groups

GROUPS and EVENTS

Every week we have groups running that are aimed at promoting more sustainable ways of living, these are listed below along with any special events that are being put on by the groups.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS Family Hour: Carnival Costume Making Thursday 24 June and 1 July 3.30pm – 4.30pm. Come and make a carnival costume out of recycled materials, ready to wear at Northfield Carnival (3 July). Beginners Digital Photography Workshop Wednesday 30 June 6.30pm – 9pm. Booking Essential Learn what makes a good photo and how to use your compact digital camera more effectively. Bring a compact digital camera if you have one. Afterwards why not enter our 'Beautiful Northfield' Photography Competition (the deadline has been extended to 31^st July 2010. Details below). Northfield Carnival: Children’s Eco Workshops Saturday 3 July. Drop in to the Ecocentre on carnival day and learn to make a bug hotel and bird feeders. NEW! Swap It! 2nd Saturday of every month, 10am – 1pm (10 July, 14 August, 11 Sept) Bring along good quality unwanted goods: books, CDs, adult and children’s clothes and gardening equipment and swap them, for free, for something else! Eco-Friendly Cleaning Workshop Thursday 15 July 6.30pm – 7.30pm. Booking Essential Learn what make your own eco-friendly cleaning products from natural ingredients. £2.50 donation per person to cover materials. Bring 2 jam jars to take home what you have made. The Big Lunch: Northfield Sunday 18 July (Provisional: to be confirmed) Come and share lunch with your neighbours at this community food event in Northfield (www.thebiglunch.com) NEW! Ecocentre Loan Library Thursday 22 July at 5 - 6pm Northfield Ecocentre will launch its loan library, with a small event demonstrating the products and equipment we have to loan. These will include Enjo cleaning products, gardening equipment, energy monitors, an array of light bulbs, books, sewing and craft equipment and more.... NEW! Friends of Victoria Common Meeting Thursday 22 July, 6.30pm Come and discuss ideas about setting up a ‘Friends of Victoria Common’ group in Northfield. Summer Nature Trail Thursday 29 July, 2.30pm – 4.30pm As part of an extended ‘Family Hour’, children and parents are welcome and learn about nature on a guided tour around Victoria Common. A Beginners Guide to... Home Energy Thursdays: 29 July, 12 August, 9 September at 6.30pm Topics covered will be keeping your home warm, energy efficiency and insulation, solar panels, heat pumps and green roofs. Booking Essential
REGULAR GROUPS
Call for Artists & crafts people! Green fingered people!	Creatives - Do you know how to make handmade crafts to furnish your home, make gifts or customise clothes? Do you reuse or recycle materials in to something new? .... and more Gardeners - Do you know how to grow organic vegetables? Are you a dab hand at garden DIY? Do you reuse or recycle materials in to something useful for the garden? .... and more If yes, we need you! Northfield Ecocentre are looking for volunteers who would like to share their skills with our creative and gardening groups and at workshops: Contact Jane Baker for more information: Tel: 0121 448 0119 Email: jane@northfieldecocentre.org
	Family Hour EVERY THURSDAY 3.30pm – 4.30pm (2.30pm - 4.30pm during summer holidays) Family craft activities using recycled materials and story time for the under 7's. Advice on reducing your energy bills for parents while the children are busy! Tips on how to live sustainable as a family.
	NEW! Community Action Group We are looking to re-establish out campaigns group, this time with more of a community action focus. The idea of the group will be to take on small projects once a month in and around Northfield that will help to develop the area, build community and protect the environment. This might include gardening and food growing, litter picking, campaigning, recycling projects and more. We are looking for volunteers who would like to join the group, get involved and share ideas! Meetings (monthly from July) Thursday 8 July, 5.30 - 7.30pm and Saturday 10 July , 12noon - 1pm First Activity: The Big Lunch, Sunday 18 July, Northfield Quaker Meeting House (behind the Ecocentre on Church Road) Campaigns We Support When possible we will also make regular campaign actions to support other organisation’s local, national and global climate campaigns by signing petitions or writing letters to councillors or MPs (e.g. Friends of the Earths 20's Plenty Campaign – for Northfield).
	Sew, Darn & Tea Do you want to learn how to make things? Do you have loads of ideas for recycling materials? Regular FREE drop in sewing sessions at NORTHFIELD ECOCENTRE. EVERY FRIDAY 10am – 12pm Learn from each other. Make shopping bags, door stops, draught excluders and more, moving on to more advanced workshops in time. If you want something for your house, or a fashion item but don’t know how to make it come along to the workshop & we’ll work it out together. Bring any materials you have, some will be provided.
	Gardening Group THURSDAY MORNINGS. 10am - 12 noon Come along to transform our lawn into a permaculture inspired organic fruit and vegetable plot. We are developing a pond, wildlife area, herb garden and more. We also hope to run themed garden workshops. Whether you need gardening ‘L-plates’ or you are an experienced gardener there will be something for you. Our garden, like our building is a practical demonstration of what can be done in most Birmingham homes. We even have examples of things that can be done without a garden such as window boxes.