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CERES has a number of local Community Groups that
utilise the Park's space. These include:
Bike
Group
Brunswick
Bicycle Users Group (BrunsBUG) built and maintains the bicycle
recycle workshop at CERES. We help you recycle abandoned/donated
bicycles, or help you repair your own. Come down and borrow
the tools and learn how to repair and service your bike yourself!
(For a nominal tool hire charge of $5 an afternoon or free
to members, and the cost of parts).
Become a member ($10/5 per year or family rate available)
and have unlimited access to bike tools and advice. Parts
can be bought. Basic bikes start at $20 and range up to $100. |
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BrunsBUG runs regular bike maintenance
courses.
Bicycle Recycle Shed Opening
Times:
Friday and Saturday 11-5.
For more information go to: www.thebikeshed.org.au
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Aims and objects
1. Recycle and repair bicycles, parts and equipment.
Make equipment.
2. Build the physical and human resources of the Shed.
Attract support for the Shed and its projects from a wide
range of organisations and individuals. Increase committed
participation in Shed activities by a diverse range of people.
3. Promote skill building and skill sharing in sustainable
and appropriate transport. Ensure sustainability of the Shed
through skill transfer.
4. Encourage mutual respect by cultivating equitable
and fair processes in the organisation of the Shed.
Getting Involved
Please become involved if you have time and share our
vision. There are many possibilities for involvement. BrunsBUG
members work on their bikes here. You can too for a small
fee, or you can join BrunsBUG and use the shed for free. You
might like to join us in putting together bicycles from the
second hand parts gathered here. Talk to people here about
what you'd like to do or ask for suggestions on ways to participate.
This shed is a great place for discussing all manner of bicycle
and sustainable transport issues, and taking action on them.
~ Donations of bicycles and bicycle
gear are welcome during opening times. Please do not leave
donations outside.
~ You can call CERES office any weekday on 9387 2609 (9am
to 4.30pm) to confirm if the shed is currently open. Opening
times can vary. The shed is staffed by volunteers.
~ We do not have new parts available here, and some jobs are
more suitable for a bike shop. We are not a bike shop!!
~ Most bikes are sold for less than $60. Money from the sale
of these bikes and from servicing goes into the shed's projects. |
Community
Gardens
There
are about 50 community garden plots at CERES which are rented
out yearly to those with limited household space for growing.
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Each
gardener is required to adhere to the CERES "No Pesticides On-site"
policy and soil fertility is enhanced by the addition of animal
manure and compost from the stables. |
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The
community gardens has regular working bees and social bbq’s.
These are great opportunities for gardeners to mingle, share
freshly grown produce, swap seeds and pitch in to help maintain
the site. |
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If
you would like to find out more, or beome involved in the group,
please email membership convener john ross, c-: julie@broadway.net.au |
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Chook
Group
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The Brunswick
Community Chook Group comprises a group of local people who
tend a flock of free range chooks in a permaculture environment.
We maintain a flock of around 50 chooks separated into 2 runs,
each with a proud rooster. |
In general the group is made up of people
keen to find a more sustainable way to live in the city. Our
activities in the chook group allow us to be part of a more
natural cycle by contributing to some of our own food needs.
We also gain an understanding of caring for chooks and the
many pleasures that brings. The benefits of the chook group
are many, such as fresh free range eggs, a sense of community,
and a closeness to farm animals not normally available to
inner city dwellers.
To maintain the flock in good health and
happiness requires dedication and commitment from the members.
The group is run on a fortnightly roster, with each member
having responsibility for letting the chooks out, feeding
them and locking them up once a fortnight. We feed a mix of
grains, pellets and fresh food saved from the compost. For
this the member is rewarded with all the eggs laid that day.
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On the first Sunday of each
month essential tasks are carried out by the group. The
straw in the shed is cleaned out, perches are limed, the
chooks legs are checked for scale and care of the surrounding
fruit trees is carried out. Any business is also discussed
at these meeting and plans made for the future.
People can go on the waiting
list ..... details as to how to contact the group will be
posted soon!
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Moreland
LETS (Local Exchange and Trading System)
Also on site at CERES
(open 11am -2pm each Friday, and 12noon - 2pm on the third Friday every month except in winter) is a LETS group which includes
residents of the local suburbs of Melbourne: Brunswick,
Coburg, Northcote, North Carlton, Glenroy, and Fawkner,
and even further afield.
WHAT IS
IT?
MORELAND LETS is a local, non-profit community exchange system
which operates with minimal need for money. It recognises
that the real wealth of a community lies in the goods, services
and skills of its people, not the amount of money available.
MORELAND LETS is one of about 50 LETS Systems currently operating
in Victoria and reflects trends in Canada, U.S.A., Europe
and New Zealand. |
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HOW DOES
IT WORK?
MORELAND LETS uses a unit called a ‘BAC’. New
members start trading straight away with a zero balance. You
use BACS to exchange services and favours, or items such as
craftwork, secondhand goods, fresh produce, etc. Your balance
can be negative or positive, so you don’t have to wait
for someone to contact you before you start making exchanges.
In fact, we encourage you to make the first contact. No interest
is paid or charged on balances.
WHAT DOES
IT COST?
Members pay an annual fee of $15 (waged) or $13 (waged) CASH
(or pro-rata at $1/mth. up to 1st July) and an administration
fee in Bacs may be charged (to cover postage, phone, newsletter,
etc). Members receive a newsletter every 3 months. The newsletter
includes an account balance for all members, and a regularly
updated Directory is produced every 6 months.
Listed below are some of the skills &
products that are currently available through MORELAND LETS,
but the things being offered will increase as our membership
grows. What can YOU use from (or add to) our list?
YOU ARE ONLY LIMITED
BY YOUR IMAGINATION WITH LETS !
For more information contact Moreland LETS on:
Phone: (03) 9388-1999
Email: moreland_lets@yahoo.com.au
Mail: Moreland LETS
c/o CERES
8 Lee St, East Brunswick VIC 3055 |
Alternative Technology Association (ATA)
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The Alternative Technology Association (ATA) is a not-for-profit organisation that has been promoting the use of renewable energy, water conservation and sustainable building since 1980. The ATA has over 4000 members across Australia and New Zealand, who are actively walking the talk in their own homes by using good building design, and incorporating water and energy efficient technologies.
ATA promotes sustainable living and technologies through its publications including ReNew: technology for a sustainable future and Sanctuary: sustainable living with style magazines that have a collective readership of over 80,000.
ATA has a very practical approach to achieving change through its advocacy and research work. It takes the feedback it receives from people active in sustainable living, and works to overcome the barriers that prevent or slow down the uptake of sustainable technologies. Some barriers require a change in government policy, others different methods of implementation and some require ongoing education and training to make an impact.
The solar workshop at CERES demonstrates sustainable technologies in action and is used as a workshop for practical projects.
Office Address: Level 1, 39 Little Collins St, Melbourne, 3000
Workshop Address: CERES, 8 Lee St East Brunswick, 3057
Ph:+61 3 9639 1500
Fax:+61 3 9639 5814
email: ata@ata.org.au
www.ata.org.au
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Garden Group
This group formed to maintain the
gardens around site - it allows garden volunteers the opportunity
to participate in the design and upkeep of the gardens around site.
For more information, contact volunteer@ceres.org.au
Sweat
Lodge
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Spirit of the Earth Medicine Society (SOTEMS)
- Sweat Lodge
A sweat lodge is an ancient cleansing and healing ritual practiced by many cultures throughout the world. Similar but more intense than a sauna, heated rocks are placed in an enclosed tent and water is then poured over the rocks to produce intense waves of heat. Sometimes herbs are used to produce a healing and soothing fragrance. The intention of the ritual is on cleansing of the body, stilling of mind and connection to ones own spirit.
Mixed Sweats - Each Sunday at 6pm - Commencing Sun 28 Jan 2007
Women Only Sweats - First Thursday of each month 7pm- Commencing Thursday 1st February 2007
Men only Sweats - First Monday of each month 7pm- Commencing Monday 5th February 2007
Arrive 5:45pm for 6pm starts and 6.45 for 7pm starts.
SOTEMS have been running sweat lodges weekly at CERES since 1997. We are now in our tenth year, and continue to offer sweats at a minimum of once per week. Being a community service the cost is by donation.
By donation - (recommended donation $10)
For more information on preparation and participation
Ph: (03) 9738 2723
For more details including preparation and health considerations please check the website on www.sotems.com.au or ring Jennie for a brochure on the number above.
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Baking
Group
Next bake - 1st Saturday
of each month
Bring food & drink to share, and anything you want baked in
the oven.
Villages in many parts of the world
(especially Southern Europe and South America), would have a common
oven. In order to conserve valuable fuel, families would set their
doughs and prepare food at their respective homes, and bring it
to the oven to be baked at one central location.
Othertimes, a backyard oven is a
great way to bring family together and to share food for special
occasions, as with the one behind the cafe at CERES. It is especially
good for pizzas, flat breads, baked vegetables, pies (spanikopita),
and slow baked meat and fish. (The baking group has a general policy
that any meat put in the oven should not be killed in abbatoir fashion,
if not killed by one's own hand.)
At times, the baking group also brings
along home-made produce - jams and preserves, olives, sugo di pomodoro,
beer and wine. People are also encouraged to bring along musical
instruments and tools of other creative pursuits.
The Ceres Community Oven is intended
to be used in this spirit, to bring different parts of the community
together to celebrate the common experience of food and life - that
we may all learn and share with one another.
The oven is available for
use by the general public or interested groups.
It takes about 3-4 hours of firing
to get nice and hot.
For further enquiries ring:
Panyota Miller on: (03) 9489 6839
Lou Elliot on: 0405 658 730 or
Ceres Events: Cathy or Christos on (03) 9388 1707
The Baking group meets regularly
at CERES. The cob oven is fired up and future projects discussed.
There is a notice board next to the cob oven (behind the cafe) with
details of when future baking sessions will be held, and further
details about the group.
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