Otley, Suffolk

Village: pop. 1,100
Timeline: Started May ‘09

As well as Transition initiatives there are several up and running low-carbon and energy groups in Suffolk, some of which have subsequently followed the Transition model. Otley Green has a committee of 8 people and has put on two main events, both of which were very successful. 96 people came to the village hall to watch The Age of Stupid, followed by a talk by Schlumberger's (an oil exploration services company) Research Fellow for Energy, Carbon and Climate Change who verified the facts of the film and spoke about carbon sequestration.

The second event, an Energy Saving Fair, had several stalls run by renewable energy companies, including composters and recyclers. The village shop served local food and helped publicise the advantages of shopping locally. The school had an art competition about the environment. They also invited Otley Pioneers - local people who had made significant steps towards using alternative energy, such as photovoltaics and installing wind-turbines to talk about energy saving beyond insulation. “There was a real buzz,” reported organiser Tony Barrett. A connection with nearby Otley Agricultural College helped with publicising both events.

On the day Otley Green gave people who signed up for the 10:10 scheme a free pack of briquettes made from waste material produced by Mencap's furniture workshops. These people could also borrow an electricity monitor. They also launched a solar panel buying club, supported by Suffolk Coastal District Council, a garden-share scheme and a cycling club. As well as delivering the results of their village carbon survey, they began making plans for a community woodland.

Contact person: Tony Barrett
Email:tonypbarrett@yahoo.co.uk