DIARY MARCH 2020.Pmd
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www.dalgetybayandhillend.org NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER MARCH 2020 January has been a very eventful month in our still attached. Hopefully it will recover and we community woods. First of all towards the end will see new shoots appearing. of the month a discovery was made that On a more positive note, work has been someone had been cutting down trees in continuing in the rest of the woods. Preparation Hopeward Wood without the permission of the Dalgety Bay has been made for the P7s to plant several owners, the Community Council. All of the donated oak trees. The Scouts are waiting for community woods are protected by a Fife Community Woodlands Group some good weather to come down and clear Council Tree Preservation Order against this also in Hopeward Wood (and the only beech in invasive honeysuckle from Downing Point in type of activity. 5 trees, one an ash, the others those woods) to 70 mph winds. Very order to encourage the growth of special native sycamore, were cut down in the area below the unfortunately it fell into 2 gardens in Lumsdaine plants growing on the volcanic rock there. The Coastal Path where it enters Hopeward Wood Drive, demolishing a summer house there. The Triangle has been sown with wildflower seed from the west. Not only were branches left tree was mature and was last surveyed in 2016/ by the P7s and the Heritage Viewpoint banking strewn across the woodland floor, smothering 17 and found to be perfectly healthy. The tree and the sides of the footpath cleared and dug emerging bluebells, but one of the cut trunks fell whole, the trunk did not break, and on in preparation for sowing. was left in a dangerous state. It was also found inspection by specialists was considered to be As always, very many thanks go to all of our that a further holly had been recently cut down. healthy. The fall is thought to be caused by the helpers and volunteers who have worked so We have reported this activity to the relevant combination of 70 mph gusts and the extremely hard. bodies and put out an appeal to anyone who heavy rainfall of the previous 24 hours. At the Enjoy the woods. may have seen this destruction taking place. If time of writing this, the tree has been removed you see this type of activity going on to please from its fallen position by the Fife Coast and Contact us through our report it to us, details below. Countryside Trust and the good news is that website www.dbcwg.org The next event took place in the gales of 30th the root ball is thought to be quite healthy so it email [email protected] January. Sadly we lost a beautiful beech tree, has been replaced, with a small piece of trunk or Facebook. Fairtrade Fortnight (24 February – 8 March) brings Fairtrade into sharp focus - a highlight of Fairtrade activity and not, we hope, just an annual foray to buy some Fairtrade coffee! This year its focus is in on CHOCOLATE. It may be hard to swallow but many of the people behind our most-loved food still live in extreme poverty. It is a scandal that behind the sweet delight of chocolate lies the bitter taste of exploitation. The UK chocolate industry is worth at least £4 billion each year but the average cocoa farmer in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, where 60% of all cocoa is grown, makes less than 75p a day - the extreme poverty line is around £1.40 per day. If this wasn’t enough to cope with, the climate crisis is already wreaking havoc on global food production. Farmers are battling less predictable seasons, more plant diseases and weather extremes, leading to a lack of food. They are struggling to harvest crops and working longer hours, for lower prices. For women, the situation is even more unfair. In Côte d’Ivoire, for example, women carry out more than two thirds of the labour involved in cocoa farming. They work in the fields, look after children, carry water, and help bring the crop to market. And yet they have fewer rights than men and earn less than a quarter of the money. To achieve real change in this bitter-sweet industry we need to keep speaking up for cocoa farmers, and keep our communities involved in writing the next, sweeter, chapter in their story. Keep reading for reasons to be optimistic, but also why we need to keep pressing for change. In October, the Fairtrade Minimum Price for conventional cocoa was raised from $2,000 to $2,400 per metric ton and for organically-farmed cocoa it will be $2,700. The Fairtrade Premium increased from $200 to $240 per metric ton. Fairtrade is the only certification scheme to focus on price, and as such is already making a tangible and significant difference to farmers’ incomes. Support the farmers – buy Fairtrade chocolate! If you would like to become a Fairtrade supporter or would like more information about Fairtrade, please contact Winnie Wood, Chair (822516) or Robin Arnott, Secretary (822293). Have a look at our website (www.fairtrade-dalgetybay.org.uk); check out our local Fairtrade Directory and read about Fairtrade ‘Beyond 2015 and towards 2030’. 1 the meeting to update the Community Council on the ongoing progress. New equipment is intended to be your local council delivered by the second week in February. Fife Council agreed to take on the maintenance of the park. It is hoped to be ready by April. They wished to thank the ...up to the minute Community Council for their support and asked for a grant to pay for a plaque and opening event. The Community Council holds its regular meeting on the first Monday of each month FLIGHTPATH UPDATE at 7.00pm in Dalgety Parish Church Hall. Members of the public are welcome to attend The Airport proposed plans have been rejected by the and listen to the discussion or to raise matters of special interest to them. Please note CCA and will have to be restarted. The Community Council thanked Louise Gunstensen, Coopted member that the minutes displayed here are extracts from the draft minutes. When approved, a of the Community Council and Bernie McIntosh full copy of the most recent minutes will be posted on the website in due course. Member of the Community Council for their work on behalf of the community. NEWS FROM YOUR COMMUNITY COUNCIL operate the devices in accordance with manufacturer’s GATEWAY The Community Council met on Monday February 3rd guidelines. The records generated are forwarded to Six units on the site have been sold by Muir to an 2020 Police Scotland, who write to the registered keepers Investment Firm. The Community Council have asked POLICE REPORT SUMMARY advising them of their speed and reminding them to the ward councillors to investigate the £50,000 funding The full report can be seen on the CC website. obey the speed limits in built up areas. agreed through the original planning application for art Calls and Crimes Reported If you would like to become a volunteer please visit work. During January 2020, a total of 66 calls were recorded https://www.scotland.police.uk/your-community/fife/ WOODLANDS for the Dalgety Bay and Hillend area. Out of these calls, Follow the link to complete the application form, which Vandalism has been reported in Bogend Wood where 20 required an immediate/priority response. can be handed in to your chosen Fife Police Station. trees were cut down. Information was passed to the During the same period, 8 Crime Files were recorded Reminder Community Council who reported it to the police with for the area, which contained a total of 9 charges. All incidents should be reported as soon as possible photographic evidence Enquiries are ongoing in relation to several incidents, by telephone on one of the following numbers: A fallen tree was also reported in Binning Strip which include vandalism, fraud and theft by shoplifting. highlighting the need to establish responsibility for maintenance of the woodlands in the area. Gift Card Scam The “gift card scam” is something we are seeing DALGETY COMMUNITY TRUST Please do not report incidents or crime by email, as Community events were held in January with the occasionally, where criminals are hacking into email or mailboxes are not monitored 24/7. social media accounts. From the hacked accounts, they purpose of consulting with the residents about plans will access the contacts list and send messages to Information relating to incidents can be passed for the use of the land. 50 residents attended. The Trust others, who think they are being contacted by a genuine anonymously to the independent charity “Crime are ready to enter into discussions with the Community friend or family member. Stoppers” by phoning 0800 555 111 (not for emergency Council regarding the transfer of land calls). The criminals will have a convincing story, which will INVERKEITHING HIGH SCHOOL result in them asking for financial help in the form of The public counter at Dalgety Bay Police Station is No decision has been made regarding the new High gift cards (Amazon, Google Play, etc). They will ask usually open Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm School. A meeting will take place on 11th February. you to attend a shop, purchase a quantity of gift cards (closed between 12.30pm and 1.30pm). Unfortunately, FORESHORE RADIATION (usually hundreds of pounds), take photos of their this can sometimes change at short notice. Radiation clean-up work has still not been awarded to unique codes and send them via email.