Welcome to our Autumn 2024 Newsletter, which brings you the latest green ideas and sustainable initiatives from our local area.

As we progress into the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness (and lots of rain) we’ve got plenty of tips to help you treat the planet kindly and have some fun along the way. From film showings to gardening jobs and ideas for a spooky but eco-friendly Halloween, there’s something for everyone.

With Our Best Wishes For Autumn

The Sustainable Three Rivers Team

PS If you don’t already, please do follow us on social media to see all our latest reels and news.

Tuesday 12th November 6 - 9.15pm

Refreshments available, followed by a panel discussion.

Come along and view this inspiring documentary telling the story of British farmers standing up against the industrial food system.

The evening will include a panel discussion featuring Claire Mackenzie, the documentary producer, as well as Rose Lewis of the Soil Association, Flora Garvey from Sarratt Community Garden plus organic wine producer Richard Woodfine.

Children in the Three Rivers area now have the opportunity to get hands on with nature and enjoy open air play and learning following the establishment of the Grow Wild Club Forest School. Set in a beautiful woodland spot, the school offers nature craft, wild adventures, campfires, plenty of mud and much, much more.

Grow Wild Club is based at Woodoaks Farm in Maple Cross. It was set up by Claire Newell, a local mum of 3 and Level 3 qualified Forest School teacher. As with all Forest Schools, it offers a child-centred inspirational learning process with opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions. Children are encouraged to have fun playing and exploring in the woodlands, and are supported in risk taking to help develop confidence and self-esteem.

Tips For a Sustainable Halloween

It’s time for a bit of deathly fun - but not at the expense of our very much alive planet!

We’re all up for a bit of spooky amusement at Halloween, but the impact of our annual ghoulfest on the planet can be scary.

Click the link below to see our top tips for a sustainable Halloween, including pumpkin recipes and Halloween craft ideas.

Members of the Three Rivers community gathered together at the end of September for our Ricky Harvest and Pruning event.

If you’d like to get involved in planning for next year’s garden produce or find out how you can help, please email us at hello@sustainablethreerivers.org.

We’d be delighted to hear from you!

In celebration of Green Libraries week in early October, Croxley library staff and S3R held two green-themed events.

These had a focus on appreciating nature and valuing what we already possess, rather than constantly buying new 'stuff'. Youngsters enjoyed some sustainable craft - making, listening to a couple of green-themed stories and sharing ideas for living more sustainably. 

The children worked together to produce the beautiful collage above, made out of spare and reused materials.

New Eco Lunch Club at St John’s School Rickmansworth

S3R is continuing its’ involvement with local schools this academic year.

After half term Jane Irwin will be taking the lead on a new Eco Lunch Club at St John's primary school in Rickmansworth.

Jane will be running the club every Thursday, and will help the children to access information about various sustainability issues. She will lead fun interactive activities whilst introducing the concept of personal choice and agency across many areas of eco-friendly living.

Topics covered will range from promoting biodiversity and recycling to carbon footprints and food choices.

If you are interested in getting involved with the club, or if you have the skills and networks that can assist S3R in our schools outreach, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Please contact Jane on 07590 010902. Alternatively, email janekatherineirwin@gmail.com 

Bike Sharing Trial In Croxley

Exciting news from Croxley Green! A new bike sharing trial has been launched, linking Croxley with Watford.

Beryl is a well established bike sharing scheme, which is convenient, quick and cost effective. Simply download the Beryl app and follow the instructions. All the bikes are designed in the UK with safety in mind.

Using bikes for transport is a great way to reduce traffic and pollution. It also allows us to get some fresh air and exercise at the same time.

If the trial is a success, local Green councillors in Croxley hope to see the bikes rolled out across the whole district. Why not give them a try?

Gardening Jobs For Autumn

Our gardens are important for the environment in many different ways. From protecting natural biodiversity and supporting essential pollinators, to improving air quality and reducing carbon dioxide, they have a vital role to play. Gardening has also been proven to offer numerous health benefits, both mental and physical.

So if you’re lucky enough to have your own green space, it’s well worth making time to make the most of it. You don’t need particularly green fingers to be able to make a difference! Here are a few of our top tips for gardening jobs this autumn.

• Keep on deadheading dahlias and cosmos. They will continue flowering until the first frosts.

  ●       Pull up summer bedding and the stems of tomatoes, beans and courgettes once you’ve harvested the last crops. Be sure to put all this plant material on your compost heap. 

  ●       This is a good time of year to mulch bare  ground with organic matter such as leaf mould, woodchip,  farmyard manure or compost

  ●       Leave windfall apples for birds and other wildlife to enjoy. Just make sure you move them off the lawn.

  ●       Plant bulbs such as allium, daffodils, crocuses,  lilies and tulips for lots of colour next Spring. Remember to dig a hole about two or three times the length of each bulb  and place the pointed end facing upwards. In the ground, space them  at least one bulb’s width from each other, but in pots, you can place them closer together.

  ●       Make sure you fill up  your bird feeders regularly. As the weather gets colder, hungry birds need high energy food to survive.

  ●       Move your houseplants closer to windows as light levels drop. They need as much light as possible in the dark autumn and winter months. And remember to avoid over-watering.

  ●       Leave sunflowers and teasels for birds such as goldfinches to enjoy.

  ●       Now is the time of year to plant individual garlic cloves. They will be ready to harvest in June or July next year

  ●       Climate change means that some bees and other insects are increasingly active during the autumn and winter months. Why not grow some winter-flowering plants such as hellebores, mahonia, snowdrops, crocuses and winter flowering clematis. A great way to increase our local bee population.

Just One Sustainable Thing…

Big change starts with small steps. Here are some ideas for you to try this autumn:

• Try some tasty veggie recipes using leftover pumpkin or the abundance of squashes around. They make a great risotto!

• As the nights draw in, we all love the cosy feeling created by candle light, but try to choose ones made from bees wax. Cheaper candles are made from paraffin wax, which is a product of petroleum refining.

• Learn how to darn your knitwear! Did you know that darning is fashionable again? Find out more here.

What’s your favourite sustainable tip? What’s the one thing you plan to do this autumn? Visit our website for more ideas.

Sustainable Three Rivers is a Community Interest Group founded by local residents. Our aim is to help people in Three Rivers make lifestyle changes to protect the planet.  We also run community events and encourage everyone to get involved.

If you’ve got any ideas for sustainable solutions, or questions about any of the points we cover, we’d love to hear from you!

You can email us at hello@sustainablethreerivers.org