The Beestonian Issue 67: The Environmental Issue

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January 2020 | issue no. 67

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for residents of beeston... and the world!

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Beestonian The

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irst things first. I’m not Matt. We’ve recycled him, so now I’m writing this bit. If you don’t know who I am because you’ve not been paying attention, I’m that new editor person who we announced in the last issue. I usually do the poetry stuff, but my master plan to take over the world (starting with Beeston) is finally coming together and they put me in charge, and here we are.

Now we know each other, HAPPY NEW YEAR! We’re kicking things off this year by thinking about sustainability and the environment. I don’t know about you but I think the planet is pretty important, and we’re all increasingly trying to do our bit for the environment. In the hugeness of the universe, Beeston may be a tiny speck of a thing, but it’s our speck and there’s lots we can do right here on our doorstep to ensure we’re living a more sustainable existence.

Since Oxfam’s ‘Second-hand September’ campaign, I’ve bought all my clothes from charity shops. I used to be the person who would always accidentally end up in New Look along the high road, and come out with yet another new t-shirt. I once went in Peacocks almost every day of the week, buying something new each time. But since I started buying second-hand, people have

started saying things like ‘why does Jade always have THE BEST clothes?’ and it’s all thanks to Beeston’s array of charity shops.

There are gems out there looking for a new lease of life. I haven’t bought anything new since I started this ‘challenge’, because I don’t need to. And it’s a lot easier on the environment too. Some people even like to get crafty and make their own clothes, and Beeston has plenty of fabric available to get you started, which you can read about in this issue’s Creative Beeston pages.

Speaking of crafty types, Artworks along Chilwell High Road has a ‘Waste Less’ Shop, which is exactly that: it’s full of sustainable products to help you waste less. We spoke to them about it, so go on and read about that too, as well as all the other wonderful scribblings from our writers.

And remember, this magazine has always been 100% recyclable.

Right, I’ll leave you alone to contemplate your new years’ resolutions and suchlike, just as long as BE MORE SUSTAINABLE is number one.

Enjoy the read!

JM

JADE MOORE Greetings from the editor...

remembering alice I Am Beeston This issue: Alice Grundy

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n the 25th of June 2017, the Canalside Heritage Centre opened its doors for the first time, after being transformed into a wonderful visitors centre and cafe from a derelict row of cottages. Of course I went along with my Beestonian hat on and the famous ‘I Am Beeston’ sign, just in case I should meet some more brilliant Beestonians.

Well actually I did, and one person in particular stood out. A sweet little old lady by the name of Alice Grundy. Besides her great age, unbeknown to me was that she had opened the centre, as she had a strong connection with the area, in that she had

UNIVERSITY OF BEESTONIA Geoscience and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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n 2015 the United Nations released a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives of all. This ambitious blueprint outlined 17 Goals, and a 15-year timeframe in which to achieve them.

Sustainability is a challenging concept but is broadly defined in this context as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”.

The focus on the SDGs and sustainability in general has opened a wealth of opportunities for scientists. One of the biggest shifts in the UK has been in the nature of the funding landscape, with the introduction of the “Global Challenges Research Fund” in 2015 - a £1.5bn UK Government funding initiative.

This has in turn seen many Universities and Research Institutes align their research strategies with the SDGs – for example, the British Geological Survey’s “Geoscience for Sustainable Futures” programme, or the University of Nottingham’s Global Research Theme “Developing Sustainable Societies” and Future Food Beacon of Excellence, which have been discussed previously in this column.

lived on the canal and where her young sister Annie, who was eight at the time sadly drowned.

Fast forward to September this year when Beestonian Towers received a message from her son in law Malcolm and her daughter Lesley. They wanted to chat about Alice and the life that she had led. So one evening, I popped down with my jotter and pen. Fortunately they had provided me with a transcript of the tribute that had been paid to Alice at her funeral. She sadly died a shade before her 100th birthday. So the following is a slightly condensed version of that tribute.

Continues...

The UN SDGs – find out more at www.un.org/ sustainabledevelopment/ sustainable-developmentgoals/ Geoscience, our focus at the BGS, as well as other (and arguably all) science disciplines have a crucial role in underpinning and delivering applied solutions to improve economic and social welfare both at home and overseas. Perhaps the key to achieving the goals is tied up in Goal 17 –Partnerships for the Goals. We can no longer be scientists that sail our own ships, the need for crossdisciplinary working has never been stronger. We also need to work effectively and appropriately with overseas partners – be these academics, government bodies, or local communities – working together to co-design research, and co-produce knowledge to positively impact economic, environmental, and social development at local to global scales.

Achieving the UN-SDGs by 2030 might seem like an insurmountable task, and will be challenging, but does represent an exciting opportunity for scientists both in the UK and overseas to contribute to making positive change at a global scale.

Thanks to Dr. Keely Mills from the British Geological Survey (BGS) for contributing to the column this issue

“Alice was born in Liverpool during 1920.

She lived with her parents, grandparents and siblings George and Annie. Unfortunately her parents’ marriage came to an end, so the three youngsters went to live with their grandparents on a houseboat on the canal in the Rylands. And as mentioned previously, in 1930, Annie tragically fell into the water.

Something that Alice never got over. She went to Church Street School, before moving to Nether Street. Alice remembered when the area was farms and fields, and buying beer for her grandma from the original Jolly Anglers pub. She also danced on the stage at the Boat and Horses, and played with the Bagshaw brothers who lived in the cottages before they became the heritage centre.

When Alice was 14, she returned to Liverpool to complete her education and began working in a linen shop. But she learned that her friends back in Beeston were earning more as apprentices at Ericssons. So that’s what Alice did. She moved back to Beeston and worked as an electronics tester. During World War II, she went back to Liverpool to live with her mum and brother George. But their house was destroyed during two air raids, and so they moved to Yorkshire.

After the war, Alice moved back to Beeston, where she met and married a man called Wilf Grundy in 1946. They firstly lived on Waverley

“She was very kind and generous and was a volunteer with the Partially Sighted Group...”

Avenue, before moving to Canalside, then to a house in Chilwell, with their children Kevin and Lesley. Wilf was a lawn bowler, and so Alice joined too and became a brilliant player.

They won many competitions, both in mixed pairs and separately. They were also involved in Plessey’s Social Club, where they danced the night away on many, many occasions.

The slow foxtrot being their favourite, until Wilf passed away in 2002.

But Alice was always thinking of others.

She was very kind and generous and was a volunteer with the Partially Sighted Group, where she helped for some 30 years. She was also involved with the Old Mission and the church on Victory Road. She also used to go shopping for people, and used to ride a bike through Beeston, often laden with groceries, and continued to cycle well into her 70s.

Alice moved to Venn Court in the late 1990’s where she was the life and soul of the centre.

She kept busy playing darts, keeping fit, and being involved in all the social activities that the independent living scheme had to offer.

She clearly enjoyed living life to the full, being positive about life and always having a laugh. Obviously this positive outlook helped her live to almost a century, despite her early setbacks. An inspiration for us all perhaps”.

CF

CHRISTOPHER FROST

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t’s nearly midnight and I’ve just come back in from taking out the recycling, something that I always do in the dark. Mainly because I don’t want the neighbours to see how much alcohol I drink. There is only so many times you can have a Christmas party before someone suggests you have a problem. Especially when it’s May. The environment is becoming a huge political hot potato, albeit one that was heated in a solar powered oven made from mud. We are constantly bombarded with messages of how little time we’ve got left and how we are on the cusp of Armageddon.

The straws

Don’t worry though everyone, it’s all going to be okay, because we’ve banned the plastic straws.

These cardboard ones aren’t the answer though.

Of all the materials that are suitable for being submerged under water, cardboard would be way down that list. I’d like say that these new straws sucked, but they don’t even do that. Ten seconds in a diet coke and it just gives up, it’s like trying to smoke a roll up in the shower.

I don’t know what the answer is. Maybe we just have to put up with it, or I suppose we could drink directly from the glass, you know, like grown-ups do.

We need to have bigger changes than this.

Otherwise we’ll be sat there on top of a skyscraper in fifty years’ time, tidal waves lapping at our feet, watching cattle float by like driftwood, sipping that same milkshake thinking, “Well I just don’t understand, we changed the straws?”

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This ish: “Call me Captain Planet”

In which our very own Beest of Beeston takes a look at our enviable collection of top-notch taprooms! This month:

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SCOTT BENNETT

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Extinction rebellion

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We have recently seen the rise of the protest group Extinction Rebellion.

It’s no wonder free school meals are in crisis, stop sticking the stuff on paper and cook it!

The group was formed after founder members met at a Psychedelic Drugs retreat. That’s quite impressive, most people who spend most of the day off their face can’t even organise a trip to the all-night garage never mind a political movement.

I swear the things they make are getting bigger, it’s a conspiracy to stop you from throwing it all away. They started as A4 cards, then a painted plate. The week after it was a wooden spatula, by the end of term they’ll be sending them out the door with a sequin covered surfboard.

Recently an anti-terror chief said that they should be treated as a terrorist organisation. Really?

I’d like to see them try and radicalise some unsuspecting arts student: “Oh yes, we started to notice his behaviour change. He would often wander around the house switching off lights and turning down the thermostat. He’d spend all day in his room, watching Greta Thunberg speeches and just silently recycling. Then, two weeks later he totally flipped and tried to hijack that oil tanker with a gluten free breadstick.”

Shamed into action

Like most things, with the environment I think we need to be shamed into doing something, it’s the only way. That’s why a teenager like Greta is having such an impact. We feel embarrassed when our own kids make us look like morons never mind someone else’s.

The day before I have a dental appointment I suddenly start caring about my teeth. I brush till my gums bleed, floss, gargle mouthwash; all so I don’t get told off by my dentist. Cleaning the house is the same. Some days I arrange for people to come and visit me, just so I have no choice but to get off my arse and do the hoovering. This is what we need to do for the environment.

“Right I’m going now, but I’ll be back on Friday to look at your environment, don’t let me down.”

We’d have it sorted in record time.

Our children

We are worried for the next generation. They are pumped full of guilt and fear, and so they should be, it’s partly their fault. Having a kid is terrible for the environment. For the first few years all they do is consume food, energy, and resources.

The amount of arts and crafts they churn out is an environmental disaster that could rival any oil spill.

Every day my three-year-old comes home with more things she’s made at playgroup. It’s a nightmare, I can’t throw it away because she’ll know it’s gone and I can’t recycle it because it’s just a congealed mess of glue, lollipop sticks, paper, and glitter. My fridge door is straining at the hinges with the weight of this poorly executed emotional landfill. They are using up more resources than the US at the height of the industrial revolution.

“Look Daddy, I’ve made you another picture of a sheep in dried pasta.”

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My eldest daughter, Olivia, is a vegetarian at nine years old. She’s doing it both for ethical and environmental reasons. These dietary requirements are something my parents never had to deal with. At her birthday party this year it was a nightmare. We had two vegetarians, a vegan, someone who was wheat intolerant and a celiac. I don’t know where we’re having her party next year, probably Holland and Barrett. It’ll just be sixteen bored kids, sitting there playing pass the parsley for three hours.

Disposable society

We live in a disposable society where we just endlessly consume and things cost more to repair than replace and that’s fundamentally wrong.

Our Tumble dryer broker recently, so I got in touch with the company: “Don’t worry Mr Bennett, for £15.99 a month we can repair your tumble dryer and that will also cover you for all future problems.”

My life insurance is £8.99 a month. I told my wife Jemma, “Can you believe it darling, to repair this tumble dryer it’s going to be twice the price of my life insurance.” She looked at me and said, “Yeah, but the thing is, we couldn’t live without that tumble dryer.”

I wanted to repair it myself, I’m fairly practical, but it was impossible. The manufacturers don’t want you to. I couldn’t even get into the thing!

There are many screws that the designers could have used, ones that fit, say, a conventional screwdriver. But no, my tumble dryer has a screw with a head on it that can only be turned by the toenail of a Komodo dragon! Not a flat-head, not a cross head, this one is like a weird triangle. Who built this thing? The Illuminati?

Before we start trying to tackle bigger issues facing our planet, we need to have a change in our behaviour as a society, not just as individuals.

It needs to be a huge global effort in collective thinking; rather than being led by these huge companies who consistently look to put their profits ahead of the planet. @scottbcomedyuk | scottbennettcomedy.co.uk Find The Scott Bennett Podcast on SoundCloud and iTunes SB

Ok, so this o ne's g throu oin g identit h a bit of a g n y crisis mome at nt (is it a p the curry ub or house a a grea ?!) but wh a Batm t building! t a had a n WISHES he roof l ike t crouc h on t hat to op of.

DAISY LEVERINGTON Chapter 14. eco friendly parenting

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he phrase ‘eco-friendly parenting’ summons up images of forest schools and vegan lentil puree and sharing circles where mums hang out in wafty kaftans while beardy dads whittle musical pipes to sell at local craft markets, but I have a very vivid and judgemental imagination. As someone with less free time than Prince Andrew in 1999, I know how hard it can be to actively do my bit for the environment as well as sort out childcare, work full time and remember which charity your kid needs a pound for at school.

There are, however, a few bits of fairly sensible advice I’ve picked up over the years from people who are far more qualified to bring up a child than I am, so I’m going to shamelessly pass these off as my own and gain your immense admiration and respect.

Buy books. Books hold their value for far longer than the latest LOL doll or surprise bag, and can be passed on to your local charity shop or a mate with a younger child when yours gets bigger. They make great personal gifts, you can get them in the pound shop, and they don’t take up too much space in small bedrooms. Buy reusable water bottles and avoid snacks in single-use

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plastic containers. Baby-Bels are fun but a block of cheese is cheaper and produces less waste. Same with fruit and biscuits. Buy bulk and cheap where you can, and ignore the tiny protestations of the 3 year old who wants Transformers yoghurt pots. You are bigger than they are. Be strong. Sit on them if necessary.

Shop local; find smaller gift items on your high street from independent retailers and avoid those big chains who avoid their taxes.

You’ll be supporting local individuals rather than billionaires. Check out the website Etsy for some brilliant one-off gifts which are more personal than a Frozen 2 lip balm set.

Scour charity shops for stocking fillers and remember that it’s fine to buy second hand.

Above all remind your kids about the great outdoors. Parks are free, and if they grow up loving the outdoors they will grow up to want to protect it. That’s really the best thing you can do, and it costs nothing. Chuck on something narrated by David Attenborough and remind them that we share the world, that it’s not ours. (Skip the bit where the baby seals get eaten alive though, our kid hasn’t slept for 7 weeks and we’re all very tired.)

DL

Beeston Football Club

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ongratulations to Beeston FC! The bees have secured almost £500,000 from the Premier League and Football Association towards a new clubhouse, but a further £50,000 is still needed to complete this project..

Beeston FC have been trying to raise money to build a clubhouse since we first starting covering them at the beginning of last year when they acquired a 99-year lease for a plot of land on Trent Vale road.

Since then, the club were unsuccessful in a bid to receive £10,000 from the Aviva Community Fund, but that hasn’t deterred them and after being successfully awarded this fund from the Premier League and FA, they are now closer than ever to getting there.

The club plan to raise the remaining money in a variety of different ways, including erecting plaques on a wall with the names of those who have donated towards the site’s construction.

“The supporter’s wall will be a mixture of individuals and businesses,” said club chair, Charlie Walker. “so far we have raised around £100 from this.

“We're also collecting some memories that people have of playing at the site from over the years, as there have been lots of people playing football, hockey, cricket and tennis, so we’re hoping to have some photographs of these memories in the clubhouse.”

The clock is ticking for Beeston FC, who need to raise the remaining 50K within the next six months, otherwise, the money that they have been awarded will be withdrawn.

Charlie tells me that the club are making good progress towards making the total and are hoping that the support from a combination of businesses, banks, local authorities and the community will see them reach that £50,000 total.

ISAAC SEELOCHAN

“We received £3800 from the Co-op, as part of their local community scheme and £2000 pounds from the Bank of England. We’re also speaking to Broxtowe Borough Council and Nottinghamshire County Council to try and apply for money from them and we’re approaching local businesses to see if they can support us. We’ll also be running some events in 2020, so look out for those.”

2020 promises to be a big year for Beeston Football Club and Charlie is conscious of how rare this opportunity is for them and the wider community of Beeston.

“The clubhouse will mean that we can increase the size of the club so that more children, boys and girls will be able to play football in the years ahead. We're also planning to start a second men's team, an adult women's team and a couple of disability teams, so, there's going be a lot more opportunities to play football.

“We’re determined to get it over the line as we've come so far and we will never get this offer again.”

If you are interested in supporting the clubs efforts by having your own plaque, email trentvalesports@mail.com or telephone Beeston FC committee member, Sarah Green on 07976 299229.

IS

PROFESSIONAL TUNING AT A COMPETITIVE PRICE Nottingham, Derby & Leicester 07528322262 christianafox@msn.com FB: Christian Fox Piano Tuning foxpianotuningnottingham.wordpress.com

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Lead Writer/Founder • Lord Beestonia Co-Founder/Resident Don • Prof J Editor • Jade Deputy Editor • John Design & The Beest • Dan Business Manager • Helen History Editor • Joe Earp

Top-notch contributors this issue:

Matt Turpin, Dan Cullen, Scott Bennett, Tim Sexton, John Cooper, Daisy Leverington, Christopher Frost, Matt Jones, Debra Urbacz, Tim Pollard, Jade Moore and Lulu Davenport

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The Crown, The Star, The Malt Shovel, Broadgate Laundrette, Bubba Tea, The Bean, Beeston Library, Cafe Roya, Metro, Beeston Marina Bar and Cafe, Attenborough Nature Reserve, The Pottle, Greenhood, Beeston Nursery, The Victoria, Canalside Heritage Centre, Oxfam Books, L’Oliva, Two Little Magpies, Local not Global, John Flynn Opticians, Out of this World, lots of hairdressers and suchlike. ... If you’d like to be a stockist, let us know by emailing thebeestonian@gmail.com

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DEBRA URBACZ A Box of Delights

Creative Beeston T

he theme for this issue is one dear to our hearts at Creative Beeston. If we can make it or buy it handmade then we are all the happier for it – our Christmas presents this year were no exception.

Making a present for someone can be so much fun, and you don’t have to be an expert to pull it off. There are many kits you can buy and workshops you can attend that would help you produce something of a high standard – check out our feature on Two Little Magpies courses for 2020!

As we become more and more environmentally conscious, we are leaning towards alternatives to ‘fast fashion’ and making your own clothes is just one of them. Sewing patterns are so much simpler these days and a LOT more affordable since the Vogue days. Try Tilly and the Buttons for their comprehensive range – they even

have a blog to help you on your quest for a handmade wardrobe.

If you do fancy having a go at putting something together yourself, you will find plenty of inspiration at The Sewing Box in Beeston. Tucked away down Willoughby Street, just off the High Road, you will find a petite shop front that is the entrance to a treasure chest of pretty and functional things to make everything from a ribbon necklace or knitted sweater to a full outfit to wear.

You might have met the owner Mike Barnes at one of the Beeston Markets in the square over the years. His tables of brightly coloured ribbon trails may have attracted your gaze as you walked past the stall, reels of satin, lace and braids jostling for attention. He was always very helpful when choosing something to embellish one of my handmade makes and was known for having something beautifully unique to tempt me to part with my cash.

Mike has a long history with market trading and manufacturing, having his interest roused at the age of eleven by a visit to Sneinton Market with his mother. He recalls how thriving it was, bustling with shoppers and traders wrapping their goods in newspaper and keeping the atmosphere alive with their busy banter. Fifteen years later, by now a trained accountant working in the textile trade, Mike earned himself his own pitch selling baby grows he had designed and manufactured himself.

Despite many years’ success as a trader, the popularity of street markets dwindled, due to the rise in supermarkets and car parking restrictions, and Mike stopped manufacturing over a decade ago.

Whilst he was making underwear, he took a trip to India to source some of his trimmings and this sparked his interest in supplying the public with his exceptional finds. In 2014 he opened The Sewing Box in the centre of Beeston and here you can benefit from his expertise and his eye for collecting beautiful things.

When you have finally made it past the doorway of The Sewing Box, with its endless rows of threads and trims to pore over, you will find a well-stocked back-room full of delightful fabrics including individually sourced Africa wax fabric that is tricky to get hold of outside of London. Alison Barlow sources some of the fabrics for Mike whilst she scours the globe for exotic trims for her local online business Mokshatrim. She also runs the Facebook page Made in Beeston, which came out of the desire to promote local crafters who make items from materials they buy at The Sewing Box. A long-time customer, and self-confessed promoter, Alison tells me that what is great about the Sewing Box is that Mike sources his stock using his connections with the trade, rather than the same typical wholesalers, and this makes his collection of trims and laces quite unique. In her words ‘he has THE BEST range of lace and trims in Nottingham!’ Pair that with his knowledge of manufacturing and you have a shop manager that really knows his stuff! Alison has worked with Mike for six years now, supporting him with the website and social media presence but also with ideas for the shop.

And his prices are more at the accessible for the novice dressmaker. We have a number of good sewing places in Beeston that complement each other well, but he fits at the more affordable end of the spectrum. As well as the fabrics and threads, Mike stocks a small selection of kits, knitting patterns and wool. He’s a big supporter of Boomerang Bags and is always happy to promote local crafters and events.

You will find The Sewing Box on Willoughby Street, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 2LT Facebook: www.facebook.com/ sewingboxbeeston Email: info@mikebarnes-trimmings.co.uk

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New Year, New Skills! t the top end of the High Road you will find another delight, Two Little Magpies Gift Shop and Studio. They have an extensive range of courses for you to learn a craft and here are our top pics for sustainability.

BEGINNERS’ EMBROIDERY A two hour workshop, which encourages you to create your own unique project using basic embroidery stitches but the more experienced can learn new stitches too. A fabulous way to breathe new life into a tired looking garment, embroidery is a great tool for brightening up knitwear and denim too.

It can also be used to repair garments – but that’s for another class!

They have a large stash of threads and embellishments to dip into, including ribbons, sequins, beads, buttons and gems. Slow stitching projects like this can be so therapeutic, what’s more tea and biscuits plus all materials are provided!

PAPER QUILLING Supported by a large selection of templates, paper quilling is not quite as complicated as it looks, so is suitable for an absolute beginner.

Coiling and shaping colourful strips of paper into beautiful works of art is so relaxing and produces great effects.

The finished projects are ‘light, delicate and look very intricate,’ they are bound to impress anyone who receives one as a gift! Made completely from paper they get the seal of approval from us, and like all Magpies courses you will also benefit from beverages and light snacks to keep you going.

You will also leave the workshop with a quilling tool and a fine glue applicator to continue your new craft at home.

MAKE A LAMPSHADE WITH SARAH SEWELL If you fancy making something for the home, Sarah Sewell of Wildgoose Designs will teach you how to make a fabric-covered 30cm drum lampshade -suitable for a table lamp or as a ceiling shade.

A fabulous idea to use up ends of fabric rolls and create something unique, so another thumbs up for both recycling and sustainability. This is also a course where no previous crafting experience is necessary. Oh and more tea and biscuits!

So what are you waiting for, it’s a new year and a time to learn new skills!

DU

‘Good things come to those who craft.’ TLM www.twolittlemagpies.co.uk

Trees of Beeston #6 DR JO NORCUP "A culture is no better than its woods."

W.H. Auden

'Tis the season: choosing a sustainable Christmas tree, the return of Trees of Beeston, and 2020 resolutions / tree-solutions.

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ast December’s Trees of Beeston (The Beestonian, issue 61), focused its attention on the seasonal staple: the pine. It celebrated the majestic Scots Pine that is well over a century old in the grounds of Beeston Parish Church at the junction of Styring Street and Chilwell Road, and the medicinal, cultural and social benefits Pine trees have gifted humans throughout history. A year on, as I sit in Costa admiring the pink lights on our traditional wonky Christmas tree in The Square, I want to take time to consider the theme of sustainability and how we might consider trees not just at Christmas, but of their sustained importance in our daily lives in Beeston, how they daily enrich our everyday lives and make habitable our community and how we might all be more treeaware in valuing the priceless environmental gems that line our streets and grow in our gardens and parks.

Sustainable Christmas trees.

Last year, I discussed how readers might reflect on the festive tree they purchase: whether cut or potted, how use can be found for them after the twelve days of Christmas are over. A living potted trees (one with roots) can be kept either by planting them out in the garden (if you have space), potted on to be used again the following year, or else kept in pots on balconies. As they are evergreen, they add to the local ecology, and enable insects to find homes, and enrich our biodiversity. If you purchase a cut tree (no roots), how the pine needles can be mulched and added to compost to make ericaious soil for plants like Blueberries or Azaleas that like acid-loving soils.

If you have a wood burner and somewhere dry to store it, the trunk of a Christmas tree can be ‘seasoned’ (kept) for a year then cut into burnable chunks as a yule log for the following Christmas. The branches can be kept in a similar way and make excellent kindling that crackles with pine resin to release the divine smell of pine. If you have space at the end of a garden, allowing a dying cut tree to slowly decompose provides living spaces for the insects and buglife that pollinate flowers and plants as well as providing food for birds, so an ex-Christmas tree as a bughotel is also another good use.

This year, I wanted to source a sustainable tree: to find out about its life before it takes centre stage in my domestic festivities during Christmas and before it makes its way to enriching my wood pile and garden compost in the new year. Luckily, I went to see Anthony at Hallams at their Christmas tree centre behind Sushi House on Beeston High Street and selected my tree.

It was a bitterly cold morning, and I spent a good while deliberating on which tree I could a) afford and b) how my investment in the tree could be used after the festive season had finished. I’ll admit, the presence of pine cones led to my choice of a Fraser Fir, as much as for its thick pretty dark green pine needles with a natural hue of white at their tips.

The pine cones not only make an attractive additional feature to the tree while indoors, but after Christmas will make excellent kindling / firelighters, a bonus addition to my woodstore.

Most of the Christmas trees at Hallams (who are not paying for this promotion, but are an excellent local company and purveyours of top fruit, veg and fish as well as festive trees) are supplied by a specialist ‘needlefresh grower’. Needlefresh, their website states are “The UK’s leading supplier of real, living and fresh cut Christmas trees direct to trade and to the consumer." If you go to the website (www.needlefresh.co.uk) and type in the code number on the top of the tag of your chosen tree, you can locate where your tree was grown in the UK. While the Fraser Fir is a tree native to America and the most popular variety used in the United States (including the type most acquired by the White House), this specially grown Fraser Fir had not been shipped across the Atlantic, and had far fewer carbon miles.

The grower of this fine tree is Brian, son of Gordon Hughes who set up Tayside forestry 55 years ago. Today, Brian produces 60,000 trees up in the Angus countryside in Scotland in environmentally friendly ways, employing experienced staff. It pleases me to know the provenance of my tree. I know that my money isn’t just going to a local business in Beeston, but that its growers and the community in Scotland will also benefit from the sale.

Anthony netted my tree ready for delivery.

While the netting itself is not made from recyclable materials, I will be reusing it in a similar vein to how I reuse the nets that my fruit comes in: I will bundle it up and either use it as a large scouring pad to clean my garden pots or else use it for packaging filling when sending fragile items in the post.

I won’t be able to show you the decorations, as my decorating of the tree will happen after I have submitted this article, but for those interested in interior festive design, my humanist Christmas tree takes a different theme each year. Last year, it was scientists and science fiction writers, two of whom (Stephen Hawking and Ursula K Le Guin) has died in 2019 and I wanted to remember them (yes, I went full Blue Peter and made images of them into ‘angels’) along with Alan Turing, Prof Maggie Aderin-Pocock (my son is a big fan of cBeebies Stargazing live), and Dame Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell, the astro-physicist who discovered quasars and pulsars. This year, it will have a Bronte theme in honour of my favourite of the three Bronte Sisters, Anne, whose bicentenary is marked in 2020. The Midlands author George Eliot will also feature as she also shares a bicentenary with Anne Bronte. Given that pines are used in the making of paper and in the production of books, to have a literary festive tree seems - to me at least - entirely apt.

So I look forward to the quality of time spent with my Christmas tree, enjoying the twinkling lights, and taking time to be grateful for the many small blessings in my life, of which the trees of Beeston are one.

Trees of Beeston for 2020.

I took a small break from writing this column.

Over the summer, I became despondent and a little down. Most days appeared to bring the screeching sonics of chainsaws, and trees in gardens along my street and surrounding streets in Beeston vanished. We have no street trees on my street, so any trees in the landscape around my home are in the private gardens of neighbours, increasingly absentee owner property ‘investors’ who appear to prioritize profit over planet, tenants over trees. Beloved trees I have enjoyed having as neighbours, have known the entire time of my living in Beeston were felled. I saw mature Holly, Sycamore, Alder trees removed.

I grieved their loss. The skyline changed.

The atmosphere of the neighbourhood changed. When the heat of the summer sun shone down, there was no more tree shade as I waited for the bus along Queens Road.

When the rains came, there were fewer trees to absorb the surface water and localised flooding occurred. Fewer bats flew past. The

owl that used to regularly hoot its nocturnal presence does so no more. The sound of songbirds have audibly diminished. So I have made renewed efforts to encourage wildlife into my garden. I have begun to collect tree seeds. Pot up saplings. When I mark the passing of friends or another job application fails, I plant a tree. When I do this, I feel like I plant some hope. A more hopeful future.

So I mark the return of Trees of Beeston by getting behind initiatives taking place in Beeston that share an appreciation for trees in our landscape. I am encouraged to see the We Dig\NG9 initiative along with the Beeston Civic Society and Broxtowe Borough Council’s to plant a mini woodland habitat as a community forest.

For all interested in taking part, reserve 24th January in your brand new 2020 diaries: 10 am – noon at Beeston FC Pavilion, Cartwright Way. Bring wellies, tree enthusiasm and a sense of renewed purpose for being custodians of the treescape of future Beestonians! As the new year approaches, the very best thing every one of us can commit to is planting a tree. The Woodland Trust campaign #EveryTreeCounts acknowledges that in the face of climate catastrophe, a campaign for planting more trees will help not just the quality of the everyday lives of people, for the connection they bring to the natural world, but because it makes our world habitable for wildlife and us: trees “lock up carbon, fight flooding, reduce pollution, nurture wildlife and make landscapes more resilient” (www.woodlandtrust.org.uk).

Trees of Beeston is strongly behind #TreesForBeeston and will continue to celebrate the trees in our fab town. It will also celebrate the efforts and capacity we have as fellow inhabitants to live sustainably with the trees we have and the new trees we can plant and grow, to share tree knowledge for future residents – tree and human – in Beeston.

Given the multiple benefits of trees for environmental sustainability, I look forward to 2020 marking a renewed focus for Trees of and for Beeston!

Wishing you all a peaceful, sustainable and hopeful Christmas and 2020.

Dr JN

JADE MOORE On Beeston's Poetic Soul...

Beeston

by Clive Bagshaw

TIM POLLARD Nottingham’s official Robin Hood

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s I write this I’m dressed in a silly costume, representing a world-famous character who is renowned for doing the right thing and being very generous – although this time I’m not Robin Hood, today I’m being Santa at a sold-out Nottingham Albert Hall for two performances of their annual Kidsophonic Christmas Concerts which combine festive music played by a brilliant orchestra with games, poems, songs and carols and of course a visit at the end from the portly philanthropist.

It’s a lovely event and for my five-year old daughter Scarlett (six on Boxing Day) it’ll be her fourth time of attending – and each year I wonder if this is the year she’ll spot the her favourite Santa (who mysteriously knows so much about her) is in fact me! Maybe this year will be the one, I don’t know…

There are good news stories too though, farewell Table 8, hello Yak and Yeti for instance. And Andy and Heather from Chimera are keeping the legacy of their store and community alive by running ‘pop up’ gaming sessions in other local venues like our splendid micropub the Pottle (near Sainsbury’s) which keeps the social and retail aspect alive and fresh without the worrying cost of keeping a physical shop going; it’s a great way to utilise and promote other local venues too. The White Lion looks to have a new team coming in soon and there are even vague rumours that the redevelopment of the dead land by the tram station might actually come to something!

The downside of that is that the Beeston Beach may not reappear again – much to Scarlett’s dismay as she loves it – and sadly the splendid mural of Robin Hood will have to be demolished (but I’m happy to stand in its place for hours on end for a very reasonable fee, I promise). The vibrant art scene in Beeston is another wonderful and unique ongoing point of interest – again on Beeston Updated there were a number of views expressed including some folks who thought (and presumably still think) that such public art does nothing for the town; I must admit I side with those who think it’s beautiful and enhances the place.

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But whilst Christmas is a time for tradition, the New Year, also rushing towards us apace, is a time for reflection and change. This year has been one of huge change for all of us and I don’t expect 2020 will be any less tumultuous. Obviously things have been ‘interesting’ this year for any number of reasons - national and international politics for a start – but don’t worry, I’m certainly not going to dredge all that up again. One of the other hats I wear (aside from Robin Hood and Santa hats) is that of an admin for the wonderful ‘Beeston Updated’ Facebook group and it’s been fun (I think that’s the word) trying to keep the place as apolitical or neutral as possible whilst a storm of divisiveness crashes around us all.

But things have changed here in Beeston too this year – some of it sad, with some businesses closing their doors for the final time. Personally I was gutted to see the wonderful games, comic store and social hub Chimera disappear from the Broadgate end of the High Road and of course The White Lion also shut.

I know we’re all still waiting for the arrival of a shoe-megastore and some proper public toilets but the enthusiasm I see from the people of Beeston is incredibly heartening and gives me some real hope for 2020.

And now I’ve written all of this I can reveal that there was another change this year – at the end of the concert, just as she’d had her photo taken with Santa in his sleigh Scarlett turned round, hugged me and whispered in my ear “I love you Daddy”.

It’s the end of an era – but also the start of another.

Happy New Year!

TP

In summer we often cycled to Beeston, where many times we went, past the station, round the back of Ericsson’s and on towards the Trent.

I recall the smell of Beeston Malting’s as we passed the malt-house.

Happy memories I hold of days spent down at Mitchell's Boathouse.

South of Beeston, now a nature reserve, were Attenborough gravel pits, to the north of that, the shell filling factory, that once got blown to bits.

The largest explosion on UK soil, where many people were killed, and in 1918 then reduced to rubble, no more shells were filled.

We would hire a boat by the hour and become sailors for a while, And we would chug up the river slowly, mile on mile.

Those little boats were great with inboard engine that started with a crank then we’d enjoy the tranquillity, as we pulled out from the bank.

Named after Viscount Chetwynd, it is now Chetwynd Barracks, or simply “the depot”, but austerity cuts mean, that soon, in four years’ time, it simply has to go.

No more the night time rumblings of big trucks down Chetwynd Road, Each carrying huge cruise missiles with every massive load.

Heedless of the undercurrents and oblivious to danger, we’d stop for a swim, We simply enjoyed ourselves and did things on a whim, And if we dropped a line to fish, then we were happy fellows, as we sailed along up river, wending our way through Beeston meadows.

I got to thinking about the history of our local town and found, that many famous people and companies here abound.

Big names like Boots the Chemist, and Barton’s buses too.

The summer days at Highfields, paddling a canoe.

Jesse Boot gave the land where the University is today.

Salvation Army founder, William Booth from Sneinton not very far away John Player’s tobacco factory is not far from here, and Beeston Malting's was a brewery that brewed fantastic beer.

POETRY ROUND-UP Some dates for your diary...

The Curious Cabaret

15 January, The Berliner 7:10pm The Curious Cabaret is a monthly evening of magic, stand-up comedy and poetry all enjoyed whilst sipping cocktails and enjoying the relaxing vibe of the Berliner in Beeston.

The night is designed to give a platform for both new and experienced performers and is not to be missed!

VOICES EXHIBITION

4 December – 29 January Beeston Library Voices presents a thoughtprovoking collection of poetry created by people whose voices, for health, social or age-related reasons, are rarely heard.

POTTLE POETRY

First Sunday of the month The Pottle micropub 4-6pm A free, open mic poetry afternoon, everyone welcome!

PAPER CRANE POETS

Every other Tuesday, Beeston Library 5:30-7:30pm, 18+ Paper Crane Poets is a brand new poetry collective, hosted by local poets Chris McLoughlin and Leanne Moden! We're looking forward to building a group of writers who collaborate, encourage, and support each other.

Ericsson's down the Rylands, became Plessey Telecoms where, in October 77, I got a new job working there.

Ten great years of exciting work, where we led the world in our field, cutting edge technology, ‘till GEC’s hostile takeover, then our fates were sealed.

Just to the North of Beeston, lies Wollaton Park, where deer still roam today, An Elizabethan country house by Robert Smythson, a master builder of his day.

It was built for Sir Francis Willoughby and is built of Ancaster stone, The sale of coal from his Wollaton pit, paid for this stately home.

So maybe these memories of Beeston, might fondly you remind, Of so much of its history, that we have left behind.

There must be so much more, that I haven’t brought to light, but that’s for you and others, to think about and write.

B e e s t o n

1a Devonshire Avenue, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 1BS Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.30pm Saturday 9am to 5pm

Established in Beeston, Nottingham over 70 years ago, John Flynn Opticians is located on the corner of the leafy Devonshire Avenue and Chilwell High Road (opposite corner to Ellis-Fermor & Negus Solicitors).

Director and senior Optometrist at John Flynn Opticians, Dr Sheeraz Janjua is one of only 25 Optometrists in the UK to be awarded the degree of Doctor of Optometry from Aston University for his research in Dry Eye Syndrome. He was also one of a select few nominated for the Optometrist of the Year award in 2018. Having been at the helm in Beeston since 2016, Dr. Janjua provides both private and NHS patients with the option to benefit from an enhanced eye examination using an OCT instrument to produce macular, retinal and optic nerve scans to aid early diagnosis of various ocular conditions.

With over 45 years of experience between us we have 2 goals:

Don’t take our word for it – here’s what our patients are saying about us:

Wear sunglasses this summer, not just as a fashion accessory but most importantly to protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.

“I was recommended to go to John Flynn Optician by family members. I love everything about the practice and I will now only ever use John Flynn’s. The glasses are well made, well fitted and I can see much better. My eye examination with Dr. Janjua was very informative and he put me at ease - very good. All the team at John Flynn’s have treated me well and I cannot fault them.”

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“I came to John Flynn Optician through a recommendation from a friend and have never been to another opticians.

My eye examination was thorough and explained to me very clearly. The team at John Flynns are very helpful and cheerful.

Carry on the good work.”

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“I’d heard that the glasses were great quality and the service was great at John Flynn Optician. The staff have been very helpful and gave me all the facts I needed.

I love the personal touch and that you don’t have to ask for help - it’s just given. I love my new glasses - the style, the colour, the quality - everything. Dan and Annette have been brilliant from the minute I walked in the door. They are very friendly and provided perfect service in every way. I will be coming back and will share my experience with others.”

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We’ve all experienced glare in our daily lives whether it be driving in a car with the sun reflecting off the dashboard, road, windscreen and bonnet or the sun illuminating the surface of the water while spending the day at the beach. Usually glare is annoying and uncomfortable on the eyes, but when the angle of reflection is just right the glare can become blinding and often downright dangerous, as in the case of driving a vehicle.

I don’t live on the edge of a rainforest in Borneo. I don’t live on the fringe of the Red Desert in Namibia. As you may expect from someone who runs a magazine based in Beeston, my digs aren’t quite so exotic. I live, as many of you reading this will also do, right close to Attenborough Nature Reserve.

It also occured to me that I didn’t know a great deal about what was within that reserve, or my own back garden for that matter, which felt an awful waste. Sure, I knew my swans from my geese, my starling from my sparrow; and I’d coaxed a few robins to feed from my outstretched palm on occasion. But what else was there?

Finding a trap-cam and a bird-book in my Christmas stocking, I decided to put them to use. I would start a safari in Beeston, with the Nature Reserve, the Trent and my own rather overgrown back garden as my focus.

CH ILW EL L

Polarised lenses

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t occured to me, sometime last Christmas, that to enter one of the Top Ten Eco Destinations in the World (according to BBC Wildlife Magazine) I didn’t have to do much more than walk a few steps from my house, cross a railway track and push a swing gate open.

Provide a friendly, welcoming, homely environment with a passion for great customer service and to combine the best ophthalmic lenses from some of the most respected lens manufacturer’s alongside some of the finest hand-made frames from around the world.

The Importance Of Wearing Sunglasses In The Summer

We are all aware of how hazardous the sun can be for our skin, leaving behind spots or lines causing premature aging.

Of course the biggest danger is skin cancer including eyelid cancer, your eyelids are thin and sensitive pieces of skin that are just as susceptible to skin cancer as the other parts of your body that are exposed to the sun. However, many people don’t realize that the sun is just as damaging to the fragile organs that are our eyes including short and long-term eye damage such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and other sunrelated eye diseases. Remember Sunglasses are not all created equal, all of our sunglasses/perscritption sun lenses offer upto 100% UV protection and bigger lenses are even better as they offer even more coverage of the sensitive eye area.

MATT TURPIN

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Don’t forget we offer a 50% discount on your second set of lenses including all of our polarised lenses. T&C’s apply.

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We also dispense specialist lenses for people with vision loss related to Glaucoma, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Diabetic Retinopathy and Macular Degeneration (AMD).

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Pharmacy

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Ordinary tinted sunglass lenses only cut down on the ambient light that reaches the eye but by their very nature, they cannot block glare only polarised lenses can block out this dangerous,often blinding glare, they can also enhance visual acuity, colour contrast and visual comfort, blocking 100% of harmful UVA/B light.

Pharmacy

Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5:30pm. Saturday 9am-5pm John Flynn Opticians welcomes the registration of new patients and parking is available in the practice’s own car park.

Telephone 0115 9255051 to make an appointment. enquiries@johnflynnopticians.co.uk www.johnflynnopticians.co.uk Want to stay up to date with the latest news and arrivals?why not follow us on Instagram and Facebook @johnflynnopticians

0115 925 5051

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The challenge was simple: every day I would find and photograph a new species of life, research exactly what it was and what it did, and put it up on Instagram and Facebook. On the first day, while the outside world tussled with New Year hangovers, I checked my trapcams at dawn and found only curious cats.

No matter. I stuck my camera out of the front window and onto the bird feeder, where a grey squirrel performed tail-based acrobatics and thus became my first subject. Next day, collared dove. Third day, the first creature I had no previous idea of, only identifying through a microscope: a planarium flatworm, making its way through the soil. A shiny glass snail - I’d until then assumed there was just two types of snails, garden and pond - with an aphid, coal tit and a common centipede rounding off the first week.

With each new species came a desire to not just photograph it, not just know its name, but know why it is unique. Why is a mute swan mute (it’s not)? Why do hoverflies look like wasps? Who the hell was responsible for naming fungus, and were they getting a bit too fond of the more psychedelic versions while at work that day? Nature is an incredible array of stories, histories, etymologies and often bizarre facts. I became addicted to it.

As spring broke through the frozen ground, I became spoiled for choice. Hedgehogs and badgers would regularly visit the trap cam, and the wealth of species that appeared in the nature reserves was heady: I became fascinated by beetles, amazed at the habits of butterflies, enthralled by the impossible flash of a hawker dragonfly in full flight.

Rather than have nature as an auxiliary support, there to dip into when needed, I began to become immersed and wilfully lost in it. I could happily spend hours piling through scratching brambles all just to get a grainy shot of a blackcap. Windows were left open and lights left on during the night to lure in fascinating moths. My photography skills vastly improved. My own backyard became my own Serengeti, a joy taken in the minutiae.

It started to get noticed: numerous appearances on Notts TV talking about the safari ensued, and people would send me their own pictures, seemingly inspired by my efforts. The ultimate accolade came in late May, when a hero of mine who radically changed how nature is written about, Robert Macfarlane, crossed paths with me due to a work event. We went for dinner together at Cafe Roya, where he told me he enjoyed my daily pictures. I probably resembled a smug Elephant Hawk Moth right then, as my head swelled accordingly.

Something more important happened too. I fell back in love with nature, and I once again understood what a balm it is. Immersion into nature takes you somewhere far from the daily stresses, the petty internal debates. By reducing you to just another temporal organism amongst many billions, a transcendence can begin. Understanding more about the creatures we share this patch with lends a greater respect, a deeper empathy and a greater need to look after what we have. To quote Robert Macfarlane “We find it hard to love what we cannot give a name to. And what we do not love we will not save.” And right now, we need to bridge that gap between nature and humanity, for it’s sake, for our sake.

This year, I’ve restarted the safari: as I write I’m watching a charm of goldfinch on a feeder, while a cautious female blackbird pecks at an apple left on the floor. Keep up with the safari over on my Instagram: @ beestonia.

MT

On one of the worlds Top Ten Eco Destinations...

CROSSWORD#67 Five star childcare

in the hear t of our community

beestumped 1. W here in London was the main location for the Home Office between 1978 and 2004?

1.

2. By what name is te Royal Navy's Submarine Commander's Course known?

2.

3. Who wrote Dr Zhivago?

3.

4. What is the correct name for the human breastbone?

4.

5. What is the chemical formula for table salt?

5.

6. What does the WD in WD-40 stand for?

6.

7. What is the name of the Spanish town or city where the running of the bulls takes place every July?

7.

8. In WWII, what was "Operation Overlord?

THIS IS IT: THE HARDEST QUIZ IN BEESTON! DO NOT SPILL ITS PINT!

8.

9. Who was the head scientist of the "Manhatten Project?

9.

10. Which police force "Always get their man?

10.

ANSWERS: Queen Anne's Gate/Perisher/Boris Pasternak/Sternum/NaCl/Water displacement/Pampalona/ The Normandy Landings OR Invasion of Europe/Robert Oppenheimer/Royal Canadian Mounted Police OR Mounties

www.beestonian.com thebeestonian@gmail.coM

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0115 7750185 to book a visit and find out why our families c heck love us! o www.beestonnursery.co.uk N e w ut t h e w e bs i

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www.beestonian.com thebeestonian@gmail.coM

Clean Life, Clean Earth

LULU DAVENPORT A not so Merry New Year

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vening all, let me tell you a tale so ghastly you will wonder why it wasn’t included in our super scary 666 Halloween special.

Draw the curtains, stick ‘eatin on (that’s Central Heating for non-Mainlanders) and grab a brew while I relay a tale that is worse than popping down shops for a pint of milk in January sales.

I’ve always loved a tipple, from the dash of rum added by my gran to tea to keep cold out as a nipper, to teen years swigging god awful 20-20 (unapologetic New Year pun) and finally nursing a proper real ale or flavoured porter with a sneaky few banana shots at the end of the night, ahh. After a pretty heavy session that included all of the above I woke up feeling like the arse end of a circus donkey and looking a lot like one too. I decided after a monumental hangover to give the old drinky poos a rest for a bit.

Before this starts to feel like a self-indulgent piece, bear with me. The true horror here is being Sober at Christmas and even worse Sober on New YEARS EVE!!! EEEEKKKKKK!!

Told ya it was gonna get scary.

I actually found not drinking didn’t faze me one bit, in fact people were surprised that I was enjoying it, still going out to gigs, pub crawls and everything exactly the same, including the cost. A night on the softies can be just as expensive. As I was adjusting to life on the quieter side, the world descended into festive chaos, the Crimble party invites descended like an avalanche: office party, staff party, don’t forget the festive jumpers!

I overheard two girls chatting with one saying “everyone drinks at Christmas even those who don’t drink”. This leads me to my problem explaining to anyone at this time of year that if you simply don’t drink it’s a nightmare, and always leads to ‘ahh go on then, its Christmas!’ like an annoying Mrs Doyle on loop. It gets worse, New Year is the Mecca of booze-fuelled intoxicated merriment, if you will. So on the ultimate night of the year, what to do?

Here’s my guide to how to see in the New Year. These may or not have happened to me during my life, I can neither confirm nor deny...

Options...

GO LARGE!! Hit Nottingham: see someone get kicked out the pub by noon, wait at the bar for the rest of your life while 2 maybe 3 bartenders serve on the busiest nights of the year, die of thirst by the time you get served.

Pay a fortune for a taxi only to end up at the local in Beeston.

LARGE!!

Hit London, GO MEGA baby, yeah!! Realise that drinking in the street laws didn’t apply NYE and you are the only sober one there, spend night wading through broken bottles and avoiding breathing as everywhere smells of wee.

STAY IN!!! No queues and drunken idiots, only ones you know! Wait in while all said friends have gone to a cooler more awesome party leaving you to get bored and stare at other peoples fireworks.

GO FOR A WALK!! Watch the big displays over the Marina, while a drunken man sets off fireworks from his boat while blaring out Bing Crosby and hitting the stone bridge (who put that there?) Head home as it’s January and freezing.

GO TO SOMEONE ELSE’S PARTY! Turn up with a 4 pack of Tesco value and drink all the Desperados, struggle to hear anyone talk as the music’s blaring, no one complains on NYE right? Pass out in the bath while everyone from said party launch a search party, wake up in an empty house, go home to 100 missed calls and messages.

GO LOCAL!! Buy a ticket for a lock in at the local, invite all friends, half of them are pissed by the time they get there, there’s a couple who decided to split up that night, someone’s been dumped, everyone’s sighing while looking at the clock and some twats brought party poppers.

All options in, I just can’t decide. There’s always so much expectation with New Year.

Wherever you go, have fun, be safe, and leave me being sober for the festivities alone. Or I’m coming after you in Jan when everyone’s drying out, what was that? You wanted a triple Jager???! Ahhh Go on then…

LD

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s this issue is looking at the environment, I took a stroll along Chilwell Road to art supply shop Artworks, where being green isn’t just a colour in tubes of watercolour paint, but a small step to help save the planet, as the shop has recently turned part of its floorspace into an area where you can buy green goods in recyclable packaging..

The ‘Waste Less Shop’ only opened on the 11th of June this year by Jessica Leatherland, daughter of Frank Noonan, the owner of Artworks. Previously the space was being used for displaying local artists’ work, but it wasn’t really paying its way, so Jessica, a keen environmentalist anyway and a veggie who is trying to go vegan suggested that the space be turned into an shop where people can come to help reduce and eliminate single use plastics from their house.

So what sort of things are available to buy at the moment? They basically fall into five categories: household cleaning products, personal cleaning products, storage for small items, baby clothes and a small section of jewellery. The range of cleaning products includes washing up liquid, laundry detergent and loo cleaner, of which are all dispensed from large containers into reusable bottles.

The batch number of the liquid is always written on the bottle, just in case there are any problems with the production.

You can also get your dishes clean by using soap in bar form that doesn’t contain any plastics or palm oil. Long lasting, it can also be used as a spot cleaner on clothes and carpets.

Then there’s scrubbing pads that are made from coconut fibre. Get your pots and pans clean without scratching. And when it wears out, you can chuck it into your compost heap.

Going shopping? How about using an organic cotton bag for carrying your bread, fruit and vegetables in, instead of a plastic carrier bag?

For you or that special person in your life, you can buy body butter, toothbrushes made from bamboo and toothpaste tablets, which are especially useful if you’re travelling abroad, as the Border Force won’t confiscate

them, as they might with liquid toothpastes.

Crafters and journalists aren’t forgotten either with Coccoina glue that’s been made in Italy since 1927. Created from potato starch and almond paste, it’s a non toxic safe glue that smells of marzipan. Then there are pencils that have been made from old newspapers.

The baby clothes have been made by one of Jessica’s relations, branded under the name of ‘Handmade by Grandma’. Some of these cute little jackets have been made from bamboo, which sounds unlikely, but are knitted the same way, and is just as soft, if not softer than wool.

Whilst chatting to Frank; as Jessica is currently on maternity leave, he told me about an event that took place in early September at Calverton’s Village Hall. “A local group in Calverton organised this plastic free pop up shop event. We went along, even though Jessica was pregnant at the time, and it was a very successful day.

We met lots of people and saw all sorts of other products. The money that was raised from the event went to the Surfers Against Sewage conservation charity."

At the other end of Beeston there’s Out of The World, who also stock green products. I asked Frank how the Waste Less Shop tries to differentiate itself from this larger retailer.

“We try not to stock products that they do, and vice versa. If we don’t stock something, then we will send the customer there, and likewise, they will send their customer here”.

As the concern over the environment grows by the day, this can only mean that there has to be a seismic shift in they way that companies make products and how people use them. This also could result in a return to more traditional methods of production and an increase in smaller, independent traders on the high street.

Waste Less Shop offer everyday items to help you reduce your waste. We have a selection of products available to help you eliminate single use plastic from your home.

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CHRISTOPHER FROST “We want to make these products accessible to as many people as possible and are working on a website which should be set up very soon. In the meantime, please feel free to pop into the shop to have a browse of our products”.

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