Ecodyfi Newsletter January 2004
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Ecodyfi Newsletter January 2004 |
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Site Map | The Dyfi Valley | Map | Join us | Glossary | Useful links | Contact us | Have your say | Search | News | Events |
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Become a member of ecodyfi We want everybody in the Valley to join, so it only costs £1. Drop into Ty Bro Dyfi or send some stamps. The information centre is open Monday to Friday between 10.00 and 3.00. You might even like to get involved in staffing it or in helping to run a project. Please come and see us!
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Welcome to our community regeneration Newsletter!At this time of year ecodyfi is making plans for the financial year beginning in April. What should we be doing to improve the quality of life in the Dyfi Valley and safeguard our futures? Most of our projects will develop activities already underway or under discussion, for example:
Can you spot other opportunities for us to stimulate community activity and bring about economic and environmental improvements? Maybe we can find funding for your idea from the Welsh Development Agency or one of our other partners. Call or email us now! Andy Rowland Manager Community Energy FundA Community Energy Fund has been set up to promote energy conservation and efficiency in the Dyfi valley. Successful meetings have been held in Corris and Glantwymyn. The fund is managed by representatives of ecodyfi, Glantwymyn Community Council, CAT and Bro Dyfi Community renewables Ltd., the company behind the Community Wind Turbine at Panthperthog. The fund is supported by a proportion of the income from CAT's MS4 turbine and of that expected from the Pantperthog one. Broadband CampaignBT have set the so-called 'trigger level' for several exchanges in the valley for example, Machynlleth's is 400. This is the number of phone lines registered with them which when reached will trigger BT to upgrade the exchange to broadband. This will bring the benefits of significantly faster connection to the internet and will allow phone calls to be received without having to log off. Talybont has just reached its trigger level of 200. To help achieve this trigger level you can register at: The Machynlleth Broadband Campaign site is: www.machbroadband.org.uk.
Tourism NewsWe are now well over one year into the Tourism Growth Area Project, which we hope will run for 6 years. It looks as if we will meet - and exceed - the "targets" set for capital investment in tourism businesses. Of course capital investment is just one aspect of the project and much of Ecodyfi's tourism activity has been in the area of marketing, research, training, awareness-raising and networking and in developing projects at an early stage. Thea Platt has joined me as voluntary Tourism Campaigns Officer, which means that next year we can tackle even more than before. Here are some of this year's highlights: Mountain Biking in the Dyfi Forest: Working with Mach Off Road Limited, we've been awarded grants of about £130,000 to develop the first phase of mountain biking routes in the Dyfi Forest. We're currently working on community liaison and on the tender process. Activity Tourism: The Tourist Board are focussing on marketing activity tourism across Wales and we've been working to build a recognisable Dyfi Valley activity "product" that can be marketed via - and therefore capitalise on - their campaigns. After initial research, funded by the WDA, we've set up an Activity Host Training programme and begun to build a network of providers who will, we hope, produce their own marketing plan beginning with a tailored marketing course in January 2004. Local and Christmas Shopping: Building on efforts by the Wynnstay and Mach Chamber of Trade and other local shopping campaigns, we'd like to see Machynlleth becoming the place to buy arts and crafts, foods and luxury goods - for visitors as well as locals. The beginning of our involvement in this process has been to collate and advertise events as part of a more co-ordinated "Dyfi Valley Christmas" and to support, help fund-raise for, and add tourism value to Elemental Earth's activities. Teresa Walters Tourism Officer
Waste Reduction NewsMy first year here has been a busy one with a steep learning curve. It has been a pleasure to work alongside everyone at Tw Bro Ddyfi & with the ecodyfi label as my passport it has been a good opportunity to get straight to the heart of what s going on in the valley. My mission was to reduce waste in the Dyfi Valley, focussing on landfill, but it has already spread into energy & food miles. My main endeavour has been to raise awareness around issues of sustainability in the valley. The work has been broad and varied including:
Having been involved in all these areas & in a part time post, I plan to refine my work programme for 2004. I imagine next year will be much the same as this with new opportunities arising all the time, but with more experience & a clear underlying work programme. I hope to be able to develop a few projects which will be of lasting benefit to the valley. Tom O'Kane Waste Reduction Officer
Other Highlights of 2003
For your DiaryMonday February 9th 'Housing' a meeting of the Local Community Forum. 7.30 pm Ysgol Bro Dyfi, Machynlleth VolunteersEcodyfi has been very fortunate in having a team of volunteers work with us this year. Most have been staffing the Information Office downstairs at Ty Bro Ddyfi, started by Fiona Smith in October 2002. People move on as they find paid employment or new directions. We have replaced Fiona, Caroline de Carle, Siobhan Higgs and Tamlin Watson with Geoffrey Lloyd.
Partneriaeth Eco Dyffryn Dyfi Eco Valley Partnership
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Shareholders
celebrate the opening of the community wind turbine "People Power" at
Cilgwyn. April 2003.