B10 Event: The Happiness Calculator - A Talk on How Low Carbon Living is Good for Us and the Planet with Mukti Mitchell,

North Devon’s ‘Climate Guru’, is best known for sailing around Britain to promote happiness-inspired low carbon living. To show his support for North Devon’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Mukti joins the B10 event programme with this inspirational talk at The Plough Arts Centre on Thursday 16 May 2013. Mitchell has won several awards for the creation of his carbon footprint calculator, eco-yacht design and unique secondary glazing system. In this interactive presentation, Mukti demonstrates his quality of life calculator, describes the thrills and perils of sailing around Britain in a 15ft yacht, and gives tips on energy conservation for period homes. Mukti who is director of the CosyHome Company, providing insulation for period homes says "Running a sustainable business in Bideford it is fantastic to work with the Biosphere Reserve and to be part of their programme bringing together the interests of individuals, business and the environment for mutual long term benefit"

B10 Event – Mukti Mitchell – The Happiness Calculator Thursday 16 May 2013 8.15 pm The Gallery, The Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington, North Devon FREE

B10 Prize Draw - Trip to Lundy and other fab prizes!

The message of North Devon’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is ‘Living and Working in Harmony with Nature’. This message encompasses our daily lives, learning, earning and enjoying our unique natural environment. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Biosphere designation we are running a fabulous free prize draw with prizes highlighting all these aspects of life in the Biosphere. There is a bountiful prize pot full of fabulous prizes donated by Biosphere businesses and individual supporters. For getting out and about in the Biosphere and spotting some of our wonderful wildlife we have a trip to Lundy on the MS Oldenburg, a Wildlife Cruise on the Ilfracombe Princess and even a thrilling Coasteering experience with the Ultimate Adventure Centre in Abbotsham. For arts lovers we have a Quay Drawing outdoor art class, Panto tickets to Sleeping Beauty at The Queen’s Theatre, a family ticket to a Beaford Arts event. Local artisan leather belt maker Louise Middleton of Golden Bear Belts has contributed a bespoke leather belt – as seen in a recent Miss Vogue magazine. And there’s more … here’s the full list of prizes

1. Canvas print by photographer Stephen Ring who produces beautiful photos of landscapes within the Biosphere
2. En plein air (outdoor) drawing class with Quay Drawing
3. Wildlife cruise on Ilfracombe Princess
4. Coasteering with Ultimate Adventure Centre
5. Marshford Organic Veg Box
6. North Devon Theatres family ticket
7. Beaford Arts Event family ticket
8. Biosphere Foundation T Shirts
9. Home Energy Survey by 361 Energy
10. Lundy Island tickets X 2
11. Meeth Quarry Guided Tour
12. Wildlife walk around West Week Farm, Chulmleigh – County Wildlife Site
13. Louise Middleton Golden Bear Belt
14. NDT Friends Classical CDs
15. U3A cook book
16. Tarka Pottery – Potter’s Wheel Experience 

It is free to enter the draw and there are plenty of ways to enter: 
1. Online at www.northdevonb10.org.uk
2. By completing an entry form at one of our B10 events – details on the website and in local what’s on guides
3. By post to B10 Prize Draw, North Devon's Biosphere Reserve, Room 508, Civic Centre, Barnstaple, EX31 1EA 4. by email to amanda.mccormack@devon.gov.uk.

Four-legged employee is welcomed by charity

Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) is celebrating the birth of a new staff member - one with four legs. Early on the morning of Monday 6 May one of DWT's herd of six pedigree Exmoor ponies gave birth to a colt (male) foal at the charity's Meeth Quarry nature reserve, near Hatherleigh. Meeth Quarry's Nature Reserve Officer is Ian Chadwick. Ian had been nervously anticipating the birth for several weeks and said: "I've been on 'foal watch' for awhile now, but of course the baby arrived very early on Bank Holiday Monday when no one was around. Nevertheless, mother and foal are doing very well, although the youngster was a bit wobbly to start with." Ian continued: "Our next job is to name the foal. With the mother being called 'Liquorice' we plan to carry on with a tradition of sweet names. The frontrunners at the moment are 'Fudge', 'Toffee' and 'Rock'." The arrival is especially welcome because it strengthens a vital team of workers within Devon Wildlife Trust. Speaking about their important role, the charity's Steve Hussey said: "The herd of Exmoor ponies are our unpaid workforce at Meeth Quarry. They work 24 hours a day, seven days a week munching the rank grasses and scrubby shrubs which would otherwise quickly overwhelm the nature reserve's open areas." Meeth Quarry is Devon Wildlife Trust's most recent acquisition. It was purchased in December 2012 using funds from Viridor Credits Environmental Company and generous local donors. At 150 hectares it is one of the largest of the charity's 48 reserves. Its Exmoor ponies are playing a crucial role in its upkeep. Using funding from Natural England, Devon Wildlife Trust has been busy since January improving the nature reserve for visitors and wildlife. Amongst many changes it has installed a number of trails for walkers, wheelchair users and cyclists. These paths link to the Tarka Trail which passes through the centre of the site which was a working clay quarry until 2004. At present Meeth nature reserve is not yet open to visitors but Devon Wildlife Trust is planning an opening event at Meeth Quarry nature reserve on Friday 31 May between 10.30am and 4.30pm. The free event will be a chance for people to visit the site for the first time and may be to catch a glimpse of charity's latest 'staff member' - the Exmoor foal. 

"Mother 'Liquorice' keeps a maternal eye over Devon Wildlife Trust's latest team member." - Photo copyright Devon Wildlife