REDUCING fuel bills and strengthening local supply chains for wood fuel will be on the agenda at a meeting of Transition Tavistock, on Thursday, February 27.

Transition Tavistock brings together a diverse group of local volunteers who care about the area and are working towards a sustainable future for Tavistock and district.

Many members are distressed by the amount of money that leaves the economy annually on energy and heating costs and would like to see the group develop more opportunities to retain this locally, for example by working with local householders to reduce their fuel bills and by looking at ways in which we can use our bountiful natural resources to help generate our own.

Kate Royston of Transition Tavistock said: 'Our local undermanaged hedge and woodland resources also offer significant potential to strengthen local supply chains for wood fuel and provide jobs and skills development to our young people.

'If anyone would like to learn more about this, how you can offer support through your knowledge, funding, volunteer time, or as a local food or energy buyer please come and join us for an evening of discussion at the Tavistock Enterprise Hub at 7.30pm on February 27.'

An informal evening, there will be a few presentations and a chance to talk to people involved in the different projects and activities, including Tavistock Woodlands Group (community supported woodlands and hedges), Roots to Transition (a community growing project in the centre of Tavistock), Garden Share  (a chance to share garden with those that don't have any), Energy Savers' Programme (energy saving workshops, home assessments), Tavistock and Tamar Energy Network  (the community owned energy network that can help transform our local economy), Tavistock and District Local Economic Blueprint (an economic evaluation of the potential to gain greater local advantage, jobs and skills development from food and drink, renewable energy and improving the energy efficiency of our homes and buildings) and Tavistock Town Shop (a proposal to bring together Tourist Information, local information and energy advice and support).

For anyone interested in understanding what a community owned energy project might look like there's a chance to talk to Joddy Chapman from South Brent Community Energy Society about their community owned wind turbine. For more details see http://www.transitiontavistock.org.uk">www.transitiontavistock.org.uk call 07969 569-444 or send an email to [email protected]">[email protected]