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connecting people, sharing resources and supporting communities to live more sustainably
September
To all of our great team of volunteers, first of all, hi!
My name is Colin, and I have just started at Action for Sustainable Living as assistant to our Volunteer Coordinator, Annabel. I may have met some of you in my previous volunteer roles as a Local Project Manager and with the A Few Small Steps schools program, and I hope I will meet the rest of you soon!
Welcome to September’s update of volunteering activities. If you can lend a hand this month – please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or contact the project organisers directly.
We are now happily settled in to our new city centre office, with working internet and phone lines. For anyone that doesn’t have the details, the new office phone number is 0161 237 3357, and if you have any problems finding us give us a call!
We now also have a new Press and Media Officer, Chris Mitchell, so if any of you want any advice on raising the profile of events or projects your involved in, please call the office to discuss. And hopefully you’ll be hearing more about AfSL in media of all kinds soon too!
Wishing you all a fruitful September!
Colin
  | Volunteer of the Month: Debbie Rhind! “Debbie has been an outstanding Local Project Manager for Fallowfield, accomplishing an incredible amount in just a few months. Her project is a wonderful example of collaboration: she wanted to create a community allotment but didn't have any land, and a local community centre with a large garden area wanted an allotment suitable for working with children but didn't have anyone to set one up...a perfect match! “A big congratulations to Debbie on seeing her project through to such a successful open day, and a big thank you for being a fantastic representative for AfSL and for giving such a wonderful 'gift that keeps on giving' to her local community!” -Erika Nagae, Debbie's Coordinator Although much of the hard work is now done, Debbie would really appreciate more volunteers to help out with planting and setting up a polytunnel. The site is based between Fallowfield, Moss Side and Whalley Range, so if you're interested and want to find out more, contact Debbie on [email protected] |
 | Volunteer Social 6.30pm Tuesday 14 September 2010 | Hillary Step, Whalley Range, M16 0BH I welcome you to join us for our next social for an opportunity to swap stories and make new friends. All welcome, the more the merrier. Invite your friends to find out about AfSL, discuss what you've been doing or would like to doing, and meet your likeminded volunteering colleagues! |
 | Envirolution Green Festival Film Nights A new city-wide green festival called Envirolution will be being held in October, which is being organised by a group of volunteers including several AfSL Local Project Managers. As part of the build up to this there will be a series of film nights in conjunction with Transition City , and volunteers are needed to help organise and run the film nights. This will be building on a film night which attracted more than 50 people, so some more hands will really help! Additionally the Envirolution festival generally has opportunities in a very wide range of roles for volunteers to develop all kinds of skills. From stewards on the day to organising working groups, this is a great time to get involved with this ambitious project. For more information see the Envirolution website. |
 | Timperley Country Fair, Timperley Village Chris is running a stall at Timperley Country Fair and he could do with a few pairs of hands to help with activities and talk to the revellers about AfSL and our projects. Last year's fair was held in brilliant sunshine and we talked to loads of people and made some very good contacts. Well worth coming down for all the the fun of the fair alone! If your up for helping out, contact Chris on [email protected] |
 | City Centre Swapshop The Swap Shop initiative lets everybody win! Giving away your unwanted clothes and accessories means you can reorganize your wardrobe without feeling guilty about the waste, while others get stylish clothes for free too. All you need to do is bring with you a minimum of 3 pieces of clothing or accessories (no underwear please!). Where: Nexus Art Cafe , 2 dale Street, M1 1JW. When: 5:00 pm Items drop off, 5:30 - 6.15pm Swapping, 24 September 2010. See the Swapshop website here. |
 | Pakistan Appeal Ali Muhammed who is our Longford LPM will be visiting Pakistan soon and is trying to raise over £1000 to help the victims of the worst floods they have seen for over 80 years (and surely a sign of our rapidly changing climate?). If you would like to donate or know anyone that can, then we will be keeping a box for change at the office so just pop and give what you can. If you want to donate through your bank, then please contact Kate on 0161 237 3357 or [email protected]. Thanks for your support. |
 | Go Ahead for Sensory Garden in Ashton-on-Mersey Our LPM for Ashton-on-Mersey, Carolina, and the team at Natural Recovery have been awarded over £17,000 of lottery funding to build on their work at Syrian House. The funds will allow them to create a sensory garden to tantalise the five senses and to run art therapy workshops for the residents who have serious and enduring mental health needs. This initiative will not only create an interesting and biodiverse space, but will also help aid in the recovery of mental health service users, both at Syrian House and in the wider Trafford area. The team are looking to recruit more volunteers in the community to help with their work, so for more information contact Carolina on [email protected] |
 | Blackberry Picking in Ardwick Our LPM Becky will be kicking off a range of events in the Ardwick area this week with a blackberry picking event. She'll be providing people with a range of exciting recipes and encouraging local food foraging and cooking. The date is not confirmed at time of going to press to please contact Becky directly if your intrested in helping on [email protected] |
 | Cleveley Allotments Sundays throughout August | Chorlton, 10.30am-12.30pm We need extra hands to help clear the site planned for a community plot and social area at Cleveleys Avenue allotments in Chorlton. Initially this will involve clearing land on a vibrant and well established allotment site next to the park. It is a large piece of land and so the more volunteers the merrier! Why not do some digging and then go for a picnic in the park? *If you or friends that are interested want to go, please let Craig know in advance so that he can make sure you are all insured and we have covered health and safety through having had an AfSL induction. Contact him on [email protected] |
 | Old Moat Gardening Project If you are in the Old Moat area -near Withington- or thereabouts, and are interested in getting involved in a gardening project, contact [email protected]. |
