Greenspace Scotland bulletin

monthly ebulletin June 2012

Welcome to the monthly ebulletin for month. You can navigate through the stories by using the shortcuts to each section in the box below.   You are receiving this because you have subscribed to get up-to-date news from greenspace scotland and the greenspace network.   Get in touch by emailing info@greenspacescotland.org.uk   We want your feedback too - do you find the ebulletin useful? Do you have any comments or suggestions about how we can make it more helpful and relevant to you?

shortcut to sections - click on headings below: greenspace scotland news | network news | scotland news | UK & International | research | funding | jobs | events greenspace scotland where can we grow now? Scottish Government has funded greenspace scotland to bring together community groups who are working on food growing and local food projects to create a vision of ‘our ideal food growing community’. The project will develop a visualisation tool and support materials to help communities to visualise, plan and create their own ‘ideal’ food growing community.   The project is based on work published last year which highlighted that more and more people in Scotland want to grow their own fruit and veg but land availability is a major constraint. It will capture the ideas and knowledge of community growing groups and organisations to develop a visual map of a typical Scottish town. This will illustrate the range of different community growing models (e.g. allotments, community gardens, community orchards, edible landscapes) and match them to the different places where community growing could happen (e.g. school grounds, backgreens, work places, temporary spaces, even road side planters) with support information for each of the growing models.   We see this being used by communities to spark ideas, identify which types of growing they want to take forward, and to begin to map their own community growing vision and plans. We have already started engaging with growing groups and communities, and the next stage will involve gaining input and expertise from community growing organisations and professionals. More    community placemaking for green networks reports online The first two reports from the green networks programme are now available on the greenspace scotland website.   In Ruchazie, a neighbourhood in the north-east of Glasgow, the focus was on how existing greenspace could be used to make better neighbourhood connections, particular attention was given to vacant and derelict land and underused spaces. More    The Westfield village report, in West Lothian, looked at how a range of open space and green network issues arising from stalled development plans could be addressed. More    For more information about these reports or to find out how our Community Placemaking Services could help you transform your local spaces and places, please contact Elaine Gibb  or view our community placemaking webpages    greenspace scotland project database   project of the month: Gorbals Healthy Living Network (GHLN) Taking part in greenspace scotland’s greenspace is good - so prove it programme, which supported community greenspace groups to adopt a Social Return on Investment (SROI) approach to one of their activities, has really paid off for the Gorbals Healthy Living Network. The SROI analysis which was produced has helped the group demonstrate the value of their work and to evidence the changes they are able to deliver. Helen Trainor, Chairperson, stated “having a SROI report has made all the difference to us. Our organisational credibility has increased markedly and policy makers and funders take us much more seriously. The SROI report has assisted us to access new funds and exciting opportunities”   The SROI analysis has supported GHLN to develop the next elements of their growing and greenspace activities and to access resources and support for this including Awards for All and the CSGN Development Fund. Over the next year they will be engaging local residents and stakeholders via Community Placemaking to look at key greenspaces and green network issues. Initially focusing on the Laurieston area, the aim is to tackle the poor quality of the local environment, including temporary spaces - identifying short term and temporary actions.   This will provide GHLN with the knowledge and understanding of what the local community wants from its greenspaces and intelligence on what actions need to happen to deliver this. A programme of action greenspace and green network enhancements is planned around clean up and clearance, greening small spaces and routes, creating social spaces and further community food growing areas. The detail of these will be developed through the Community Placemaking exercises. Commonwealth Jobs Fund employees and a local volunteer team will support project delivery, with training and skills development opportunities provided. More    Read the GHLN SROI analysis    greenspace scotland can provide SROI services to groups and organisations. We can undertake an SROI on a consultancy basis or can offer mentoring and support. For more information contact Karen Carrick, SROI Programme Manager or view our SROI webpages    Remember - to access full details on any project, including community engagement strategies, funding information and project outcomes, you need to be a Network Member of greenspace scotland. Membership is FREE and available to any organisation delivering greenspace projects in Scotland. To find out how you can join the fast-growing network click here Back to top network news fruitful funding for Forth Valley orchards Forth Environment Link has received a major funding boost with the award of £326,000 to further develop its Forth Valley Orchards’ Initiative over the next three years. The funding announced by Environment & Climate Change Minister, Stewart Stevenson, is part of a £2.2M package of funding from the Central Scotland Green Network Development Fund for projects over the next 3 years. The award will enable Forth Environment Link to take forward the next phase of the initiative until March 2015, focusing on developing the economic potential of orchards and expanding orchards in schools across the Forth Valley. More    Read about other projects receiving funding from the Central Scotland Green Network Development Fund here    Urban Roots’ new community market garden and allotment site Urban Roots, a community led environmental organisation based on the Southside of Glasgow, has a new 1 acre growing space. The site, which will be developed solely by volunteers, will include allotment beds for local people, a market garden growing produce to sell to local fruit and veg shops and cafes, orchards, wildlife areas and a natural play area. The dedicated team of volunteers meet up each Monday and more helpers living in Glasgow are always welcome. More    funding for the Moss o’ Balloch West Dunbartonshire Environment Trust has been working with community and other organisational partners in Balloch to transform the Moss o’ Balloch into an all year round events space for families and visitors. Chair of Balloch & Haldane Community Council, Murdoch Cameron MBE, said “the proposed environmental improvements (will) create a fantastic greenspace facility for public events and community activities”. Following an initial investment from their own funds the Trust has now received financial support from the Scottish Government, the European Community Forth Valley & Lomond LEADER 2007-2013 programme and West Dunbartonshire Council. For more information contact Alan McMullen, Environmental Regeneration Manager.    wildflower and woodlands beside the Wheel Local people, along with volunteers from TCV, Green Routes and Enable Scotland, have helped to plant 3,500 wildflowers in a meadow next to the Falkirk Wheel in Camelon. As well as being visually pleasing, the meadow will improve species diversity and provide a variety of plants for insect pollinators. Future volunteer projects will include planting even more wildflowers in the meadow and creating a bee bank for nesting solitary bees. More     buzzing westwards Continuing with meadow-related news, last month we reported on new wildflower meadows in Edinburgh and now a similar initiative is taking place in the west. Buglife has joined forces with Glasgow City Council to transform mown grassland in urban areas into colourful and species-rich wildflower meadows. Funded by the Landfill Communities Fund, wildflower meadows are being created in several parks including Hogganfield Park, Glasgow Green and Cranhill Park. Work will start in Linn Park and Victoria Park after July. More Back to top scotland news Scotland's first Strategic Development Plan approved Scottish Ministers have approved the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan. The plan proposes a 'green network' which will ensure that green infrastructure is planned into developments to provide the environmental setting for the City region’s urban area and a link to rural areas. More    consultation on architecture and placemaking policy The consultation identifies 4 key themes around which the policy on architecture and placemaking could contribute to the future shape of Scotland. These are: supporting sustainable economic growth; shaping Scotland’s future; embedding built environment design into wider policy agendas and ensuring public and private sector buy-in; and recognising the cultural value of architecture, urbanism and heritage. The consultation document sets out a number of questions on which the Scottish Government would welcome views. Closing date for consultation responses is 7 September. More    a walk a day keeps the doctor away Physical inactivity contributes to nearly 2,500 deaths and costs the NHS £91 million each year in Scotland. It is the fourth leading health risk factor! The Scottish Government plans to produce a National Walking Strategy to maximise the number of people using walking as a mode of transport, to get active and to stay active. Speaking during a debate in Parliament on physical activity and obesity, Sport Minister Shona Robison said: “We know that 30 minutes of walking each day provides more protection against death than any medication.There is overwhelming evidence in relation to the health benefits that come from walking so that is why the Scottish Government will develop a National Walking Strategy. This will address infrastructure, support and communication to make sure we do everything possible to help the use walking as a mode of transport or to get active”. More    environmental indicators for community planning The new Environmental Indicators Framework forms part of the Improvement Service’s wider work to improve the menu of local outcome indicators which are used in Community Planning Partnerships’ Single Outcome Agreements (SOAs). The framework illustrates how these indicators can be used to describe the state of the environment, the progress being made towards environmental outcomes, the activities required to support that progress and links to further guidance and related information. More    LEAP online SCDC has launched a new software package to support participatory, outcome focused planning and evaluation - LEAP (Learning Evaluation and Planning) is a values based approach to planning and evaluating work with communities. The user friendly online version encourages users to ask critical questions about their project or programme and is designed to support joint working by allowing access to shared project plans and reports among various partners and stakeholders. A free initial trial period of three months is being offered. More    update on climate change actions In 2007 all 32 Scottish local authorities signed up to Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration (SCCD) which committed councils to take steps to tackle climate change and to report their actions on a yearly basis. Two analyses have been produced using data extracted from these annual monitoring reports. A Mitigation Analysis, produced by Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB) gives an overview of local authority action to reduce corporate emissions, drawing in input from The Carbon Trust, as well as a more thorough analysis of action on area-wide emissions. More An Adaptation Analysis by Adaptation Scotland focuses on local authority action on climate change adaptation for the period 2010-11. More    support for grow your own A new website has been set up by the Grow Your Own Working Group. This brings together organisations that are involved in community growing and offers access to a range of resources. More   a silver play day 2012 is the 25th anniversary of Playday - an annual celebration of play which is traditionally held on the first Wednesday in August. The theme for this year is ‘Get Out and Play’ and Play Scotland are seeking photographs of favourite outdoor play spaces. The closing date for entries is 15 August 2012. The winning design will be used for a Play Scotland pop up stand and the winner will receive a £50 Argos voucher, memory box and a Play Scotland goodie bag. More  Back to top UK & International news grey places need greenspaces A report published by Groundwork highlights many reasons why we need to preserve and nurture our urban greenspaces. ‘Grey places need green spaces – the case for investing in our nation’s natural assets’ argues that the benefits of greenspace to our communities including “greater public health, better personal wellbeing and economic prospects and reduced violence and aggression” are too important to squander. Using evidence from across the greenspace sector, the report makes recommendations on how parks and greenspaces of all shapes and sizes could be preserved for future generations - ranging from national legislation to facilitating local action.   Landscape designer and broadcaster Chris Beardshaw, who wrote the foreword to the report, said: “It is as simple as making a choice – a choice to put green space high on the agenda of social investment because it is proven that where positive green spaces exist that issues such as crime and deprivation decline and our health and wellbeing increases. Everyone deserves to see the green shoots of recovery and in this case it really can be as literal as that.” More    take your park’s temperature? Well not quite, but communities are being asked to carry out a park health check. The initiative being carried out as part of ‘Love Parks Week’ is giving communities the opportunity to consider how they feel about their local park. As David Tibetts from GreenSpace said, “We know what a ‘quality’ park looks like, but what we’re aiming to achieve with our Park Health Check ‘is to evaluate quality by perception rather than definition, asking how people actually feel about their local space.” More    helping hoes save thousands The ‘Garden Partners’ project in Wandsworth is a small scheme that finds volunteers to help older people who can no longer maintain their back garden on their own. As well as providing health and wellbeing benefits an official audit of the project - which involves just 46 older people in a single borough in south London - has concluded that it could have saved the taxpayer as much as £500,000. The report indicates that four out of five of the older people said it had helped them maintain or even improve their physical activity and 83 per cent said it had made them more mobile. The same proportion said it had helped reduce or maintain their levels of anxiety. This approach is now at the centre of a government strategy which could save the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds a year and transform the quality of life of many older people. Find out more here and here   community land advice online A new website supporting the drive to make more land available to community gardening and growing groups is now available. The Community Land Advisory Service (CLAS) is an impartial, collaborative initiative, designed to help tackle the lack of available land for community gardening and associated activities. The website contains a range of useful documents, from FAQs about community land use, to overviews of topics such as finding land, offering land to community groups, negotiating tips and information on leases and planning. There are also links to a wealth of existing publications and websites. A small team of CLAS advisors are also available in help answer specific queries with detailed technical advice. More    campaigning for the environment Are you speaking out and taking action on environmental issues? Then applying for a Sheila McKechnie Foundation Campaigner Award, will equip you with the right skills to become a more effective campaigner. Entry is free and all costs relating to participation in the programme will be covered by the Sheila McKechnie Foundation. More  Back to top research Scots get active outdoors Scottish Natural Heritage has released the latest figures tracking the proportion of Scottish adults visiting the outdoors for leisure or recreation at least once a week. The main findings show that in 2011, 46% of Scottish adults were visiting the outdoors for leisure or recreation at least once a week, a slight decrease from 2010 (2%). Walking is the most popular outdoor recreational activity among adults living in Scotland - it was the main activity on 74% of visits to the outdoors in 2011. Family outings, the main activity on 9% of visits, were next in terms of popularity. This was followed by cycling and mountain biking, the main activity on 4% of visits. Total expenditure on visits to the outdoors in 2011 was estimated to be around £2.7 billion. More    young people enjoy time out in greenspace Young Scot has teamed up with SNH to launch ‘Simple Pleasures’, a campaign aimed at inspiring more young people to enjoy Scotland’s outdoors by making more use of green places in the middle of cities, woodland, waterways and paths. The campaign has been adapted for young people, after research highlighted that more than 93% of 11-17 year olds in Scotland enjoy spending their free time outdoors, with 69% stating they would like to spend more time outdoors. This summer, Young Scot will be travelling across the country to gather young people’s experiences on the different greenspaces which they enjoy in their local area. These findings will be showcased nationally, to inspire more young people to take some time out and connect with nature. More    ease of access to the outdoors lengthens lives The Inclusive Design for Getting Outdoors consortium (I'DGO) which involves scientists from the universities of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, Salford and Warwick have explored the wellbeing of people aged over 65 and their ability to go out and about and have discovered a direct link between the ease of getting outdoors and health and quality of life. The study, involving 4,350 older people across the UK, found that good walkable access to local shops, services and greenspaces doubled the chances of an older person achieving the minimum recommended amount of walking - 2.5 hours each week. "One of the interesting things from my point of view is how strongly the importance of the natural environment came out in that study," said Prof Ward Thompson, who led the research, “If you lived within 10 minutes of a park, then you were twice as likely to achieve the recommended minimum amount of physical activity." More    vacant spaces are safer green Greening of vacant urban land may affect the health and safety of nearby residents, according to a recent study. The study by the University of Pennsylvania found in a decade-long comparison of vacant lots and improved vacant lots, that greening was linked to significant reductions in gun assaults across most of Philadelphia and significant reductions in vandalism in one section of the city. Vacant lot greening was also associated with residents in certain sections of the city reporting significantly less stress and more exercise. Dr.Charles Branas stated “Improving the places where people live, work and play, holds great promise for changing health and safety. Greening vacant lots is a low-cost, high-value approach, which may prevent certain crimes and encourage healthy activity for more people and for longer periods of time than many other approaches.”   climate changes at a click The European Environment Agency (EEA) have added a series of interactive maps to the new Climate-ADAPT website which shows projected changes in temperature and precipitation across Europe for 2021-2050 and 2071-2100. Drawing on regional climate projections, the maps graphically demonstrate how average temperatures in Europe will continue to rise and that summers will be drier and winters wetter. New interactive temperature and precipitation maps, produced by the EU-funded ENSEMBLES project, can now be found alongside a series of other maps of future climate change impacts, vulnerability and risks. This includes maps on water stress, flood risks, agriculture and forests. More    urban areas at risk Over three quarters of Europe’s population live in cities and are particularly likely to feel the effects of climate change. A new European Environment Agency report, ‘Urban adaptation to climate change in Europe’, is the first Europe-wide assessment of urban vulnerability to climate change. Due to higher levels of artificial surfaces and lower levels of vegetation, the report’s authors argue that urban areas experience higher temperatures than rural areas, creating ‘urban heat islands’ that exacerbate the effects of heat waves. The report stresses that for urban adaptation action to be effective policy-makers at local, national and European level will need to work together to create the right conditions and frameworks. More    warning – city living can damage your health And if the threat from climate change was not enough... Finnish scientists say certain bacteria, shown to be beneficial for human health, are found in greater abundance in non-urban surroundings. A lack of exposure to a "natural environment" could be resulting in more urban dwellers developing allergies and asthma. It is now scientifically proven - healthy bacteria can be found not only in a certain yoghurt drink but also in the countryside. More    trees ‘significantly improve’ air quality in cities The Woodland Trust, in collaboration with Lancaster and Birmingham Universities, has produced an ‘Urban air quality’ report which examines how urban greening can be tailored to achieve air quality goals while creating health and social benefits. The study looked at existing research and found the overall benefits of trees to air quality respiratory health are ‘overwhelmingly positive’. A single tree near polluted areas will scrub air of pollutants by as much as 15-20% More    forestry evidence reviews Three new reviews commissioned from Forest Research have assessed the published evidence in relation to: public access to woodlands and forests; community forest governance and ownership; and international comparisons of forest policy. The reports, which have a particular focus on the state of knowledge about the effectiveness of interventions, are now available on the Independent Forestry Panel's website. More  Back to top funding Heritage Lottery Fund Parks for People offers grants for projects that regenerate public parks of national, regional or local heritage value. Funding is available for grants of between £250,000 and £5 million. Some of the funds for projects must come from other sources, either as cash or non-cash contributions. Closing date for applications is 31 August. More     All Our Stories There’s still time to submit a bid to this HLF small grant programme designed to help local communities answer questions about their past. Application deadline is 31 July 2012 and applicants will be informed in October 2012. More     People's Postcode Trust The People’s Postcode Trust has announced that it will re-open for applications on 9 July 2012. Grants are offered of between £500 and £10,000 to small organisations and community groups for projects lasting up to 3 months in areas including environmental protection. The deadline for all applications is 5pm on the 24 August 2012. More     Scottish Natural Heritage on-line grants web portal SNH community grants are now available for application. They are focussed on getting more people and communities involved in outdoor recreation, volunteering and outdoor learning; action to improve, protect and manage habitats, species and landscapes; and citizen science and biological recording. More     Explore Fund -children's outdoor recreational activities The Outdoor clothing company North Face"has announced the launch of a new funding round of its Explore Fund. The Explore Fund supports not for profit organisations that encourage youth outdoor participation. Grants are available for projects that encourage community involvement; focus on breaking down barriers to getting youth outdoors; and projects that reach out to a specific community or place of interest. The closing date for applications is the 2 July 2012. More     Sita Trust's Enhancing Communities Programme - Core Fund Grants of up to £60,000 are available to not for profit organisations, community groups, parish councils, local authorities and charities for projects that make physical improvements to community facilities and historic buildings / structures. SITA will accept applications from projects which are within 3 miles of qualifying SITA UK waste processing sites. The closing date for applications 23 July 2012. More   Comic Relief Local Communities Grants Up to £10,000 for projects that empower local people, enabling them to create lasting change in their communities. Projects should be run by people directly affected by the issues they are dealing with and priority will be given to small, locally based groups or organisations in areas of disadvantage that have a clear understanding of the needs of their community. Next date for panel sitting is 26 June. More     Community Spaces Programme – Big Lottery Fund The Community Spaces Programme will re-open for applications in June 2012. Through the programme, grants of between £10,000 and £250,000 are available to communities in Scotland to improve the appearance, functionality, accessibility, effectiveness and sustainability of local spaces and places this can include: Developing and improving local parks, community paths, gardens; play parks, allotments, community centres and village halls. More     Cycle Friendly & Sustainable Communities Fund The Cycle Friendly and Sustainable Communities Fund (CFSCF) is now open for applications from individual community-led projects, aiming to increase the number of trips made by bicycle. Grants of up to £6,000 are available for projects that can demonstrate a shift to trips by bicycle and a reduction in carbon emissions. The deadline for applications is the 25 June 2012. More   Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund The Scottish Government has announced a £10 million capital projects fund to encourage participation in grassroots sport. Awards of up to £250,000 are available to construct new facilities or improve existing playing fields, changing rooms or sports centres. The awards will spread over the next 3 years, culminating in 2014. The Fund will be administered by SportsScotland. More     Grab A Grant - CSV Action Earth 2012 If you are planning an environmental activity using volunteers or think you can come up with a good project that improves your local area, then you could be eligible for a CSV Action Earth grant. The CSV Action Earth campaign is running from May to November, supported by SNH and offers grants up to £500 to cover plants, materials, tools and expenses. More  Back to top jobs Schools’ Project Officer for Forth Valley Orchards Initiative Forth Environment Link are seeking an individual to expand the number of school orchards through the Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) and develop a network of existing and new school orchard groups to link them to the wider orchard network across the CSGN area. A background in environmental education, practical orchard establishment and management, and excellent communication skills are essential. Salary £21,500 - 22,500 pro rata, 14 hours a week until 31 March 2013. There may be a possibility of continuing the post until March 2015, subject to funding. Closing date 17 June. More contracts and tenders visitor survey for community greenspace Perth and Kinross Council are inviting tenders for a visitor survey to take place between July and October 2012. Closing date is 22 June 2012 at 12 noon. Further details are available on the Procurement Scotland website or by calling Jeremy Evans, Senior Countryside Ranger on 01738 475 000. Back to top events and training 8 June - Theatre at Brediland Allotments, Foxbar Nutshell Theatre is offering a unique ‘site-specific’ theatre experience. ‘Allotment’ is a dark comedy which follows the complex and quirky relationship between sisters Dora and Maddy as they live out the seasons on their allotment, playing out their rivalries among the plants. Homemade scones, jam and tea are included in the ticket price. More    9 June - Youth Green Charter Edinburgh A one day intensive workshop by Roars not Whispers for young people aged 16 to 26 interested in climate change and the environment. More    12 June – CSGN Forum: How green networks make our towns and cities liveable This second annual Forum for the CSGN looks at the health and vitality of our major towns and cities and draws inspiration from green infrastructure projects in London, New York and closer to home. More    14 June – Talk Action – Engaging Communities on Climate Change This course will teach you the skills and information needed to develop long-term engagement of civil society organisations, groups and individuals in work on climate change and low-carbon living. More    14-15 June - SROI Network – SROI Practitioner Training This two day course is essential for individuals seeking to become accredited practitioners. It is also useful for individuals considering doing an SROI. More    16 June - Scottish Orchards Gathering, Edinburgh Botanic Gardens The theme of the day will be to look at how fruit growing is developing across different parts of Scotland at local and regional levels – and to identify opportunities to work together and share ideas, skills and knowhow. Book at eventbrite or enquiries to John    16 June - Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society Annual Conference, Dunblane More     27 June - Network Event at Shettlestone Community Growing Project This networking event is for anyone interested in/involved with therapeutic or community gardens, or greenspaces used to improve health, well-being or for community benefit. More     27 June - Integrated Habitat Networks, Stirling Scottish Natural Heritage is hosting two information sessions on Habitat Networks in the Central Scotland Green Network area. Aimed at environmental practitioners within the private sector and third sector environmental organisations. To book please email  - there is no charge however places are limited.    SNH Sharing Good Practice programme of events Sessions covering a wide range of topics can be viewed on the SNH website. More     Environmental and Community Leaders Training Programme 2012 A multi-partner and diverse programme of ‘green’ learning which reflects the huge range of activity present in environmental volunteering in Scotland. Download the 2012 training programme brochure here     21-29 July - Love Parks Week More     30 August - Grounds for Learning Glasgow tour Find out how three primary schools in and around Glasgow are providing some of the most interesting school-based play experiences in Scotland. More  Back to top

greenspace scotland - transforming urban spaces into people places http://www.greenspacescotland.org.uk/ greenspace scotland is a registered Scottish Charity (No. SC034078) and a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in Scotland (No. 236105). greenspace scotland provides this ebulletin as a rapid information service for organisations and individuals with an interest in greenspace. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that the information included is correct, greenspace scotland cannot accept liability for any omissions or inaccuracies and does not take responsibility for the quality of any services or products mentioned nor for the content of any external websites

This fruitful land is your land

Dear all

I have put a petition to the Scottish Parliament - asking for the Scottish  Government to consider allowing people to use underused land for fruitful
food growing. This is before the Scottish Parliament petitions committee on
12th June. The petition is at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_PublicPetitionsCommittee/Petitions/PE1433_Final_Version_22.5.12.pdf

(unfortunately their petition software doesn't work! - so I've had to set up
a separate petition that people can actually sign)

I'm hoping to get 1000 signatures to present on the 12th June - so please do
this now. Please encourage people to sign the e-petition below - and pass it on.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/land-for-landless-scots-for-grow-your-own

All best

John


 John Hancox
 Tel 0778 606 3918

BBC

Over the next few days, the BBC Board of Trustees could be deciding who to appoint as the next Director General - one of broadcasting's most important jobs.

The media have already begun to take bets on who the successful candidate will be, whilst outspoken politicians have already started point scoring by suggesting the job should go to a candidate who is party political. [1]

Lord Patten and the rest of the BBC Trustees have the final say on who gets the job. Let's show them we won't stand for political game-playing when it comes to such an important choice.

38 Degrees members have said that one of the most valuable things about the BBC is its independence. Together we can show Lord Patten that we'd like him to keep it that way.

Please add your name to the letter to Lord Patten now:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/protect-bbc-independence

The BBC is famous all over the world. People rely on its news reporting. Its programmes are enjoyed in countries thousands of miles away from the UK. The new Director General will be in charge of it all. It's vital the right person ends up in the job - and that means someone who understands that the BBC's independence must never be compromised.

We know that 38 Degrees members can influence the BBC's decisions. Two years ago we helped save 6Music by convincing bosses to drop their plans to close the station. And BBC bosses must be glad we saved the station now - 6Music just won "UK Radio Station of the Year" at this year's Sony Awards.

Lord Patten knows that the BBC Trustees must protect the BBC from political interference. But he doesn't know how many of us want him to make sure that's a top priority when the new Director General is chosen.

Write to Lord Patten now:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/protect-bbc-independence 

Thanks for being involved,


Hannah, Belinda, Marie, Cian, David T, Becky, James, David and the 38 Degrees team


PS: The BBC Board of Trustees are going to be interviewing candidates soon, so there isn't much time to let them know how important this decision is. Please write to Lord Patten now:

NOTES
[1] Boris Johnson's article about choosing the next BBC Director General:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/borisjohnson/9263772/The-statist-defeatist-and-biased-BBC-is-on-the-wrong-wavelength.html

International Level Crossing Awareness Day

The International Level Crossing Awareness Day is a joint commitment continuing from the success of the first European Level Crossing Awareness Day held on 25th June 2009 in 28 countries raising public awareness on the dangers of misbehaviour at level crossings.
Level crossing accidents account for only 1.2% of road deaths but 29% of all rail fatalities based on European statistics. Road and rail organisations from participating countries acknowledged their shared responsibility to deal with this issue by organising safety events to develop public awareness and safe behaviour at and around level crossings

Trackoff

Trackoff is Britain’s rail industry initiative to help educate children and teenagers about safe conduct on the railway.
Millions of young people live close to a railway line or use the railway to travel to school, to visit friends or to go on holiday.
Some are drawn to play on the railway; some feel like messing about.
All need to understand the dangers and consequences of playing on or misbehaving on the railway.

Latest Teaching Resource (free download)

Level crossing safety
View Pack

Other Teacher Packs (free download)

A good journey
View Pack Trespass & vandalism

View Pack Graffiti

View Pack

Free Teaching Resources (free downloads)

Download classroom activities, assembly ideas, lesson plans and other teaching resources. The resources have been validated by a panel of teachers and education consultants for National and Scottish Curriculum. Read more...

Trackoff Shop

A selection of resources, such as leaflets and booklets, is available for purchasing at the Trackoff Shop. Read more...

Where Are the Dangers?

Learn about the risks and consequences of playing on the railway. Read more...

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Exciting news -- 40,000 Avaaz campaigners?!

Dear friends,

Think of a petition you'd like to start on any issue – it takes just a few minutes to create your own campaign! If your petition takes off, it may become an Avaaz campaign – either to members in your area, or even to the whole world.

Today is a big day for Avaaz. If you join in, we might just move from having a small team of 40 campaigners to having 40,000!!

When I started Avaaz, it was just a crazy idea. But I loved the idea, and shared it, and now it's an idea that 14,500,000 people share! I've been blown away by the passion, creativity, smarts and commitment of everyone in this community. Every day Avaaz members send in brilliant and important ideas for new campaigns to create the world we all want – more than our small staff could ever carry out alone.

So, to unlock all the incredible potential of our community to change the world, we've developed our website tools to allow any Avaazer to instantly start their *own* online petitions, tell friends, and win campaigns.

The site just went live – will you give it a try? Think of a petition you'd like to start on any issue – something impacting your local community, some bad behaviour by a distant corporation, or a global cause that you think other Avaaz members would care about. If your petition takes off, it may become an Avaaz campaign – either to members in your area, or even to the whole world! Click here to get started – it takes just a few minutes to create your own campaign!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/?vl

I'm so excited about this. In just five years, Avaaz has run an incredible number of hard-hitting campaigns and grown to be the largest-ever global movement for change, all with just a tiny staff – imagine what's possible with all of us starting and winning amazing campaigns! I can't wait.

With much respect and hope,

Ricken

Almost to a million - add your name

Dear Friend,

As the Rio+20 Earth Summit draws near, Earth Day Network has joined a diverse coalition calling for an end to fossil fuel subsidies. Our combined global petition now has over 990,000 signatures!

Help us reach a million this week! Sign the petition here: www.earthday.org/rio. 

Last year alone, governments gave over $500 billion to some of the richest corporations on the planet to promote fossil fuel extraction and use.

We need to send a strong message to world leaders gathered in Rio: Fossil fuel subsidies drive climate change, drain public resources, and make it virtually impossible for clean energy sources to compete in the market. If we’re going to jumpstart the green economy and chart a course to a sustainable future, they must end.

Once you sign the petition asking leaders at Rio+20 to create a plan to phase out fossil fuel subsidies around the world, please share it with friends:

Events at New Lanark World Heritage Site Summer 2012

Co-operative Carnival
Saturday 16th June, 11am - 4pm
To celebrate International Year of Co-operatives your Co-op membership team is organising an event at New Lanark. We hope you can join us at the Co-op Carnival, which is open to all. There are lots of exciting things planned - cookery demonstrations with the 'Savour The Flavour' Fair Trade kitchen, live music by The Co-op Brass Band, Co-op film screenings, children's games and activities.

Father's Day Fun!
Sunday 17th June, 12 - 4pm
Free entry to New Lanark Visitor Centre for dads with every full paying child! Kids' craft and colouring activities will be available in the Visitor Centre.

Midsummer on the Roof Garden
Sunday 17th June, 5pm - 8pm
Join us for this special evening event on Scotland's largest roof garden and enjoy seeing the garden in bloom. You'll enjoy live musical entertainment, discover the surface of the sun solar-gazing, be amazed by our magician, enjoy a talk by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and visit the plant stall. Admission is only £5 per adult (£2.50 per child) and includes a glass of wine / soft drink. Event is run as part of Scotland's Gardens Scheme programme.

Book Launch - 'Robert Owen and his Legacy'
Sunday 24th June, 3pm
Join us in the River Room at New Lanark Visitor Centre for the launch of this new book 'Robert Owen and his Legacy', which consists of twelve essays from leading scholars and researchers on various aspects of the life, work and legacy of Robert Owen. This will be a unique opportunity to meet the contributors and ask some of the questions about Robert Owen - a controversial figure -  you've always wanted answered. Plus you'll have the opportunity to purchase a signed copy of the book!

CD & Record Fair
Sunday 8th July, 11am - 5pm
The CD & Record Fair is the ideal opportunity to browse through a wide selection of music and add to your collection. Free entry to the Fair.

Victorian Fair
Sunday 2nd September, 12am - 5pm
This huge annual street fair offers a wide variety of live entertainment including music, singing, and dancing, plus face-painting and fun activities for kids. There's also a wide range of craft and gift stalls. It's a fantastic family day out and great value too - only £5 per car parking fee with funds raised going to support a local charity.