Meeting at the Cornubia pub BS1 6EN (near Temple Meads Station) for Bristol’s new ‘carfree group’ convened by Steve Melia. European Cities do it so why can’t we? Carfree doesn’t mean you don’t have access to a car when you need it (hire, car club or taxi) it just means you don’t have to own, service, insure, and store one of the darn things. After all, we don’t ALL keep a cow just cos we drink milk, so why do we put up with squillions of stationary heaps of metal turning what could be livable streets into giant car parks.

There will be lots of delicious local and fair trade food available at the next Whiteladies Road Farmers and Fair Trading Market. Plus burgers, live music (weather peritting) and some special attractions. It is the first and third Saturdays of the month, 8.30 to 2pm, at the junction of Whiteladies Road and Apsley Road. Put the date in your diary and make it a priority.  Forget your list, the drive to the supermarket and your credit card. Come with an open mind, plenty of cash, and some stout shopping bags. The market is also close to lots of excellent shops selling local food, so take advantage of shops and the market all in one trip. We have a regular bunch of traders who get up at crack of dawn and come and set up their stalls for the morning. There is a beautiful range of delicious locally grown fruit and veg, wonderful bottled apple juice, fantastic pork pies, sausages, pies, poultry, eggs, a wide range of excellent cuts of beef, pork and lamb, across a range of price brackets, tasty home made jams and chutneys, farm made crumbles, fruit pies, vegetable pasties, mouth-watering cakes and breads, unique local cheese, handmade chocolates (sometimes) and delicious olive oil bottled locally through a family link with Greece. There are usually plants as well, including herbs and fruit trees (at the right time of year). The stallholders try and use as little packaging as possible, and are happy if you return any fruit punnets, and chutney jars for reuse.   The market is all about delicious real food, from local networks of food production and distribution. Support the market and help it to grow, and tell all your friends about it too.

A three learning hour event at the lovely headquarters in Bedminster of the National Federation of City Farms (worth going just for that if you’ve never been in this hidden gem of a building) organised by Soil Assn and Sustain. If you are interested please contact bhewson@soilassociation.org it is free, but places are limited.

We will be showing the new and much praised film ‘Beyond the tipping Point’ – precise details for the evening yet to be determined but but it in your diary now. It will be at Friends Meeting House 126 Hampton Road opposite the Clyde Arms pub.