Dear {{ FirstName | default: ‘Friend’ }}
There’s loads happening at Birmingham Friends of the Earth’s building The Warehouse this September and we’d like to draw
your attention to a few events, as well as give you a couple of updates. [If you get this email twice, apologies – we have two email platforms and you may have signed up for both at different times, but we intend to consolidate them next month.]
ACTionism film screening
Friends of the Earth Birmingham are co-hosting a screening of acclaimed
film ACTionism, Friday 19th Sept 7 – 9pm at the Warehouse.
The film explores bringing people together to take collective action.There’ll
be a Q&A with Ellie Meredith the filmmaker, and a chanceto socialise. Full
info and booking at: https://actionnetwork.org/events/film-screening-actionism
Plastic Free Gathering
Our co-host for the film screening is the Plastic Free Gathering, a one day
summit of talks foreveryone concerned about plastic pollution and single-use
plastics.It’s on Saturday 20th September 10am – 6pm at Crowne Plaza
HotelBirmingham, and on zoom.
Full info at: https://www.theplasticfreegathering.co.uk/home
Climate Café – Drawing on Data
Ou rnext Climate Cafe, jointly held by Birmingham FOE and Extinction Rebellion Birmingham, is on September 21st, from 2-4 pm in the BRIG Cafe at the
Warehouse. The theme is ‘Drawing on Data’, facilitated by Megan Wakefield: how to process
and understand climate science data without getting overwhelmed. All welcome,
book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/climate-cafe-tickets-763028598077
Jonathan Porritt – Love, Anger & Betrayal – Book Tour
 |
Long-time environmental campaigner Jonathon Porritt will be visiting the
Warehouse on September 22nd, to speak about his new book Love, Anger and
Betrayal, which is written together with 26 young climate activists from Just
Stop Oil. The book reveals their passion for a just and sustainable transition
away from our global economic and cultural dependence on fossil fuels. But who,
with the political power, is listening?
You can get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jonathon-porritt-love-anger-b…
and you can order the book from our very own Voce Books and
support an independent bookshop (also, check out their Autumn events
programme!).
Voices from the Factory Floor
For Birmingham Heritage Week, Vivid Projects will be sharing a FREE series of
films at the Warehouse spotlighting stories
of Birmingham’s working-class communities,trade union struggles, and lost
industrial spaces of the 1980s. 18-20th Sept. https://vividprojects.org.uk/events/event/voices-from-the-factory-floor-birmingham-heritage-week/
Welcoming our new Campaigns Coordinator
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Noama Chaudhry as our new
campaigns coordinator. Noama will be starting on 15th September.
We’ll introduce Noama more fully when she is in post!
Update on the Warehouse decarbonisation works
The Decarbonisation works, funded by Sharematch and our membership, are
progressing well so far. We’ve had internal wall insulation fitted to the front
wall of the Café, our small meeting room and some areas of the ‘cottage’.
We’ve had our sash windows renovated by a specialist craftsman “so they will
last another 100 years” he said! – and they’ve been thoroughly draught-proofed
as part of that. They will be repainted in the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile
the scaffolding is up for the new roof, and the roofers have started work. This
will enable the new solar panels and battery to be fitted, all which should be
in place by early October.
The next stages will be installing secondary and double glazing, and the work to get
the radiator/heating system ready for a heat pump in a future year.
Compost Culture project update
We continue to compost food waste from the BRIG Cafe and tenants food scraps in
the community garden, led by Compost Coordinator Camo. Our regular volunteer numbers were boosted by a visit
from Sam Ewell (Camo’s predecessor) and his colleagues from Aston University’s
Wellbeing team.
 |
In keeping with improvements to the Warehouse building, the composting hot bays
are getting an overhaul – in order to “rat-ro fit” them! We’re hoping new
mesh lids and a roof will diminish their number – there are plenty
of other food outlets in the city for rodents.
If you know any community groups who need compost we have lots ready to
collect. It’s free and good for mulching but would need sieving for seed sowing
(there is a compost sieve available to use in the community garden). Email Camo
to arrange a pick-up … or to find out about volunteering/ learning about
compost: compost@birminghamfoe.org.uk
Love and solidarity from all at Birmingham Friends of the Earth and The Warehouse
