Welcome to the first newsletter of 2022.
Meetings
First things first, we have postponed our scheduled February meeting and will now hold the next meeting on Weds 2nd March at the Village Hall. For those who would prefer, we will also be streaming the meeting on-line. Details of the link will be sent nearer the time.
Project news…
Tree planting and rewilding
The plans for developing the new community orchard on the north western corner of the Rec are firming up rapidly. Members of Sustainable Harwell and the Environment Advisory Group of the Parish Council have formed a new group Harwell Community Orchard Group (HarCOG) to focus specifically on delivering this important project which will help tackle climate change and improve local bio-diversity. For more details or to get involved please get in touch.
Cycling and walking
With the consultation on the new speed limit and other measures proposed for Harwell, as well as the Oxfordshire Local Transport and Connectivity Plan we were struck by this 5 minute video from the BBC with tips from The Netherlands on how to build a nation of cyclists.
Swifts in Harwell
The project to install swift boxes at the Village Hall is gathering pace. The boxes have now been made and will shortly be installed on the front of the Orchard Hall as this mock-up picture shows.
Mock-up of what the swift boxes will look like on the north side of Orchard Hall
A number of Harwell residents have or will shortly be installing swift boxes on their houses. This will help sustain and grow the Harwell population of this fantastic little bird, which sadly has recently entered onto the red list of Britain’s most endangered bird species.
Other news…
Little Acorns
Sustainable Harwell aims to work with other local organisations with similar interests in the South Oxfordshire area. As part of this, group representatives will be attending meetings of Little Acorns, which is a chance to bring together groups and volunteers, members and councillors locally to share a vision for sustainability and how we can all work together, learn and combine resources.
Battery technology at Harwell Campus
As we transition to a net-zero carbon society, batteries are starting to play a significant role, helping to store and smooth fluctuations in clean power generation. You may not know that major battery research and development is taking place at the Harwell Campus as this article explains:
Energy Prices
Finally, with energy prices rising significantly for many, we thought it might be worth thinking about the simple things that can be done to help reduce energy use within your home. The following information and short video from Cosy Homes Oxfordshire provides some useful advice.
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