Sharon Pavey

Had a busy day Saturday with the East Devon Green Party meeting in the morning in Axminster followed by my first South West Green Party committee meeting in Exeter in the afternoon. After a lovely early morning bike ride into Axminster, the East Devon Green Party meeting at the Methodist Church hall went really well with our new committee doubling to seven officers and plans moving ahead for our autumn fundraisers.

Then back on the bike and a 5 minute cycle through town to the train station and off to Exeter. I’m the new fundraising officer for the south west which is a little daunting but exciting. My first job is to try and set up a fundraising team or sub-committee so we can raise funds for the region, primarily for the European elections.

Sunday wasn’t such a good day as the stomach virus I’d caught earlier in the week came back with a vengeance and wiped me out for the day, and Monday too which meant I had to miss a meeting lined up about the maternity cuts in Honiton. Mid Devon Green Party member Cathy Connor was able to attend to represent the Green Party though and I’ll update the blog as soon as I find out what’s happening on that front. As for this week, apart from a transition town meeting/workshop in Taunton tomorrow, I’m just enjoying the last week of term, going to my children’s summer play and sports day!

Simple measures such as turning electrical appliances off at the mains and installing energy-efficient lightbulbs could slash the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions by about 40 megatonnes a year, or up to one third, according to new research which says that cutting electricity consumption is up to 60 per cent more effective than previously thought. Such basic lifestyle changes would be the equivalent of removing about 10 large gas-fired power stations from operation.

Read the full story in here in The Independent from 18/7/10

Dear Friends,

Yesterday an Iranian woman, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, was saved by global protests from being stoned to death.

But she may still be hanged — and, meanwhile, execution by stoning continues. Right now fifteen more people are on death row awaiting stoning in which victims are buried up to their necks in the ground and then large rocks are thrown at their heads.

The partial reprieve of Sakineh, triggered by the call from her children for international pressure to save her life, has shown that if enough of us come together and voice our horror, we may be able to save her life, and stop stoning once and for all. Sign the urgent petition now and send it onto everyone you know – let’s end this cruel slaughter NOW!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_stoning/?vl

Sakineh was convicted of adultery, like all the other 12 women and one of the men awaiting stoning. But her children and lawyer say she is innocent and that she did not get a fair trial — they state her confession was forced from her and, speaking only Azerbaijani, she did not understand what was being asked of her in court.

Despite Iran’s signing of a UN convention that requires the death penalty only be used for the “most serious crimes” and despite the Iranian Parliament passing a law banning stoning last year, stoning for adultery continues.

Sakineh’s lawyer says the Iranian government “is afraid of Iranian public reaction and international attention” to the stoning cases. And after Turkey and Britain’s Foreign Ministers spoke out against Sakineh’s sentence, it was suspended.

Sakineh’s brave children are leading the international campaign to save their mother and stop stoning. Massive international condemnation now could finally stop this sickening punishment. Let’s join together today across the world to end this brutality. Sign the petition to save Sakineh and end stoning here:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_stoning/?vl

In hope and determination,

Alice, David, Milena, Ben and the whole Avaaz team

The herbs and natural food forage event is taking place at an organic farm near Ottery St Mary in Devon on Saturday 10th July 2010. There will be a two-hour walk around the farm during which two experts will guide people on what wild foods and herbs can be collected and eaten.

See http://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/news/join_the_food_forage_1_489722

Cheese scones

Making cheese scones today with my 4 year old assistant pastry chef Aleck. Used this recipe from the BBC food website, which took about 15 mins to make and a further 15 mins in the oven. I did put about double the cheese in though as wanted quite tasty ones, and glad I did as they were about average cheesiness after baking.

Quite pleased with the outcome and they taste absolutely delicious – especially when warm, just out of the oven and the butter just melts on them and trickles in your mouth. Just not sure how many will be left by the time hubby gets home tonight with me, Aleck and Nanny Sue gobbling them all up! Sorry honey!

I blogged a couple of weeks ago about my hopes for a transition group in Upottery near Honiton. See http://www.sharonpavey.org/transition-upottery/

Since then I’ve put posters up and we’ve had some press coverage – in the View From Honiton newspaper and the primary school newsletter . The Upottery Parish Pump comes out on Thursday and there should be a piece in there too.

No responses so far….but I’m not losing hope just yet…….here’s some inspiration to make this happen in Upottery:

All across the world, in every kind of environment and region known to man, increasingly dangerous weather patterns and devastating storms are abruptly putting an end to the long-running debate over whether or not climate change is real. Not only is it real, it’s here, and its effects are giving rise to a frighteningly new global phenomenon: the man-made natural disaster.
Barack Obama

The future of life on earth depends on our ability to take action. Many individuals are doing what they can, but real success can only come if there’s a change in our societies and our economics and in our politics. I’ve been lucky in my lifetime to see some of the greatest spectacles that the natural world has to offer. Surely we have a responsibility to leave for future generations a planet that is healthy, inhabitable by all species. Sir David Attenborough

Our generation has inherited an incredibly beautiful world from our parents and they from their parents. It is in our hands whether our children and their children inherit the same world.
Richard Branson (The airline tycoon pledging $3 billion to combat global warming by helping to develop alternative energy technologies)

If you are reading this now and have come to double the merry band to two (!!) then please email me and we can get something started in Upottery sdpavey@googlemail.com

The Friends of the Earth ‘Food Chain’ campaign has taken a massive step forward with the introduction of a new meat and dairy Bill in Parliament.

Robert Flello, Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, was the second name pulled out of the hat in the annual Private Members’ Ballot on 10 June.

Being selected so near the top of the ballot means he has a real chance of getting his Bill passed into law.

The Bill – based on the Sustainable Livestock Bill – will aim to reduce British meat and dairy factory farms’ dependence on animal feed grown in South America.

Wildlife and rainforests are destroyed so that these feeds – such as soy – can be grown. This destruction also accelerates climate change.

Government action for planet-friendly farming

The proposed new law commits the Government to action to limit the wildlife and rainforest destruction caused by animal feeds. It will also help UK farmers to thrive and ensure they are not squeezed by big business farming.

Robert Flello said “I was shocked to find out just how much a Sunday roast can cost our planet under the factory farming system. I am determined to put this right by working with Friends of the Earth and other MPs across the House to lead the drive for planet-friendly farming that doesn’t destroy wildlife, rainforests and our climate. I hope the people of Stoke-on-Trent will join me in fixing the food chain once and for all.”

Massive support

More than 30,000 people have contacted their MP to demand a fix to the broken food chain. And this widespread support is reflected in Parliament where more than 160 of current MPs have backed the campaign.

For the last few weeks Mr Flello’s constituents and those of all the MPs in the Ballot have been urging their MP to take up this Bill.

With such momentum behind it, this groundbreaking new Bill stands a great chance of becoming law and forcing real action to change the deal behind your meal.

Read more here http://www.foe.co.uk/news/robert_felllo_bill_24350.html

There was a public meeting in Honiton on Saturday (26th June 2010) at the Royal British Legion and I managed to pop along for part of it. It is part of a series of consultation exercises so the NHS (Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust) can listen to the views of people in the area – concerning the proposed changes to maternity provision at Honiton, Okehampton and Tiverton.

Unfortunately – I don’t think anyone attending the meeting really felt that the panel of three NHS representatives were really listening to anyone, except themselves! Their initial presentation was supposed to take just 5 – 10 minutes and went on for about 20 mins, with the women trying to justify cutting the excellent maternity services at Honiton with stories of their own difficult childbirth experiences!!

Vernon Whitlock (town councillor for Honiton) was a great chairperson and supported the many mothers in the room, most with their own little ones playing at their feet, with their comments and questions about the cutbacks being proposed. The Save Honiton Maternity Unit group handed in their petition (photo at the top). We collected quite a few sheets of names on our own Green Party Stalls over the past few months, which contributed to the 1500 signatures handed in (with another thousand or two to be handed in at a later date). New MP for Tiverton & Honiton Neil Parish stood up to support the parents asking for these changes to be reconsidered. See Midweek Herald article here.

I came away from the meeting quite angry and disillusioned at the NHS not seeming to listen, but just going through the motions of showing that they are consulting the public. I would be interested in all the groups and individuals who are opposed to these changes getting together to work out how this can be fought as a collective. The East Devon Green Party is against cuts to NHS services and we are prepared to work with other groups and individuals in the area to oppose these changes. Contact me (Sharon) sdpavey@googlemail.com

Caroline Lucas, Britain’s first Green MP and leader of the Green Party, comments on today’s budget:

“In spite of the Chancellor’s protestations, this budget was neither unavoidable nor fair. Instead it was a massively failed opportunity to shift the economy onto a fairer, greener pathway.

“Devastating public spending cuts, of the sort announced today, are not ‘unavoidable.’  They are not an economic inevitability – they are an ideological choice.

“It’s been demonstrated that any efforts that are needed to address the deficit, once the economy is back to better health, can be paid for through progressive tax reform, so that the poorest are not forced to pay the highest price for the excesses of the bankers.

“Nor was this budget fair. A VAT rise, benefits cuts for all, a public sector freeze, and swingeing cuts in most government budgets of 25%, will all of them hit some of the poorest hardest.

“And any notion that by voting Blue you get Green was nailed today by the stark absence of any serious measures to promote urgently needed environmental measures.”

Visited Beech Hayes Farm in Churchinford, Somerset last Sunday – they have a fabulous annual open day. Weather was great, lots of tea and cakes and interesting stalls. Ice cream galore, baby animals and a few familiar faces. Then a mad dash off to a children’s party my little boy was going to at a farm up near Smeatharpe, except we got completely lost and were 40 minutes late! All good fun!

For more info on Beech Hayes Farm see www.freddiesfarm.co.uk/beechhayesfarm