Cambridge Friends of the
Earth
Newletter February 2000
Cambridge Foe Group News
Cambridge FOE moves again
After 25 years in Cambridge - much of it in the Bath House on Mill
Road until we were forced by rent increases to move out a few years
ago - we have found it difficult to find a secure long-term office
but now we believe we have. You may recall we moved from the Bath
House to share with the Harambee Centre in the Oxfam
shop on Regent street and that was fine for two years until the shop
was reorganised and both Harambee and FOE moved out to St
Michael’s Hall, Trinity Street. This was also fine, and very
cheap, but now we have been asked to move out as our office will be
included in the plans to convert the hall into a church cafe.
We debated long and hard at this point as to the functioning of
the group and as to whether we needed an office. You may recall we
sent a questionnaire to you and this was one of the questions. The
overall feeling was that we do as it gives the group a long-term
future therefore the hunt started again. We successfully located one
possibility and after much further debate on the pros and cons of
this one we took it on the basis that it would be a trial for 6
months and we would then consider it again.
The plus points are that it is back in the community on Mill Road,
we have access for all again, it is long-term and at a cheaper rent
than many similar.
So now after a period of painting and refurbishment we are in!
This is a minimalist office and is for public and member contact,
campaign planning, recruitment and for meetings and only holds
current literature. We have access to our old office for sales,
bulkier street campaigning material and archives until St
Michael’s development starts.
So we are now open at No 1A, Felton Street –first
right off Tenison Road from Mill Road. The entrance to the upstairs
office is via the door at the back of the courtyard (please refer to
the map on p. 4).
There was an official opening on Wednesday December 8th when Ron
Bailey, Head of Local Campaigns Department from national FOE, cut the
ribbon - green of course. Also present was Mary Edwards - Eastern
Regions Co-ordinator of national FOE - and a goodly number of our
Cambridge FOE members.
We realise that now in the late '90s we have less of a function
for general environment public information but we do still want to
have the office functioning at some key hours for visitors and at
other times for campaign purposes. Do drop by to see it and while
you're there why not do some environmentally-friendly shopping. We
have greetings cards, post cards, envelopes, note paper, T-shirts,
washing powder, washing liquid, washing-up liquid and shampoo all in
environmentally-friendly brands. However, to keep it open, we require
PEOPLE. Can you help? We can only continue with more help.
Thanks to all those who helped to restore the new office to its
present magnificent condition: Lucy Agate, Dave Bailey, James Murray
and Ken Richard for painting, Ken Richard, Bob Headland and Sarah and
Patrick Forman for helping with or doing the carpeting, Bob and Ken
for the rewiring, and Tony Croxon for the carpentry work.
Thank you all our members who do help in all the various ways-be
it in the office, delivering Newsletters, the street collection,
festival stalls, etc etc. Special thanks to Dave Bailey who has
skilfully led the GMO campaign but is now standing down for a career
concentration.
We have more similar events coming up - please scan the diary for
events and dates and consider if you can manage that little bit more
support.
Our campaign groups are also being revised: We now have:
The Real Food Campaign to incorporate food issues such as
GMO’s, organic farming, pesticides etc - one of our major
current activities
A new Recycling Campaign to encourage all types of recycling
again and to join the Council’s Slim your Bin
promotion (See p.5)
Transport & Planning - as active as ever with the expanding
Cambridgeshire development
Biodiversity - Forests and UK Countryside-as before active when
issues arise
Renewable Energy-a new one for us but we felt this was needed
in the changing energy arena
Ken Richard, Group Co-ordinator
______________________________________________________________________________
Office move
expenses
Our move to Felton Street, brought about by St Michael’s
Church giving us notice to quit by the end of December 1999 so that
rebuilding and refurbishment could commence, has been, we hope, a
positive step. Our new office will be more accessible to more people
more of the time, hopefully attracting more volunteers without whom
Cambridge Friends of the Earth would cease to exist. In it’s
favour St Michael’s Church was a very, make that incredibly,
cheap office to run, costing us all of £350/annum INCLUSIVE OF
ALL BILLS!! Now however, we are at the mercy of market forces and
though our expenses are very reasonable for Cambridge (our landlord
being a very reasonable chap) our costs have increased dramatically,
as outlined below. I hope to expand more on our financial future when
I present my annual report at the AGM. Suffice to say that, for the
time being only, we can just about afford the costs of running our
new office if no other sources of income are forthcomming.
Recurring Expenses:
Rent: £180/month Electricity: approx. £10/month Water:
£150/annum
Office Move Expenses (Deducted from rent paid so far):
Painting and Decorating: £24.78, Electrical Repairs:
£24.97, Padlock and Hasp for outside toilet: £9.95,
Doorbell: £15.90, Miscellaneous: £8.09, Carpentry (repairs
to window frame and front door): £100
Total: £183.59
Office Move Expenses (Non-Deductable):
Mats: £40.00, Chairs (x4): £18.00, Keys: £20.18,
Bucket: £3.99, Heater: £7.00, Kettle: £13.00
Total: £102.13
Ian Ralls
Treasurer
______________________________________________________________________________
Cambridge FOE at the Folk Festival
Cambridge FOE graced the Cambridge Folk Festival with their
presence again last year. We were asked by Cambridge City Council to
attend on the Thursday afternoon, and we were there until Sunday
night labouring away, collecting rubbish, emptying bins, and doing
our bit in the recycling of mountains of plastic beer cups, cans and
bottles. County Recycling supplied the recyclable materials bins and
a team of staff. For our efforts we were given a plot for our stall,
where we sold environmentally-friendly and recycled goods, collected
signatures for our petition against GM foods and distributed
information on environmental issues. We afterwards received a cheque
for £450 from Eddie Barcan, of the City Council, in recognition
of our contribution. All in all it was hard work, but an enjoyable
weekend. For their labours, we thank Ken Richard who organised
everything, Ken, Ian Ralls, Lucy Agate, James Murray, Joseph Ashmore,
Mat Davis, Ian Grant, Richard Mauger, Carla Toyne, Andy Mayo and
Martine Gregory-Jones for keeping the site in a respectable
condition, and some of the above plus Sam Beatson and Sarah Forman,
for doing a great job on the stall. Everyone’s help was greatly
appreciated. Apologies to anyone we've forgotten!
The total amounts of materials recycled were: 2.5 tons of
glass; 0.9 tons of aluminium (33,000 cans); and 0.52 tons of plastic
(31,000 cups) - what a party that was!
James Murray
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