Category: Who supports the plan?

Reading Hydro has support from the community

Christmas Party and Festive Cards – 7pm Tuesday 12th December

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Reading Science & Tech Meetup Groups Christmas Gathering – Tuesday 12th December 2017

We’ve progressed a long way this year, down to the help and support of so many wonderful members, friends and family, so what better excuse to get together to celebrate? Oh yes and Christmas is coming….

As part of Reading Hydro’s aim is to grow awareness of the scheme and the joy of renewable Hydro energy, we’re teaming up with a whole host of other Science, tech and startup groups around the Thames Valley for an evening of sharing, learning, merriment AND a themed Pub Quiz on the evening of the 12th of December.

So get the evening of the 12th of December in the Diary and join us upstairs in Walkabout from 7pm.

Special Edition Reading Hydro Festive Cards

It’s that time of year again, time to get the pen out and reconnect with friends and family all over the world in a good old handwritten personal style. Reading Hydro are delighted that this year we will be offering Festive Cards (with a not to subtle Reading Hydro theme of course).

All profit from the sale of these will go to the development of the Community Benefit Society and growing awareness of the scheme which is voluntarily run. 

We’d like to get an idea of demand and numbers to order (as this can also lower the cost). So if you think you’d probably buy a few or more*, then it would be great if you could let us know – either in the Facebook group feed or email Erica directly by this Thursday (23rd of November).

We have the draft design (by Nicky Johnson Designs), however this may be tweaked.  The inside is blank. We expect the cards to cost £1 or less and discounted when buying more.

*Indicating how many you may buy does not commit you to having to buy them,  but will help us get a feel for numbers and we can make sure you’re notified when they’re available at the beginning of December.

What Could Reading Be Like In 2050?

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Reading 2050 was established in 2013 by the School of the Built Environment, Barton Wilmore and Reading UK CIC to deliver a strategic, long-term vision that will support the delivery of Reading’s legacy of a truly smart & sustainable city. 

The Reading 2050 lecture series  was recently launched at the newly opened Thames Lido,  as a platform to further some of the visions created and the potential around these.

As you can imagine Reading Hydro are excited to see sustainability and energy such a key focus alongside connecting this with “smart“, so also recognising the potential possibilities linked with integration of Iot and opendata (bottom up and top down) to support a more sustainable Reading.

As with so many sustainability initiatives, it is important to make sure considerations on technology and the surrounding infrastructure are made alongside that of the community and the environment.  As well as this, all with a view to the longterm. This is similar to Reading Hydro, where we are looking at both the short and longer term steps to bring hydro electricity generation to the river Thames at Reading, considering:

SMART TECHNOLOGY 

Integrating building up further knowledge, education and resources for schools on renewable energy generation, through data, sensing and communication. In collaboration with The Things Network Reading and open commuication and collaboration with the local community and organisations.

SUSTAINABLE

Showcase sustainable renewable energy production via practically doing! Alongside this, improving the local biodiversity by an enhanced fish and eel pass, as well as increasing care for the area by our growing supporting hydro  community.

FINANCIALLY VIABLE 

Exemplify a sustainable Community Benefit Society business model that both pays for itself and is able to support the community projects through supplying funding.

Back to Reading 2050 Public Lecture series and highlighting two of the talks we’ll definitely be attending: 

Public Lecture Series
  • The Future of Energy in Reading on the 16th of November
  • Climate Change and flooding in Reading: Current and future risks on the 14th of December

Perhaps see you there, to work on Readings’ sustainable future, or one of our other meetups?

 

All Things Hydro – Field Trip – 10am Sunday 29th October

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One of the aims of Reading Hydro is also to be able to provide useful and educational data and resources to the local community (and wider).

We’re excited to be linking up with The Things Network Reading to start to explore opportunities to do this at the site, that then may be integrated into our website, a dashboard and perhaps even have live visible data at the lock.

If you’re interested to support or find out more, then join us this Sunday, the 29th of October at 10am down at Caversham Lock for our first Field Research Trip to explore possibilities as well as identify challenges.

This will be followed by coffee and planning close by in Caversham. We’ll confirm where we end up to those that want to join later on our twitter feed – @rdghydro

If you are interested or have ideas already in how IoT can be applied to a community hydroelectric project (or even want to find out more about the Internet of Things or Hydro electric generation) then please join us – the more the merrier !

You can also indicate if you’ll be joining here so we know who to look out for.

Reading Hydro – Action Evening 7pm Wednesday 8th of November

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Our next Action Evening is in the diary! Come and join us for a drink and discussions, while helping us out on keeping the Reading Hydro Project moving forward.

If you are not already a member you can join us at this or any other open members’ event.

Topics we’ll be looking at include:

  • Applying for seed funding
  • Building our Hydro Community, publicity and awareness
  • Education and open data
  • Next steps with choosing the Technology
  • ???????

There’ll also be some specialist ‘jobs’ you could take on or suggest to suitable friends. Bring your ideas, pens and digital devices.

Find us in ‘Area 3’ (middle right) in Great Expectations, London Street, Reading RG1 4PS from 7pm. If you like, you can let us know you’re joining via our facebook group event or ask any questions in advance.

Action Evening – 7pm Wednesday 11th October 2017

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Come and join us for a drink and helping us out on keeping the Reading Hydro Project moving forward.

If you are not already a member you can join us at this or any other open members’ event.

We’ll be focusing on applying for seed funding and publicising the project. There’ll also be some specialist ‘jobs’ you could take on or suggest to suitable friends. Bring your ideas, pens and digital devices.

Find us in ‘Area 3’ (middle right) in Great Expectations, London Street, Reading RG1 4PS. If you like, you can let us know you’re joining via our facebook group event or ask any questions in advance.

We hope to see you there!

Members & cake evening @ All of a Twist – 6pm on 7th September

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Reading Hydro members and friends are all invited to a private guided view of the excellent All of a Twist Exhibition on the evening of 7th September 2017.

There will be cake!

It’ll be a great chance to learn more about the technological options of Reading Hydro, and to discover a wide variety of scientific and historical aspects of the Thames.

Topics include, DNA, rope making, turbines, plant mutations, boating, and tornadoes.

Afterwards we can go for a drink and even a meal at the Bell and Dragon next door.

If you are not already a member of Reading Hydro, simply turn up and we can sign you up.

Exhibition details are on the RG Spaces website.

All of a Twist – Science, Technology and History Exhibition – 2-15 September

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Reading Hydro project is featuring as one of the diverse exhibits at the All of a Twist Exhibition at the Turbine House near the centre of Reading.

This exciting exhibition is free to visit and is only for the first two weeks of September – so pop down as soon as you can. It runs from 10am to 6pm daily, with a special private view for Reading Hydro members and friends after 6pm on 7th September.

Topics include, DNA, rope making, turbines, plant mutations, boating, and tornadoes.

Exhibition details are on the RG Spaces website.

Members’ meeting – 15th August, 7pm, Great Expectations

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We’re meeting tomorrow! Everyone’s welcome.

We’ll mainly be discussing publicity for the project and how we get the whole of Reading involved. Things are steaming ahead but we need to get the word out.

If there are relevant people present we shall have a separate group working on technology and finance.

We’re meeting at 7pm in the Library room of The Great Expectation pub on London St, Reading. The pub serves drinks and food. See you there!

Tuesday 4th July 7-9pm – eat cake, hear the latest and join in

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We’re having our first AGM on 4th July, a short and celebratory affair with cake and refreshments, followed by an active session you can contribute to.

All welcome! If you are not a member yet, turn up and sign up so you can join in fully. Recommended to come at 6:45pm if you would like to become a member, but you can do it at any time through the evening.

  • 7-9pm
  • Tuesday 4th July
  • Reading Borough Council Offices (they kindly are letting us use a meeting room)
  • Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Reading, RG1 2LU