Fifth Meeting in Llechryd 4-May-2023

At Lechryd Village Hall  - 7.00 to 9.00pm

This meeting followed a similar format as the last meeting, the aim being to give the community a chance to discuss what actions

we want to take forward and identifying who is willing to be involved. Once again we want to get into smaller groups so that everyone has a chance to contribute. Possible discussion topics that were noted last time, but not discussed were:

1.  Political Engagement - holding government and authorities to account
2.  Alternatives to waste

There will be an opportunity to propose additional topics before we break out into the discussion groups.

The proposed Agenda is:

• 7:00 -7:15  - Welcome and Summary of Progress to Date
• 7:15-7:30 - Identification of topics for discussion groups 
• 7:30-8:20 - Breakout into Discussion Groups
• 8:20-8:30 - Break
• 8:30-8:55 - Feedback from Discussion Groups
• 8:55-9:10 - AoB

1. Fundraising Walk - Llechryd Cricket Club - St Dogmaels - Friday 11th August https://www.teifi.one/actions/fund-raising 
2. Focus of Next Meeting

Brief Summary:

The meeting provided information updates and exchange: helping us all to get educated on the issues and think over where our action could have the most impact. The meeting participants decided to set up a few areas of action which will provide a space for people to work collectively on specific issues. These are :

• Engagement with community; (Forum link: Engagement with the Community – Teifi-Forum)
• Political pressure; (Forum link: Political Pressure – Teifi-Forum)
• Citizen science; (Forum link: Citizen science – Teifi-Forum)
• Recycling urine: (Forum link: Recycling Urine – Teifi-Forum).

These groups have been set up on the forum for people to join and discuss activities together. The Plan is to report back at the next meeting (13 July). So good to see all our concerns and energy taking place and moving into collective action. Thanks for everyone’s input let’s keep going.

Two discussion were held last meeting. Find the reports here: Last Meeting report.

Here are the discussion groups notes for this meeting:

Engagement with Community

(See also Discussion 2 - Report from the COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT Group from previous meeting)

1. Leaflets at fairs and festivals (Angela)
   • Newcastle Emlyn
   • Others share ideas and events
2. Walk along river August (Jim)
   • Share activity ideas to build in- e.g. Swim at end?
   • Someone help media activity + recording.
3. Welsh speaking – Christine
4. Can we extend our reach up the Teifi ??
5. Use Facebook group engagement.
6. Swimmers Mid - Summer day Gathering
   • Share on STT
   • Contact all Swimming groups
7. Women and river Cinema night 21 May
8. Deep dance connection – bid in chain

      Action group members: Rhowan, Bob, Pamela, Ali, Gwenda, Mike, Emma

Political Pressure

1. Non- payment of bills as a protest of non - delivery of expectations of service.
   • Can still ‘pay’ it into a different account ready to pay when meet responsibilities.
   • Needs a critical mass ‘nation-wide’
   • Very Public direct action
2. What do we want?
   • Dwr Cymru & government to invest what is needed to tackle issue.
   • Speed up their timescales.
   • Ask politician’s to force + invest government money
3. Future generations argument
   • – Dwr Cymru not taking suitable action to protect rivers for future generations
   • Use FWG Act , cost of delay onto future generations.
4. Legal action against NRW
   • Not doing their duty for protecting the environment
   • Fish legal (?) help us like done in Yorkshire River
   • Example - River Action UK - Good law project
5. Stakeholders Meeting of SAC Rules (?) Group – Callum and others

Action group members: Sarah, Jess, Christine, Callum, Maria, Kitty(?)

Urine Management  - Peecycle Afon Teifi

Context

• Sewage treatment never work for nature and clean system
• Therefore never solved. Poo ok but urine hard/impossible to separate ‘cleanly’.
• + use of minerals from urine wasted
• Could be used on land – help – fertiliser

Circular regenerative living system

• Excites people; empowers; agency - not relying on authorities

1. Equipment need
2. Site for testing system - for a disposal system
3. First urination of the day = 50% less impact
4. A usable safe step for people - Compost, hay bale etc

Action group members:  Gwenda lead, Cerys, Piers, Lucy, Keith, Yusaf, Pamela

Citizen Science additional

(See also Discussion 1 - Report from the CITIZEN SCIENCE Group from previous meeting)

• Adopt a tributary is a Citizen science initiative
  • see https://forum.teifi.one/forums/topic/adopt-a-tributary-plysgog/
  • Yusef interested in Adopting Afon Mwldan
• Can Crowd fund be used to get testing kits - e.g. for ecoli bacteria strips (These available on Amazon)