazil, as well as give a demonstration of some of the manufacture of some of her by – products .

Also, Wenvoe WI intends to hold a LINK Coffee morning on 14th June at 10.30am in the Church hall, in aid of TY Hafan.

‘Tasters’ and new members are always most welcome.

Jan Young ( President).

 

Bournville by Jonathan Coe

OFF THE SHELF

“Bournville” by Jonathan Coe

The village of Bournville was developed at the end of the 19th century. George Cadbury had expanded his chocolate making business to a larger factory set in countryside outside Birmingham. He was a Quaker and believed that workers had a right to good working conditions and housing. Over time he bought 120 acres near his factory and built the village of Bournville. This provided his workers with good quality houses with gardens. He also provided leisure facilities which he believed, led to a better quality of life.

Jonathan Coe’s story follows one family through a period, from the end of the second world war to the beginning of the COVID epidemic. Principally this is a story about family and family relationships.

Coe sets his story in the context of Bournville village life and historical and often life changing cultural events, beginning with VE day and Royal coronations, and the development of television through 75 years to the COVID epidemic. The story begins at the beginning of the COVID epidemic and moves between present and past. In this book Coe uses the family stories around these events to illustrate how the British see themselves in relation to the rest of Europe and just occasionally using humour to do this. Alongside the occasional humour there was poignancy and sadness but nevertheless a story that offers optimism and hope.

Overall, our book club enjoyed the book and gave it a score of 8.5.

April Meeting of Wenvoe W.I.

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

April Meeting of Wenvoe W.I.

The members of Wenvoe WI met on 4th April in the Church Hall at 7pm.

On this occasion, the meeting was ‘a hands on’ session with each member creating their own table decoration, using fresh flowers and foliage, under the able direction of Mrs Carol Charlson, who demonstrated the basic procedure initially. Soon the air was fragrant and redolent, as everyone set to, and enjoyed creating their own ‘masterpiece’ amid much chatter and laughter.

Also members voted unanimously in support of the resolution to be forwarded to the National Federation of Women’s Institute to lobby the Government to increase investment in the training and retention of Dentists in order to redress the current inadequacy of the NHS, to ensure that everyone can access an NHS Dentist in their area.

This was followed by the nomination and selection of members to form the Committee for the next full year of Wenvoe WI . As a result, the new Committee will consist of eight members.

Our next Meeting will be held on Thursday 2nd May at 7pm which will be the AGM.

New members and ‘tasters’ are ensured of a warm welcome.

 

Janet Young (President)

 

Focusing On The Reuse Of Various Resources

WENVOE FORUM

Considering Tomorrow Today

Focusing On The Reuse Of Various Resources

This year, the Wenvoe Forum members are focusing on ideas around the REUSE (including REPURPOSING) of various resources. As this year’s Tucker’s Spring Plant Sale takes place at the Wenvoe Church Hall soon (Saturday 11 May – 10 am), we thought it would be good to support them (and the Wenvoe Wildlife Group) by having a table offering surplus gardening tools, plant pots and equipment etc. – all looking for a new home. Amongst the other garden bargains there, you’ll be able to choose your plants, sit and have a cuppa and a chat and maybe buy a slice or two of Tucker’s home-made cake and brownies. It’s for a great cause, with all proceeds to the Wenvoe Wildlife Group!

We’ll also be raising awareness of a couple of existing Facebook pages that already support the idea of reusing existing resources – the Wenvoe Recycling & Reuse Group @ https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1870475136410648 and the Wenvoe Buy and Sell pages, @ https://www.facebook.com/ groups/3019469164839088.

Finally, in our linked article this week, a money saving idea in line with the gardening theme courtesy of the Royal Horticultural Society web pages.

How to REUSE spent compost…

It’s not uncommon to have spent compost at the end of each growing season, especially if you grow bulbs or bedding plants in containers. Rather than getting rid of this, which can be difficult and wasteful, there are a handful of ways to reuse it within your garden.

Quick facts…

  • Compost breaks down and compacts over time, so it needs enriching and mixing thoroughly before it can be reused for planting.
  • You may need to add fertiliser if reusing compost for hungry plants like roses

Using spent compost for mulching around established trees and shrubs is good

Getting started…

Soil and spent compost can’t usually be added to green waste bins but our local council recycling centres will accept it. However, finding ways to reuse it in your garden saves you time, money and effort.

The manufacture, transport and packaging of bagged compost has a large carbon footprint, so being able to use it again for growing plants helps save the planet and saves you the cost of buying new compost each time you replant.

What you’ll need to reuse spent compost:

  • Gloves
  • A board or sheet to tip the compost out on
  • Organic matter, like garden compost, leaf mould or well-rotted manure (if replanting)
  • Possibly some other fertiliser
  • A garden fork (if digging-in)
  • A shovel and a rake (if mulching)
  • Focusing On The Reuse Of Various Resources

Top Tip…

Tipping out old compost first lets you assess its condition and decide how best to reuse it. If you find vine weevil larvae when you empty your pots of spent compost, spread the mixture thinly on a tarpaulin or  hard standing and wait for the birds to eat the larvae  as a tasty treat. Once they’ve found them all, sweep up the compost and use as above.

Five ways to reuse spent compost  

1 – Add organic matter and use it again for  planting  

Tip out the spent compost, remove any large sections  of root and work it back to a smooth, fluffy texture  with your hands. Then add handfuls of organic matter,  like garden compost or well-rotted manure, to create a  mixture of around 70% spent compost to 30% new  organic matter. This mixture can now be used for  planting up containers.

2 – Improve your garden soil by digging-in spent  compost  

Though it won’t add much in the way of nutrients, it  will improve soil structure, helping with aeration and  drainage, and in turn will boost soil biodiversity.

3 – Mulch your beds and borders to lock-in  moisture and suppress weeds  

Use a shovel to pile the compost onto your beds and a  metal rake to spread it over the soil to a depth of  around 7.5cm (3in). Over time the mulch will be  worked in by soil organisms, thereby improving the  structure and health of your soil.

4 – Improve the appearance and health of lawns

  Add spent compost as a top dressing in autumn,  mixing it with sand and brushing or raking it into the  holes created by spiking (aerating). Spent compost  can also be used to even out dips and hollows when  repairing lawns.

5 – Boost an existing compost bin or start a new  one  

Even spent compost will contain a variety of soil  organisms that can be put to work breaking down  garden and kitchen waste. If you’ve got lots of spent  compost to add to your compost bin, do this in layers  between other waste. Adding spent compost to the  base of new bins can help kick start the composting  process.

Sources:  

How to reuse spent compost / RHS Gardening

We do hope that you find these ideas and tips useful.  Good luck with your gardening. Please keep a look  out for our other activities, and join us or send  messages on:

Facebook: Gwen Fo @ https://www.facebook.com/  gwen.fo.1/ and Wenvoe Forum @ https://  www.facebook.com/groups/635369267864402  twitter @ForumGwenfo or e-mail –  gwenfo.forum@gmail.com

 

New Forum members are always welcome to join e-mail us e-mail gwenfo.
forum@gmail.com
Contact to us on :-Facebook: Gwen Fo @ https://www.facebook.com/gwen.fo.1/
and Wenvoe Forum @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/635369267864402 or
twitter @ForumGwenfo
See our Blog site https://wenvoeforum.wordpress.com/

“Memphis” by Tara Stringfellow

“Memphis” by Tara Stringfellow

This is Tara Stringfellow’s debut novel; she is a former attorney and known for published poetry and prose and her love and use of language is displayed throughout the novel. The story follows four strong women over three generations and is based around the family home in Memphis. The author uses her own family history to base the novel on and some of our group felt that this intimate family connection led to a positive bias of the women in the story compared to the men, whose story was not told in any detail. The story has lots going on in it and does have some upsetting content but is also filled with joy and laughter. Stringfellow writes about each of the women in different chapters and the story moves back and forth between different eras; this means that the story jumps around. The majority of our group felt that to enjoy the novel, they had to continually refer back to the family tree to establish which character they were going to read about and what period they were in. The book did split the group’s view of it, with one member rating it extremely highly and a “must read” where others struggled to find a connection to the story. The majority of us enjoyed exploring the characters and following the story through the years.

The average marking of the group was 6

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