I’ve recently read a fascinating book called “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker. The book is an International Bestseller and has the subtitle “The New Science of Sleep and Dreams.” As might be deduced from the subtitle, Matthew Walker is a Sleep Scientist and has been scientifically investigating sleep for many, many years. Although the book is American in origin, for that is where Matthew now lives and undertakes his work, he himself is British, born in Liverpool. Despite him being a scientist, the book is far from dry and beyond understanding. While it has some staggering revelations it is immensely readable and practical. Continue reading
Category Archives: General Interest
De-Clutter Your Clothes
Clothes- You can’t live without them- but sometimes you can’t live with them!
We love our clothes. But so many clients that I visit describe how they struggle to find anything to wear each day – yet their wardrobe is full to bursting. So much so that their clothes spill out over the floor, chairs, and anywhere else they can pile it up!
So, what’s going on? We are strapped for cash and space and yet apparently British women still spend an average of £74 per month on clothes, and British men an average of £100. With an average household owning approximately £4,000 worth of clothing, a staggering 30% of which hasn’t even been worn in the past year, that’s about £30 billion in unused clothing.
I find that people fall into several categories when it comes to clothes…
- Maybe you are an over-buyer or an unrealistic buyer of clothes
- Perhaps you keep clothes thinking that you will be able to fit into them again
- People buy you clothes that they think would suit you?
- You can’t resist a bargain in a sale or a charity shop
- They don’t know what clothes they already have
Enough of why we have too many clothes – how can you clear some space and enjoy the clothes that you do have? Continue reading
Adventures in Portugal
Some of you might remember me
as Fiona Petto, from the days of the Scorpion Inn back in the 60s when my parents (John & Toinette) bought it and built on the Yew Tree dance hall but that is another story. Years past, I married Adrian (Adie) Wisher, had children and moved to Dorset where this story begins.
Eat Local Ice Cream, support British Farming
The hot weather is also a great excuse to eat more ice cream to stay cool!
Do you prefer a cone or tub, single or double scoop, sauce or no sauce? Whichever way you choose to eat your cool treat this summer, be sure to back British farming. Supporting the industry has never been more important, so what better way than to treat yourself than with a scoop of British dairy ice cream on a warm summer’s day!
Here are some local producers, many encourage site visits, so why not go explore them.
Get out and Explore the area
The summer holidays provide the perfect time to get out and about in your local area. You and your friends and family will be amazed by what you can find just a few steps from home. The British countryside is a working landscape of grazing livestock, growing crops and fruiting trees – it is where our food is produced. Filled with expansive green spaces, extensive woodland, water streams and rolling hills, the great outdoors is a giant adventure playground waiting to be explored.
To be in with a chance of winning £100 from Joules, download your free ‘Countryside Safari’ activity sheet and find out more about how British farmers protect wildlife and habitats on their farms, care for their animals and produce the food on our plates. Don’t forget to stay safe though, and follow the countryside code. > Activity sheet here https://www.countrysideonline.co.uk/assets/108870
59th South Hill Horticultural Show, get your schedule here
Everybody has a skill… do YOU grow tasty fruit, perfect vegetables, perfect blooms? Do you enjoy baking or photography? Or are you handy with a needle and thread, or a paintbrush? Whatever your hobby, you could win a prize at the South Hill Horticultural Show on August 18th 2018.
This year we also have a Dog Show and a Duck Race, both organised by Callington Young Farmers Club, raising money for St Luke’s Hospice, show funds and Club funds.
PLUS a CAR BOOT SALE, Bring your items to sell or donate for us to sell, raising money for the Parish Hall Funds, a FIVER a pitch >> contact events@south-hill.co.uk or Ali 384544
Full details in the Show schedule – get yours here…
Don’t Dump DONATE
Trees and Kayaks and Carbon
…. something to think about.
A tree makes its own food through photosynthesis. Leaves absorb carbon dioxide ( 1 part carbon 2 parts oxygen)
Scientists are still working on how to calculate the amount of carbon in trees. The generally held view is:
The average carbon content of a tree is 50% of it’s dry weight.
A tree absorbs up to 20kg carbon dioxide (CO2) each year.
A 40 year old tree will contain up to 1 tonne of carbon.
Carbon is stored in the trunk, branches and roots (and a small amount in the leaves).
The greatest store of carbon is within the soil, so disturbing soil by deep digging releases carbon.
A 55cm3 block of wood contains the same amount of carbon as would be emitted by boiling a kettle or driving a moped 1km.
Sea Kayaks Rick Cooper, from Trematon, Saltash, British Sea Kayaks, sells new GRP, or carbon fibre or polyethylene, sea kayaks made in Anglesey. https://britishseakayaks.co.uk/
Making these kayaks will inevitably result in the release of CO2 into the atmosphere, thus adding to the greenhouse gases. Most sea kayakers have an environmental conscience, they paddle to remote places to observe beautiful scenery and wildlife. Each kayak sold is accompanied by a free native hardwood tree which during its life time, will hopefully offset/absorb the carbon released during its manufacture. Kayakers can choose the species of tree they want. Some want to grow the tree in a pot to begin with because they intend to move house and want to take it with them (good trees for this hornbeam, beech, lime, rowan, crab apple) The most popular for planting in the ground are silver birch and wild cherry. If you have nowhere to plant your tree we can plant one in our wood at Trematon.
We were delighted to show members of the South Hill Association for Renewable Energy, SHARE, around our young wood and where Rick has his kayaks.
Rick’s aim is to put you in the correct sea kayak for you, and believes you should try before you buy, whether you are a solo paddler or a group, Rick is an advanced sea kayak leader and during your demo will be there for your guidance and safety, giving hints and tips to help you get the best from your experience.
Interested ? ! Phone 07779 134888 rick@britishseakayaks.co.uk
Fiona Cooper, Tamar Valley Trees
SHARE Update June 2018
The SHARE Guide to Saving Energy in the Home
SHARE has delivered this handy FREE booklet to all households in South Hill Parish. It’s full of tips and advice from the Energy Saving Trust to help you save energy AND money. Use it to reduce your bills AND your carbon footprint.
For example – DID YOU KNOW…?
You can save around £30 a year just by turning your appliances off stand-by mode! Your TV, your laptop power supply, your phone charger – they don’t use much power but if they’re on 24/7 it adds up to a lot.
You can also read the Guide online at www.south-hill.co.uk/SHARE.
Just in case we’ve missed anybody out… If you live in the parish and haven’t seen the booklet, please email or phone and we’ll deliver one to you.
Good News! Investment offer over-subscribed.
Our recent investment offer was very well received by the membership. The investment is a 2-year fixed term loan to SHARE which will pay 4% interest annually – better than any bank or building society.
About a quarter of members expressed an interest in the offer, and of those more than half decided to invest. As a result, we were offered more money than we needed, so we scaled back the amount we will borrow from each lender.
The money raised is used to finance our solar PV installation at Church Park, South Hill, which has been in operation for 22 months and is performing even better than our original forecast.
SHARE IN OUR COMMUNITY
SHARE is proud to support St Sampson’s Church in their application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. Improvements planned for the church include the addition of toilet and kitchen facilities. This will be a green community initiative, using renewable, sustainable and locally sourced materials where possible.
We are also supporting the Parish Hall committee with their bid for funding from the Big Lottery Fund which, if successful, will enable the installation of a new kitchen, and battery storage to make better use of power generated by the solar panels on the Hall roof. SHARE will encourage the use of energy-efficient appliances and an instant hot water boiler to replace the power-hungry tea urn.
Wi-fi disconnection?
With help from the Parish Council, SHARE has been paying for the fibre broadband and wi-fi connection at the Parish Hall in Golberdon, using income from the solar PV panels on the Hall roof (which we share 50:50 with the Parish Hall committee). BUT… our BT contract is now coming to an end, BT want to almost double the cost, and the Parish Council have said they can no longer contribute. What do we do? Our share of the income from the solar PV is not enough to cover BT’s aggressive price increase, so we are looking at alternatives. It would be a shame if we had to abandon this valuable asset to the community.
Do YOU use the wi-fi service at the Hall? Please let us know if this is important to you.
Planned visit to Plymouth Incinerator
This is still on the cards. Details to follow.
A Guide to Saving Energy in the Home
SHARE Energy Booklet – click here…
Brought to you by South Hill Association for Renewable Energy with the Energy Saving Trust, a copy of this booklet has been delivered to every household in South Hill Parish.
Packed with tips and information to help you save energy and money at home, and reduce your Carbon footprint.
For our readers outside the Parish, and for those who prefer to read online, just click on the picture or the link above to download the booklet as a pdf (3.18MB).
To find out more about the Energy Saving Trust please visit their website, here…