The Smart Energy Co-operative, offers group discounts to have solar thermal (heating hot water) and solar PV (generating electricity) systems installed.

The Government's new Feed-In Tariffs start this month for solar PV where you can make money from generating your own electricity and also by selling it back to the grid. These tariffs are guaranteed for 25 years and will be set at a maximum for this year, reducing every year from now.

The tenth installation has just been completed.

You can also join the co-op without having a system installed and share in the profits through yearly dividend payments.

The website has masses of information - www.smartenergy.coop

Please contact Stuart Major for more information - stuart.major@smartenergy.coop

Lots of people in the Maidenhead area have gardens that are underused, or that go unmanaged due to a lack of time, interest, or physical mobility. At the same time there are many residents living in flats, town houses and rented accommodation, who have no access to a garden, and who would love the chance to grow their own food, herbs and flowers.

This is a local initiative linking up people who have an unused corners of their garden with local committed growers. Many of us have had enough of life as nettle-farmers and want to use our unloved plots to grow cabbages, connections - even friends!

The benefits for the garden owners include a share of the produce, the pleasure of seeing a lovely developing vegetable plot, and the sense of community in being part of a sharing initiative. This service matches and introduces committed, enthusiastic, growers with local garden owners who want to see their gardens being used more productively.

NB: Garden owners should not expect free lawn mowing, hedge trimming, weeding, pruning of any other part of their garden. What they do get is a productive veg patch plus a share of the produce.

Interested?  To sign up or if you have a plot of land to offer go to www.maidenheadgardenshare.co.uk

Local restaurateur and celebrated TV chef Antony Worrall Thompson who is a passionate advocate of local food for local people cut the birthday cake and met with shoppers and stall-holders. He was joined by Councillor Colin Rayner, local farmer and chair of the Windsor & Eton Town Partnership who have been keen supporters of the market.  (Picture courtesy Royal Borough Observer.)

Diane Harker who manages the market on behalf of Thames Valley Farmers' Market Co-operative says: “The last five years have flown by and the market is better than ever. More and more local people come to the market because they know they can buy genuine local produce with a known provenance."

The next market takes place in St Leonard's Road between the Fire Station Arts Centre and East Berks College from 9 am - 1 pm on Easter Saturday, 3 April when there will be a fun farmyard animal hunt for children to take part in.

Avoid the January sales, get a new experience instead: Braziers Park un practical outdoor courses or you can take part in estate workdays.  www.braziers.org.uk

Liftshare - car share for one off trips or regular journeys to work. Lots of people already registered around Hungerford offering journeys to Swindon, Reading and further. Login and pick up a lift or offer one www.liftshare.com

Eat What's in Season - for a list of what's in season each month see www.bbc.co.uk/food/in_season/

In Season now going into Jan: Leeks, winter cabbage, pumpkins, chestnuts, beetroot, parsnips, turnips, spinach, artichokes and of course... love 'em or hate 'em ...Brussels sprouts

What to Do in the Garden: See www.gardenorganic.org.uk and www.allotment.org.uk for loads of helpful info and month by month guide on what to do.

Thanks to HEAT of Hungerford for these ideas.  www.hungerford.uk.net/HEAT