Sustainable Bucklebury meeting minutes
21 April 2026
The meeting started with guest speaker Ben Mitchell, Bucklebury resident and expert in flooding, giving a very interesting and informative talk on the the importance of rivers in society and how flooding has become more prevelant due to human impact such as building and farming and more recently, climate change.
Updates
Community Orchard
We discussed how the community orchard is progressing with many of the trees now blossoming, the need for watering of the community orchard, the new water container system provided by Jason Allum, the possible need for more deer protection around the fruit trees and sustainable Bucklebury signage for the site of the orchard.
Repair Cafe
Graham Loader then spoke about the successful Repair Cafe scheme that Sue Morgan organises; with knife sharpening, clothing repair, electrical appliance, bicycle repair, etc. There was also some discussion about the important cafe area at the Repair Cafe, the book swap box needing to be further from the door so more visible and also possibly some leafleting.
Community Event at Chapel Row
It was agreed that we will do a sunflower seed planting activity alongside information about Gardening for Wildlife, the Repair Cafe and other local, sustainable businesses. We will use re-purposed plant pots and soil enricher from West Berkshire Recycling Centre, mixed with peat free compost. Pots can be labelled on lolly sticks to be collected before people leave. Volunteers to man the stall include Kevin D, Karen R and Sue Morgan.
Signage
We are extremely grateful to Willie Hartley Russell who has very kindly agreed to fund the wooden sign for the community orchard and also a flag sign for events.
AOB
Victoria Trentham, from West Berkshire Council Environmental team, mentioned that Bucklebury has a large specimen of the endangered Black poplar tree.