Category: Events

Tamar Energy Fest – Sat Nov 9th

Tamar Energy Fest – Sat Nov 9th

By Kate Royston

Tamar Energy Community (TEC) has been hosting the annual Tamar Energy Fest since 2012, and this year we look forward to welcoming you to Butchers’ Hall in Tavistock on Saturday 9th November from 10:00 until 15:00. Do pop in and see us!

Our theme this year is “Cosy, Efficient, and Future-Ready”. We’re focused on supporting you with practical strategies for retrofitting homes to enhance energy efficiency, comfort, and resilience against rising energy costs and climate change.

With free entry, there’s plenty to interest you if you’re concerned about the climate and biodiversity emergency, carbon reduction, and energy efficiency—or simply looking to lower your bills.

Free, impartial advice will be available from our knowledgeable experts and exhibitors on retrofitting, energy management and more. You’ll also find information stalls, and interactive displays offering insights into effective strategies for reducing energy consumption and making informed home improvement decisions.

Our exhibitors will include Dartmoor Energy, NEA (National Energy Action), South West Water, Bramhill Builders, Fell Partnership, Kensa Heat Pumps and Metalectrique. We’re also being joined by Devon Wildlife Trust, Tavy Rail, Tamar Valley National Landscape, Tavistock Library and Transition Tavistock.

Whether you’re interested in implementing small changes or undertaking larger projects, Tamar Energy Fest provides a valuable opportunity to learn and connect with others committed to a sustainable future.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday. Find out more here.

Tamar Energy Fest 2024

TAMar
ENergy fest
2024

Butcher’s Hall, Tavistock
Saturday 9th November 
10:00-15:00.

With ever increasing energy prices, now may seem a good time to consider options within your home and/or business for addressing energy efficiency … and retrofitting to improve the buildings performance, cost of heating and levels of comfort. 

With this in mind, we look forward to welcoming you to Butchers’ Hall in Tavistock on Saturday Nov. 9th from 10:00 until 15:00.

Our theme is “Making your home – Cosy, Efficient and Future Ready“

This is a free, family friendly event, suitable for all ages.

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Saturday 9th November
10:00-15:00

Butcher’s Hall, Tavistock

We’ll have a mixture of fun activities, short talks, advice stands, displays, and exhibitors providing information about how to retrofit your home, business or organisation, make them more energy cosy, efficient and future ready; how to reduce your energy bills; generate your own energy; and what you can do to reduce your carbon impact and do ‘your bit’ to progress towards net zero.

Open Homes network

We’ll also have a display of our Open Homes network featuring householders who have undertaken their own projects and are happy to share their experiences and lessons learnt, good and bad.

Activities

Activities will include an art area for younger attendees, a family energy quiz, and our climate and biodiversity tree.

You can buy competitively priced LED bulbs; and have a breather and enjoy a drink and home-made cake from our refreshment stand at our energy café.

Activities for children … and adults include:

  • Creative colouring fun for families.
  • Climate and Biodiversity Tree – where you can pledge sustainable commitments to your future self and display them on our tree.
  • What is watt? – Race family and friends to match up everyday electric household items with the amount of power they use.

 

 

Exhibitors & Displays

We’ll have experts from a number of organisations and our own advisors to share their knowledge with you. We’ll keep you updated on our exhibitors as they confirm.

 

Our exhibitors include:

& more… We’ll also have our own advisors on hand to share their knowledge with you and our information displays for you to browse. 

 Our Tamar Energy Community displays include:

    • Practical Energy Advice 
    • Retrofit Services
    • Future-Proof your home
    • Warmer Bedford Cottages
    • Open Homes
    • Community Solar
    • Carbon Zero Homes Project

 

 

 

If you’d like to exhibit, or help us out and volunteer on the day, OR YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT US please get in touch.

 

More about our Exhibitors

New Generation Energy – Renewable Energy Solutions

Designing, supplying, installing and maintaining bespoke renewable energy systems for the past nine years with an emphasis on customer satisfaction and an ethos of ongoing support and maintenance for our current and future client base.

Established in 2007 by Andrew Metcalf and based in the South West we have installed hundreds of renewable systems, from small photovoltaic arrays to large commercial biomass boilers and are MCS accredited for all our technologies.

Lendology cic – Lending decisions for people, by people

Lendology CIC disrupt traditional lending with our decisions powered by partnerships and people, enriching homes, and lives through affordable finance. 

Working in partnership with West Devon Borough Council, we lend council funds to homeowners for home repairs, improvements, renewable energy measures and to improve the energy efficiency of homes. 

Unlike other mainstream lenders, Lendology doesn’t use algorithms or credit scores. People make lending decisions for people.  They believe that everyone should have access to a home that is safe, warm, and suitable for their individual needs and works across the community to enable this, reduce fuel poverty and establish the link between health and homes.  If you are worried about the rising cost of energy, we recommend taking action now to ensure your central heating is working and that your home is as energy efficient as possible.

Lendology will be available until 14:00 on Sat. 12th November.

Lovely Savings – A Utility Warehouse Partner

Lovely Savings, a Discount Club helping families and small businesses save money on their essentials

Devon Wildlife Trust – Protecting wildlife for the future

Devon Wildlife Trust logo

Established over fifty years ago by a small group of volunteers, Devon Wildlife Trust is the only charity that exists to protect all wildlife in Devon and to safeguard Devon’s unique natural environment.

NEA – National Energy Action – Action for Warm Homes

From October, with the government’s price freeze in effect, National Energy Action predicts 6.7 million UK households will be in fuel poverty. It means they cannot afford to live in a warm, dry  and safe home. National Energy Action is the national charity working to end fuel poverty in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Find out more about the challenge we face, the difference we make, and the difference you can make.

Transition Tavistock – Working towards a sustainable future for Tavistock and District

Local travel as it could be?

Our meetings share views on how easy it is to use sustainable transport around the Tavistock area and to nearby towns – and ideas on how it could be better and more inclusive. Frequent, well-connected public transport in all directions; easy to walk, use a wheelchair or cycle to reach facilities; leading rather than lagging in the shift to low emission vehicles for both personal and business travel? What changes would you make?

We’re keen to involve individuals, groups and businesses who want to shape this vision for mobility, influence decisions and encourage low-carbon travel habits. Whether your concern is potholed pavements or diesel fumes, cycle safety or bus routes, get in touch on travel@transitiontavistock.org.uk.

Tavistock Neighbourhood Plan

Have your say on the future of the parish of Tavistock

A Neighbourhood Development Plan gives the residents of Tavistock and surrounding areas a say on how the community develops, how land will be used and how we can protect what’s important to us. We can address topics like affordable housing, community infrastructure, protecting green spaces and more.

Events

Events

Up and Coming Events

Sat. Oct 26th – 10:00 to 15:00 – Oke Energy Fest – Charter Hall – EX20 1AA

Sat. Nov 9th – 10:00 to 15:00 – Tamar Energy Fest – Butchers’ Hall, Tavistock – PL19 0AL

Our autumn energy advice and retrofit programme

By Kate Royston

Are you interested in energy saving and improving the energy efficiency of your home or business?

Come along to one of our events and have a chat …

You may be thinking about options for saving energy and improving the energy efficiency of your home (retrofitting), but not sure where to start.

Here at Tamar Energy Community we’d like to see what we can do to help. We’ve arranged a number of events to meet you and have a chat, with information stands to browse.

We’re kicking off in Great Big Green Week with an information display in Tavistock Library, available from Sat. 24th September through to Sat. 1st October. You can also find us on the 24th Sept at Tavistock Farmers Market (tbc) and the Okehampton Coffee Morning.

We’re going online on Fri. 30th Sep (19:00) with a discussion about retrofitting your home (or business) in practice. You can book via Eventbrite. Here’s the link: https://Retrofitting-Your-Home-In-Practice-Sep22.eventbrite.co.uk

Our first Energy and Retrofit Fair in Okehampton will be at the Ockment Centre on Sat. 22nd October (10:00-14:00). You can find out more here: https://tamarenergycommunity.com/okehampton-retrofit-and-energy-fair-2022/ ; and our annual Tamar Energy Fest will be at Butchers’ Hall in Tavistock on Sat. 12th November (10:00-15:00). You can find out more here: https://tamarenergycommunity.com/tamar-energy-fest-2022/

Do come along!

If you would like to host our information display in a community space local to you, get in touch and we’ll see what we can arrange. Email hello@tamarenergycommunity.com.

Oke Energy Fest 2024

Oke Energy Fest 2024

Charter Hall
Saturday 26th October 
10:00-15:00.

With ever increasing energy prices, now may seem a good time to consider options within your home and/or business for addressing energy efficiency … and retrofitting to improve the buildings performance, cost of heating and levels of comfort.

We look forward to welcoming you to our Oke Energy Fest at Charter Hall on Saturday Oct. 26th from 10:00 until 15:00.

This is a free, family friendly event, suitable for all ages.

 

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Saturday 26th October
10:00-15:00

Charter hall, Okehampton

We’ll have a mixture of fun activities, advice stands and displays providing information about how to retrofit your home, business or organisation, make them more energy cosy, efficient and future ready; how to reduce your energy bills; generate your own energy; and what you can do to reduce your carbon impact and do ‘your bit’ to progress towards net zero.

Open Homes network

We’ll also have a display of our Open Homes network featuring householders who have undertaken their own projects and are happy to share their experiences and lessons learnt, good and bad.

Activities

Activities will include one or two family challenges.

You can buy competitively priced LED bulbs; and have a breather and enjoy a drink and home-made cake from our refreshment stand at our energy cafe.

Activities for children … and adults include

  • What is watt?
  • How energetic are you?

 

 

Advisors & Displays

We’ll have our own advisors on hand to share their knowledge with you and our information displays for you to browse.

 

If you’d like to exhibit, or help us out and volunteer on the day, OR YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT US please get in touch.

 

Tamar Energy Fest 2024

TAMar
ENergy fest
2022

Tavistock Butchers Hall 
Saturday 12th November 
10:00-15:00.

With ever increasing energy prices, now may seem a good time to consider options within your home and/or business for addressing energy efficiency … and retrofitting to improve the buildings performance, cost of heating and levels of comfort.

With this in mind, our theme for our 2022 Energy Fest is “Retrofitting and Energy Efficiency Matters”.

We look forward to welcoming you to Butchers’ Hall in Tavistock on Saturday Nov. 12th from 10:00 until 15:00.

This is a free, family friendly event, suitable for all ages.

.

Saturday 12th November
10:00-15:00

Tavistock Butchers Hall 

We’ll have a mixture of fun activities, short talks, advice stands, displays, and exhibitors providing information about how to retrofit your home, business or organisation, make them more energy efficient, warm and comfortable; how to reduce your energy bills; generate your own energy; and what you can do to reduce your carbon impact and do ‘your bit’ to progress towards net zero.

Open Homes network

We’ll also have a display of our Open Homes network featuring householders who have undertaken their own projects and are happy to share their experiences and lessons learnt, good and bad.

Activities

Activities will include an interactive smart meter display, an art activity, a family energy quiz and we hope, an activity with our community gardeners.

You can buy competitively priced LED bulbs; and have a breather and enjoy a drink and home-made cake from our refreshment stand at our energy cafe.

Activities for children … and adults include:

  • Interactive smart meter display
  • Tavistock’s Energy Future – participative art
  • What is watt?
  • How energetic are you?

 

 

exhibitors & Displays

We’ll have experts from a number of organisations and our own advisors to share their knowledge with you. See below for exhibitors list, and read more about our exhibitors here.

 

Our exhibitors include:

 Our Tamar Energy Community displays include:

  • Practical Energy Advice
  • Warmer Bedford Cottages
  • Retrofit for Warmer Healthier Homes
  • Smart Meters
  • Community Solar
  • Power Allotments

 

 

If you’d like to exhibit, or help us out and volunteer on the day, OR YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT US please get in touch.

 

‘One Pot Wonder’ Slow Cooker Course available – save money on your cooking

By Kate Royston

Save energy and money through using a slow cooker.

Sign up to Learn Devon’s ‘One Pot Wonder’ slow cooker course. Learn more about cooking nutritious meals for the family with the provision of a free slow cooker for each family who attends a course.

The first course starts on Monday 14th March at Alexandra Centre, Tavistock from 11:30 to 13:30 with the second and final session on Monday 21st March at the same time and place. Book by Weds. 9th March 2022, to secure your place.

The other sessions and locations are as follows:

Bere Alston at the Parish Hall 13.30 – 15.15 on Friday 18 March and Friday 25 March 

Princetown at the Community Centre 13.30 – 15.15 on Thursday 24 March and Thursday 31 March

Tavistock at the Alexander Centre 11.30 – 13.30 on Monday 4 April and Monday 11 April

Lifton at the Community Hall 11.30 – 13.30 on Tuesday 12 July and Tuesday 19 July.

To secure your place please contact Learn Devon at 01822 613701, text 0781 697 3926 or email tavistock@learndevon.co.uk.

Please let others know who may be interested.


Tamar Energy Fest 2021

TAMar
ENergy fest
2021

Tavistock Butchers Hall 
Saturday 13th November 
10:00-15:00.

We’re adopting the theme of the COP26 climate summit for our Energy Fest this year which is being held on the last day of COP26 fortnight.

We’re excited Tamar Energy Fest’s returning to Butchers’ Hall in Tavistock on Saturday Nov. 13th from 10:00 until 15:00 and we look forward to welcoming you on the day.

This is a free, family friendly event, suitable for all ages.

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COP26 - Learn More

Saturday 13th November
10:00-15:00

Tavistock Butchers Hall 

We’ll have a mixture of fun activities, short talks, advice stands, displays, and exhibitors providing information about how to make your home, business or organisation more energy efficient, warm and comfortable; how to reduce your energy bills; generate your own energy; and what you can do to reduce your carbon impact and do ‘your bit’ to progress towards net zero.

Open Homes network

We’ll also be relaunching our Open Homes network featuring householders who undertaken their own projects and happy to share their experiences and lessons learnt, good and bad.

Activities

Activities will include an interactive smart meter display, an art activity, a family energy quiz and we hope, an activity with our community gardeners.

You can buy competitively priced LED bulbs; and have a breather and enjoy a drink and home-made cake from our refreshment stand at our energy cafe.

Activities for children … and adults include:

  • Interactive smart meter display
  • Tavistock’s Energy Future – participative art
  • What is watt?
  • How energetic are you?

 

 

Short Talks

@ The Energy Cafe – Butchers’ Hall Tavistock

There will be a number of talks through the day including the importance of whole house retrofit, how to deal with traditional and listed properties, understanding heat pumps and sustainable travel in rural communities.

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11:00am – 11:30am

Energy Café

Sustainable Travel in Rural Communities

By Transition Tavistock

Its challenging to travel sustainably in rural communities. We share some of the areas we’re working on.
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11:45am – 12:15pm

Energy Café

Whole House Retrofit in practice

By Kate Royston, Tamar Energy Community

As we’re encouraged to consider how to make our homes closer to net zero, a whole house approach may be the best way
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12:30pm – 1:00pm

Energy Café

Understanding Heat Pumps

By Andy Metcalf, New Generation Energy

There’s a lot of talk about heat pumps at the moment. We’ll shine a light on key facts.
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1:15pm – 1:45pm

Energy Café

Warmer Bedford Cottages – Residents Guide Launch

By Peter Smith, Tamar Energy Community

At TEC we’ve been working with Bedford Cottage Residents and others to produce a helpful guide
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2:00pm – 2:30pm

Energy Café

Retrofitting traditional and listed properties

By Peter Smith, Tamar Energy Community

What to consider when retrofitting a traditional property

what is cop26?

exhibitors & Displays

We’ll have experts from a number of organisations including ZLC Energy, to talk about renewable generation (heat and power) and storage, Utility Warehouse to talk about their approach to managing your utility costs, and Devon Wildlife Trust addressing our ecological emergency. See below for exhibitors list.

We are hoping that our Local Authorities will be on hand to share their progress in addressing the Climate Emergency and ask for your involvement including an update on the Devon Climate Declaration.

Transition Tavistock, Tavistock Community Gardening and others will also be on hand with activities and options for more sustainable living.

If you’d like to exhibit, or help us out and volunteer on the day, OR YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT US please get in touch.

 

Tamar Energy Fest 2021 on Sat. Nov 13th

Tamar Energy Fest 2021 on Sat. Nov 13th

By Kate Royston

This year’s Tamar Energy Fest will be held on Saturday Nov. 13th in Butchers’ Hall, Tavistock.

The event is on the last day of the COP26 climate conference, so we feel its apt to embrace its theme of ‘Together for Our Planet’.

Find out more here.

If you’d like to get involved we’d love to hear from you.

We’re keen to hear from exhibitors able to share advice and support to for our journey’s towards low/zero carbon healthy homes, businesses etc. and/or support low/zero carbon lives.

We’d also love to hear from you if you’d like to help us organise and run the event and/or work with us in other ways.

You can download a Booking Form here as a word doc or here as a pdf.

If you have any questions or you’re able to get involved please email hello@tamarenergycommunity.com.