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LCRN: The Seagulls Following The Trawler Enews

Good evening,

Welcome to the London Community Resource Network's enews bulletin, your weekly source of resource and sustainability news.

In LCRN news: In January, London Re-use in partnership with Furnish, Healthy Planet, Shepherd's Bush Housing Group, and West Waste will be facilitating 'Stuff for Free' events, where you can exchange unwanted items for something you really need, free of charge. 

In members news: The Otesha Project have an extensive programme of cycle tours this summer, time is running out to get involved in Organiclea's solar investment opportunity, and SEED Foundation always have need of volunteers at their Maiden Lane food waste recycling project.

In London News: A Hackney estate has installed a huge array of solar panels, Thames Water get creative in tackling metal theft, while a brass-necked waste transfer station has had its permit revoked.

In National News: The European Union is to reward resource-efficient SMEs, a think-tank has claimed that wind energy produces more carbon dioxide than first thought, while at the same time the UK has set a new record for wind generation.

All this and more in the Environment and Third Sector news. 

And finally... How King George IV learnt to ride a bike...
 

LCRN NEWS

* Stuff For Free

West London residents can get rid of their clutter and unwanted Christmas presents and take home what they really need at a series of Stuff for Free events in January. Vision Warehouse 15, on Kendal Avenue in Acton will be the site of these unique community events where people can drop off any unwanted stuff and those who may be feeling the pinch after Christmas can pick up something that they need; this also means that they will be helping the environment - by reusing items they are saved from landfill, helping to reduce fly-tipping and conserving valuable resources. From 12th - 22nd January from 8am - 12pm (9am - 3pm weekends), residents and businesses can bring along any unwanted items (in good condition) - including working and broken electrical items, as DHL Envirosolutions will kindly take away any broken equipment for recycling. From 27th - 29th January (9am - 3pm), after a team of volunteers have sorted the donated items, anyone can come along and take the items they want, for free. Stuff for Free is administered by a partnership of London Re-use, Furnish, Healthy Planet, Shepherd's Bush Housing Group, and the West London Waste Authority.
For more information.
  
* Become an LCRN Member today
 
Join the network that’s innovating away London’s waste, the grassroots way. LCRN is proud to present our new membership scheme, open to organisations, charities, community groups and social enterprises in London dedicated to responsible resource management. Our new tiered system is based on both income and services so that you get the most bang for your buck. We strive to bring your organisation the right balance of business, organisational and communications support. Our free membership is still available, but come have a gander at what we’ve got on offer. Our rates are incredibly reasonable and our services can only be a boost for you in this economic climate. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact Julian between on 020 7324 4708 or email julian@lcrn.org.uk.
…for LCRN’s new membership scheme
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MEMBERS NEWS

* Otesha Project - Summer Cycle Tours

Every summer teams of volunteers pedal across the UK stopping at schools, youth clubs, festivals, and community events to inspire individuals to take creative and positive action toward a more sustainable future. Tour members receive plenty of training and will be skilled up on everything from consensus decision-making to bike maintenance. Tour members will be part of a mobile community of around 15 people who share roles such as meal planning, cooking, meeting facilitation, record keeping, presenting workshops, equipment maintenance, planning group activities, and most importantly, being inspired and inspiring others to live more sustainably. The goal of tour members is to learn from their experiences and the communities visited, and to put a bucket-load of creativity and energy into making the tour have the biggest impact possible. To join you need not be an experienced cyclist, educator, or performer, you just need to have plenty of enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. The Otesha Project is also seeking six dedicated and fun-loving Tour Liaisons, three to join the 'Totally Coastal' tour (around the coastline of South-East England), and three to join the 'Western Quest' tour (South Wales through to Somerset and Devon). If you would like to go on tour and have a little more involvement in route planning, a couple of weeks' preparation in an office, and some extra responsibilities on tour, Otesha would love to hear from you. The deadline for Tour Liaison applications is 27th January at 5pm.
For more information.

* Organiclea - Solar Investment Opportunity 

Organiclea are excited to announce the launch of a new share offer providing the opportunity to invest in small-scale renewable energy. As previously mentioned here, this is a new initiative to create a community fund for investing in such projects, the first of which is the installation of solar panels at Organiclea's Hawkswood Plant Nursery. The project will benefit from the Government's feed-in-tariff for solar photovoltaic installations and will provide a financial and social return on the investment. The share offer is from GREEN (Growing Resilient Energy Efficient Neighbourhoods), the new corporate society that Organiclea has helped to set up along with other local partner organisations. The share offer document and information on Organiclea's website provide detailed information about the invitation to invest, but do get in touch directly if you have any further questions after reading the documents - contact Nicole on nicole@organiclea.org.uk. Please note the closing date of 20th January 2012 so that you do not miss out on this opportunity to support the long-term development of local food and other community projects. 
For more information. 

* SEED Foundation - Volunteers Needed!

As a result of council funding coming to an end, the food-waste recycling programme is due to finish on Maiden Lane Estate in Camden Town (near King's Cross) at the end of November. SEED Foundation, which has been working with residents to improve the service, has created a plan to help the estate's own social enterprise take over the system. However, much-needed start-up funding has not yet been secured, and volunteers are needed to bridge the funding gap between now and the end of March, in order to get the new system up and running. If you are interested, and would be able to dedicate three hours per month of your time helping out with collections, composting, machine management or marketing, please contact Clare Brass at clare.brass@seedfoundation.org.uk or call 07773 768 184. A really rich soil improver will be offered as a thank you for your time.

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MEMBERS EVENTS

 Visit our friends at Project Dirt for more events across London.

* Waste Watch Annual Conference 2012 - Creating Social Change

Creating Social Change will bring together individuals and organisations to discuss why a new, integrated approach is needed to achieve meaningful change for social and environmental sustainability .The day will include inspiring examples of both research and practitioners at the forefront of the movement to create long-term changes in collective societal values, behaviours and lifestyles. Confirmed speakers include: Tom Crompton (Change Strategist at WWF), Sally Inman, (Professor of  Education Development at South Bank University), Ray Georgeson (Resource Association), Andrew Darnton (Independent Researcher), Ian Williams (University of Southampton) and Morgan Phillips (Our Common Place).
Date: 22nd March 2012; 10am - 5pm
Location: The Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA

For more information.

* Talk Action - Consensus Decision Making

All across the UK large and small charities, companies and member owned groups are finding that involving staff and stakeholders is now an essential part of how they run their organisation. Whether working with 5 or 1500 people you need to able to make quality decisions that stick. This course will help you to take decisions: in a way that is constructive and collaborative; that reflect the values and knowledge of the employees, members or stakeholders; and which build a greater sense of ownership of the final outcomes. This training day will give you a theoretical framework for thinking about consensus decision-making (CDM) and the practical skills you need to put it into practice. You will be presented with two contrasting approaches to CDM, so that you can decide which aspects of each one fit your needs and resources. The day combines presentations, experiential sessions, group discussions and real life case studies. Anyone that wants to fully engage their staff, members, stakeholders or the wider community in the decision making process should attend this course. Organisations already using CDM include: charities, businesses, campaign groups, NGOs, housing associations, community groups, the United Nations and even football clubs.
Date: Thursday 26th January 2012, 10am - 6pm.
Location: TCPA, 17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AS
Cost: £288: Large charities, public sector and businesses; £130: Smaller charities (under 15 staff) and individuals. Concessionary rates of £20 are available for students, pensioners and the unemployed. Please contact info@talkaction.org for further details.
For more information.

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MEMBERS JOBS

* Community Food Grower

Required for March 2012, a talented and enthusiastic community food grower to join our Family & Community Engagement Department. You will work on our ¾ acre urban farm. The role requires a team player who is confident, professional and has a studious approach to work.  Experience as working as a food grower and dealing with the local community is essential. The Phoenix Canberra Schools Federation is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.  An enhanced CRB disclosure will be requested for the successful candidate in accordance with Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education legislation. In return, we offer you a friendly and supportive environment and excellent professional development opportunities. Staff have free use of the community sports centre and swimming pool. This is a fixed term role to last for two years (subject to funding), and will involve working 36 hours per week (all year round). Remuneration will be £20,460 - £22,242 p.a. (+ London weighting at £3,299). For an application form and further details please view the vacancies section of www.phoenixhighschool.org or email eleanor_reid@phoenix.lbhf.sch.uk or call the school on 020 8749 1141 ext 205 for an application pack.

* Otesha - Strategic Director

Otesha is looking for someone with ideas, passion and a vision for the long-term direction of the Otesha Project, who is excited about giving strategic leadership to an organisation at an exciting stage in our development. As one of five directors you will have an important forward-thinking role within a nonhierarchical team, helping to dream up innovative new ways of fulfilling the Otesha Project's mission in the most impactful way possible. You will ensure that Otesha works with the right people in the right way at the right scale, and that the organisation stays innovative, creative and relevant. This role includes convening the Strategic Committee, which makes decisions about Otesha’s goals, partnerships, communications and fundraising. Alongside the convener of the Management Committee you will be the link between the staff and board of trustees. You must be passionate about helping young people to tackle challenging global issues and ready to thrive in an entrepreneurial environment. You will be overflowing with new programme and partnerships ideas. You will be comfortable wearing a strategy hat and able to keep others on track with meeting Otesha’s goals. You will have exceptional teamwork, communication, writing and networking skills, and you will love a challenge. You don’t need to be an expert in social and environmental sustainability, but you must be willing to learn more about these issues and be enthusiastic about finding ways to make Otesha’s operations and our team more sustainable. You will be committed to the core values of Otesha: anti-oppression principles, social justice, environmental sustainability, cooperation and shared responsibility. The role is to be full-time with a three-month probationary period. The post is based in London and remuneration will be £26,000 p.a. The deadline for applications is the 13th January 2012. 
If you are interested in the role, please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability to jobs@otesha.org.uk with your name and the job title in the subject area.

* Otesha - Social Enterprise Project Leader Internship

Otesha are looking for someone who’s a big-picture thinker with lots of drive and enthusiasm but who also knows the nuts and bolts of business planning, market research and the world of start-ups, and who’s ideally worked within a social enterprise before. You should have an interest in exploring the relationships between global issues and personal actions and be passionate about creating a more sustainable world. This post is ideal for someone with loads of motivation and ideas who wants to have a big role in a highly collaborative organisation – not get the coffee! This role is a great opportunity to develop and launch a successful social enterprise, as well as tap into diverse networks, learn how a small and growing charity works, gain access to training opportunities and work within a highly collaborative and innovative team. You will gain experience in market and user research, business planning, financial modeling and strategic thinking. You will also get to hone your facilitation, communicating, organising and networking skills. If you’re looking to build up relevant experience before starting up your own social enterprise or project, this is a great opportunity. The position will be based at the Otesha office, with occasional evening and weekend work. The role is a fixed-term internship (ideally full-time but flexible), and should last from February to May 2012 with the possibility of extension. Remuneration will be £14,600 pro rata, with a rolling application deadline. If you are interested in the role, please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability to jobs@otesha.org.uk with your name and the job title in the subject area.
For more information and a job description.

* Otesha - Cycle Tour Co-ordinator Internship

On Otesha’s flagship Cycle Tours programme, teams of volunteers spend three to six weeks travelling to schools, youth clubs, festivals and community events around the UK, performing the ever-evolving Morning Choices play and running hands-on workshops on subjects like home energy consumption, ethical fashion and fair trade. Otesha are seeking a highly motivated, organised and creative person to join Otesha's internship programme and play a key role in delivering summer 2012 cycle tours and evaluating the programme on its completion. You should have an interest in exploring the relationships between global issues and personal actions and be passionate about creating a more sustainable world. This post is ideal for someone with loads of drive and ideas who wants to have a big role in a unique organisation – not just get the coffee. You will work alongside one other Cycle Tours Co-ordinator to provide logistical, outreach and facilitation support to teams of young volunteers as they travel around the UK, inspiring thousands of others to live more sustainably. This position will be a learning role, so although you’ll be expected to share the lead in co-ordinating the 2012 tours, you will also have many opportunities to access training, support and skills development. By the end of the placement, you should have gained a wide range of experience as well as knowledge of how a small and growing charity works. You will make lots of links with schools, councils, youth clubs and exciting projects all over the UK, and get to hone your communication, organising and networking skills. If you’re looking to work in the charitable sector or start up your own project, this is a great opportunity. The role is a part-time fixed-term internship, to run from March - September 2012, for 3 days per week. Remuneration will be £14,650 pro rata. The application deadline is 16th January 2012. 
If you are interested in the role, please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability to jobs@otesha.org.uk with your name and the job title in the subject area.

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LONDON RESOURCE NEWS

* Sun Shines On Hackney Estate

Nearly 2,000 solar panels have been fitted to the roofs of the Pembury Estate in Hackney - enough to provide electricity for three villages. The panels have been installed atop 10 blocks, generating electricty that could cut residents' bills by up to £150 per year. The £1 million solar project is part of a wider £23 million energy scheme launched by the housing association Peabody Trust. The panels are expected to generate 400kwp - saving 170 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. However, since the Government has cut the amount of subsidy paid out for local solar energy generation, Peabody chief executive Steve Howlett has said that Peabody would not be able to deliver their solar programme as first planned, leaving many of their properties without solar panels.
From the Evening Standard.

* Thames Water To Pull Plug On Metal Thieves

Thames Water is to coat its pipes and metal in 'smart water' and spray thieves in a bid to stop an epidemic of thefts. The company admitted that it loses £1.2 million per year to metal theft. It is now planning to tag its property and is working with the police to develop smart water traps. Smart water marks the pipes and metal and is only visible under ultra-violet light. Thieves therefore run the risk of being sprayed forensic liquid, meaning that they will carry evidence of the crime on their clothing and skin wherever they go. Regular checks on scrapyards will also be carried out across the Thames Water region, and increasing numbers of scrap metal dealers are equipping themselves with UV lights making it hard for thieves to sell metal on. It was recently revealed that metal worth £13 million has been stolen from Britain's railways over the past three years, while more than 2,500 insurance claims were made last year by churches that had metal stolen. 
From the Evening Standard.

* It's Just Been Revoked

A household waste transfer site which committed a number of waste offences has had its permit revoked by the Environment Agency (EA). According to the EA, Sitec Limited based in Orpington, Kent persistently failed to comply with its permit over a two year period, as well as continually failing to act on EA warning and enforcement notices. The company continued to store quantities of household skip waste at "significantly higher" levels than its permit allowed. As a result, on April 27 the EA prosecuted Sitec at Bromley Magistrates Court where it was forced to pay a total fine of £75,000. Despite this court action, the EA said Sitec continued to store household skip waste at higher levels than its permit allowed, leading the EA to revoke the permit in December and stop authorisation for the company to operate a waste business at the site.

From Edie.net.


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NATIONAL RESOURCE NEWS

* Rewarding Resource Efficiency

SMEs that are working to become more resource-efficient and reduce their waste arisings are to be supported under a new EU innovation action plan (EcoAp). Under the plan, subsidies, training, and funding will be made available to companies driving products, techniques, services, or processes which aim to reduce environmental impacts, or contribute to optimal use of resources. Examples include helping to increase the use of recycled materials, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and more efficient use of resources. The EU says that the main driving force behind the plan is to reduce pressure on the environment and bridge the gap between innovation and the market. The plan includes targeted actions on both the demand and supply side, on research and industry, and on policy and financial instruments. The potential of eco-innovation is recognised by the business community with venture capital investments growing from £0.3bn in 2004 to £1.3bn in 2010.
From Edie.net.

* Windy Filler

A new report by think-tank Civitas has warned that Britain is in danger of producing more carbon dioxide than necessary if the grid relies too much on wind. Research in the Netherlands found that turning on and off back-up gas power stations when there is little wind actually produces more carbon than a steady supply of energy from a modern gas-fired power station. Wind turbines only produce energy 30% of the time. When the wind is not blowing, or when the weather is too windy, other sources of energy must be used. The report concluded that wind turbines cost more fuel than they save and increase our 'environmental footprint'. The report also found that wind power was 'horrendously expensive', especially offshore wind, magnified by the fact it requires fossil fuel stations as back up, and also cited Government figures warning that green policies could add £400 to household fuel bills over the next 20 years. However, Dr Gordon Edge - who is admittedly a lobbyist for the renewable energy industry - said that much of the information was gathered from 'anti-wind farm cranks'. He explained that modern gas plants are not required for wind. Instead wind is 'integrated' into the system to act as a fuel saver, enabling the UK to harness a free electricity source from the weather when it is available. Dr Edge said that 'credible analysis' makes clear it will cost less than fossil fuels, that are fluctuating in price all the time.  
From the Daily Telegraph. 

* Blowing In The Wind
Gusty conditions at the end of last year set a new record for the amount of the UK's power generated from wind, according to new figures. The data, from www.bmreports.com, shows wind power hit the new high of 12.2% of the UK's electricity demand on December 28. Figures show wind power supplied an average of 5.3% of the UK's demand for electricity for December and early January, reaching a new record of 12.2% on the 28th. As a result carbon emissions from the UK's electricity generators were cut by over 750,000 tonnes. Strangely though, high wind either appears to cause problems for the industry, or boosts wind power depending on how the National Gird handled the peaks and troughs. However, the end of 2011 was 'well handled' by the National Grid according to trade association RenewableUK. RenewableUK's director of policy, Dr Gordon Edge, said: "As we're generating increasingly large amounts of electricity from wind, feeding those large volumes of power into the system represents an engineering challenge to the National Grid - a challenge we are pleased to see they met over Christmas.’

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ENVIRONMENT SECTOR NEWS

* Unlucky For Some

The Court of Appeal has scheduled the appeal date for the Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) scheme for Friday 13th January. The Department for Energy and Climate Change lodged grounds for appeal in response to a review which concluded that government plans to rush through cuts to the FITs were 'legally flawed'. It is expected that the hearing will conclude the legal battle between the Government and a consortium led by Friends of the Earth and solar companies HomeSun and Solarcentury. The DECC said that it lodged the appeal as it felt that 'the High Court's decision was based on the view that the proposed approach to implementing new tariffs for solar PV is inconsistent with the FIT scheme's statutory purpose of encouraging small-scale low-carbon electricity generation.' Alan Proto, MD of solar firm The Green Home Company, said that he had some 'sympathy for the Government'. He said that he believed that subsidies for solar power needed to be cut, though the solar industry should have been given more time to prepare for the change.
From Edie.net.  

* Tory MP Criticizes Green Groups

Environmental campaigner and Tory MP Zac Goldsmith has urged that 'friends' of the environment in government need greater support from green groups to push through policies in the face of stiff opposition. Mr Goldsmith, who advised the PM on the environment before the election, was responding to an extraordinary attack on the Government by senior green figures and mass-membership groups including the RSPB and the Campaign to Protect Rural England. They were angered by a series of policy U-turns and announcements, including cuts to solar power and proposals to weaken environmental protection against development. Frustration at such criticisms has also been blamed for climate minister Greg Barker's outburst about the 'environmental Taliban'. Mr Goldsmith said that the environmental movement 'lacks seriousness' and 'lacks strategy' for not giving the Government credit for a list of successes - such as the Green Investment Bank and the Green Deal, policies that were implemented '...in 18 months, amid the toughest economic conditions since the war'. He agreed with criticisms by environmentalists of cuts in regulations on food standards, the proposed planning reforms, and the 'mood music' of negative language by some ministers; however he added that by failing to praise ministers for what had been achieved, critics are less likely to win their argument.
From the Guardian. 

* Snow Joke - Humans Could Prevent Ice Age

Researchers from Cambridge University who examined variations in the Earth's orbit and global climate patterns calculated that the next ice age should begin within the next 1,500 years. But the impact of carbon dioxide emissions on the environment means that the global freeze which should be on its way will not be able to take hold, they said. The period between the end of an ice age and the beginning of the next is typically about 11,000 years due to a natural cycle related to the Earth's orbit. The temperate stretch in between global freezes can be longer or shorter depending on a number of factors, but with the last ice age having ended 11,600 years ago the arrival of another already appears overdue. The onset of an ice age is triggered by small changes in the Earth’s orbit including the rotation of its axis and the extent to which it is inclined, which change gradually according to a cycle lasting tens of thousands of years. It is unclear exactly how these factors influence the climate but the early seeds of change are followed by rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as the planet warms up, and by the absorption of the gas by the sea as the Earth cools and ice sheets form. By comparing current conditions with a similar period between ice ages 780,000 years ago, the researchers estimated that glacial inception – an early sign of an imminent ice age - should start in the near future. Extreme swings in temperature between Greenland and Antarctica suggest that this process is beginning, they said. But despite the impact of the Earth’s natural cycle, an ice age would only be able to begin if the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were to fall from 390 parts per million (ppm) to 240ppm or lower, according to the study published in the Nature Geoscience journal. Separate research has shown that even if we cut our carbon emissions instantly, concentrations in our atmosphere would remain artificially high for the next 1,000 years.
From the Daily Telegraph.
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THIRD SECTOR NEWS

* Islington Could Ban Street Fundraising

Islington could become the first borough to ban street fundraisers, or 'charity muggers', after years of complaints from residents tired of being hassled in the street. The council is considering introducing a by-law to prohibit this form of fundraising. The council is also calling on the Government to bring into force powers introduced in the Charities Act 2006 and wants the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association to remove Islington from its list of approved sites. Street fundraisers work for agencies who then take a cut of the payments. Labour councillor Paul Convery said that street fundraising 'seems to be legal robbery in some ways and gives charities a bad name'. The proposals were questioned by Liberal Democrats, who admitted that there was a problem, but described the council's proposals as 'heavy-handed'. Tracy Griffin, fundraising director at Shelter stated: ' Face to face teams are a very effective and important way of reaching people who may need our help, as well as reaching new supporters. It is highly regulated, both in terms of numbers allowed on the streets and also in behaviour. All our fundraisers abide by our strict code of practice.  
From the Evening Standard.

* Decline In Voluntary Sector Workforce

Employment in the voluntary sector has dropped by 8.7 per cent in the last year, according to the latest Labour Force Survey results. This is the third consecutive quarter of decline for the sector workforce with the third quarter results for 2011 showing that the sector employs 723,000 people, compared with 793,000 in Q3 2010. Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, blamed government spending cuts which, he said, "are hitting the voluntary sector disproportionately". Over the past 12 months public sector employment has fallen by 4.3 per cent while private sector employment rose by 1.5 per cent. According to the findings, more women than men have been affected, with female employment in the sector falling by 10.2 per cent from 548,000 to 492,000 between Q3 2010 and Q3 2011. Over the same period male employment decreased by 5.4 per cent, falling from 244,000 in to 231,000. The survey also found that median pay in the sector had fallen by 2.8 per cent in contrast to the public and private sector where median pay increased. Median hourly pay for the voluntary sector fell from £10.29 to £10.
From the Office for Civil Society.
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CONSULTATIONS, FUNDING & TENDERS

* Funding To Support Collections Of Food Waste From Businesses - Demonstration Projects

The Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) administers the Collections of Food Waste from Business - Demonstration Projects scheme. Through the scheme, funding is available to to develop a number of demonstration projects which will help improve services to businesses, divert food waste from landfill and support the development of the Government's AD strategy. Funded projects will demonstrate good practice approaches to collecting food waste from businesses, look at ways to reduce service costs, and maximise food waste recycling. The overarching purpose of this programme is to encourage the collection of food waste from small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), public sector buildings and larger businesses. All collected food waste will be required to be recycled through an AD or IVC process in England. The scheme can fund capital costs such as vehicles, bins, and publicity materials for projects that will significantly increase the amount of food waste collected. Up to 75% of the eligible capital costs will be considered. Operating costs can be funded; however the applicant will need to ensure that they have a budget available for the ongoing operation of their project post-commissioning, and for at least the two-year contractual period. There is a budget of approximately £500,000 for 2011-14. The maximum value of a grant under this current round is £100,000. The scheme is available to local authorities, private sector, or community sector organisations operating in England. The deadline for applications is 3rd Febraury 2012. 
For more information.  

* Capital Growth Funding - Deadline Approaching

The programme is administered by Capital Growth at London Food Link. It is intended to enable Londoners to benefit from a higher availability of affordable local food by maximising the use of land for food growing activities across the London area. Funding is available to help community groups develop new food growing schemes that will be sustainable and of benefit to communities in London. In particular, the scheme is eager to fund training and skills support to develop new sustainable projects. Projects should be focused on bringing more food to market in London, and be involved with a new food-growing space (not established before 1st January 2009) or an extension of a current food-growing project. It should be for wider community benefit, not solely for private or commercial gain. The next grant funding round has now opened and will close on 16th January 2012. The maximum grant available is £1,500.
For more information. 
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AND FINALLY…

* Learning To Cycle Georgian Style

Westminster City Council have released images from their archives, of what appears to be Britain's first ever cycling school, all the way back in 1819. 
From the Guardian.
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