Green drinks

We will hear from Cat Reeby about Surrey Climate Commission's scheme to help residents save energy and money. We will also learn about a new community fridge initiative to direct local surplus food to those who can use it (see set-up meeting below). In the Snug at The Mill, Shottermill Road, from 7.30pm on Thursday 3 October. Please join us.

New community fridge launches

To help the town distribute surplus food from shops and hospitality venues to those who need it, Love Haslemere Hate Waste is leading an initiative to set up a community fridge. The fridge will be located centrally where food can be deposited and users can help themselves. A meeting to discuss the set up and operation of the fridge is being held at 2pm on Wednesday 2 October at The Mill. Please come along if you can contribute or want to help, or to be kept informed email hello@lovehaslemerehatewaste.co.

Checking on dormice

Gareth Matthes will be carrying out an annual dormouse box check in Grayswood on Sunday 6 October from 9am. The walk through the woodland will take 3-5 hours. If you are interested in helping and learning about our endangered dormice, contact Gareth via info@transitionhaslemere.org.

Books wanted

We need donations for our farmers market bookstall. We take contemporary fiction and non-fiction paperbacks (no hardcovers thanks). Also children and young adults books (hard or paperback). You can drop them off at our stall on the first Saturday of the month – see details below – or we can collect. Contact us on info@transitionhaslemere.org.

Deadhedging the SANG

Transition members joined others last month to deadhedge gaps in the perimeter of the Sturt Farm SANG to protect areas of habitat. It was a successful and satisfying partnership effort involving Haslemere Rotary, Town Council, COPSE, Transition and church volunteers. Particular thanks to Peter Clarke who was the linchpin for this.

Pressing the apple harvest

Spike, Sam, Louise, Dave and Chris of the National Trust arranged the annual pressing of apples with the help volunteers from the NT, COPSE and the Countryside Restoration Trust (CRT) Green Farm Team. They pressed over 125 litres of juice which will be ready for the 2025 Wassail. Paul of the CRT commented: "What a brilliant day we had joining in the apple pressing, exploring the whole process of creating cider, and talking to everyone. And the sun shone! It inspired the team to consider the options for the future we have in our own orchard."

Farmers' market and repair cafe

We will be at the farmers' market on the High Street on Saturday 5 October from 10am to 2pm. The Repair Cafe will be at the Swan Inn from 10am to 1pm.

Green coffee

We have marked the third Wednesday of the month for green coffee - an informal chat at the Courtyard Cafe off the High Street from 10am to 12 noon. But it only happens if there is a group of people who want to meet. To find out if it is happening this month and who might be attending you will need to sign up for our WhatsApp group by emailing us at info@transitionhaslemere.org.

Book of the month: Horizon by Barry Lopez

Holly Day recommends Horizon by Barry Lopez - nature/travel writing at its most far-reaching and intense. Although quite tough reading in places, it is in the words of Robert Macfarlane: "magnificent; a contemporary epic, at once pained and urgent, personal and oracular" (in his Guardian review, which you can read in full here).

Tree of the month: Jaspidea ash

The young shoots and autumn leaves of the Jaspidea ash (Fraxinus excelsior 'Jaspidea') are a rich yellow. The tree is a variant of our common ash. The specimen at Kew Gardens shown in the photo is in rude health, unlike most of our local ashes which are blighted and dying from ash dieback.

Editor: Clive Davidson
Transition Haslemere
info@transitionhaslemere.org