Wednesday, 28 December 2022

Segaran Family - A year in pictures 2022

Here is a round up of news and images from 2022

Jane and my book project for this year was publishing a collection of recipes from the many members of the Navaratnam Family (Seggy's maternal grandad).  This recipe book has contributions from various members of the extended family. They cover dishes from around the world to reflect the global nature of this family. It includes many recipes from the Segaran family.


Emily as bridesmaid, holidaying on the Amalfi coast with Justin, braving the weather as scout leader and made up for Halloween.


Joseph and Richard visiting us in York, as extras in a film and celebrating Richards Birthday in Ibiza.


Luke and Sarah in Portugal, celebrating Sarah's birthday and Luke with friend in Budapest.


Our 2022 highpoint was celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary with family and friends.


Jane and I were busy throughout the year at Green Festivals, Eco Fairs & Markets and at numerous environmental awareness events. We found this work fantastically rewarding and enjoyable.


If anyone would like to keep up with this check out our website www.sf-innovations.co.uk and/or follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SFInnovationsLtd

As we see another year ending and a new one around the corner, we would like to wish everyone a peaceful 2023. 

Jane and Seggy




 


























Friday, 24 December 2021

Segaran Family - A year in pictures, 2021

Anyone who made it through 2021 - with all the various lock-downs and restrictions - needs a medal. Well done.

January kicked off with a virtual international book launch for a book on Thiruketheeswaram Temple in Mannar, Sri Lanka by Thiru Arumugam. We had delegates from the US, Canada, UK, Australia and even one from Sri Lanka even though it was the middle of the night. See all our books here at www.ohmbooks.com

Here are some photos from Joseph, Emily and Luke. Joseph & Richard managed to visit us in September, the first time we'd seen them in the flesh since the wedding in March 2020. Emily spent a very active year body boarding, climbing and camping as well as visiting family in London and the 'famous' Marble Arch mound. Luke and Sarah became proud homeowners in July and have been busy moulding the house to their taste.

 
As restrictions lifted, we filled the second half of the year with workshops at various festivals, eco markets and fairs to promote renewable energy  and helping build resilience to climate change. Off-grid solar power, Haybox thermal cookers and rocket stoves were on display.

We visited Belper, Shrewsbury, Pickering, Fulford, Redcar, Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds and York with our pop-up stall, demos and banners. There was much interest in the flat pack rocket stoves - ask if you want to know more!



Here is a small selection from our short breaks and trips - NY Moors, Northumberland, Lake District and the Dales. Pretty much all local holidays this year. Also a Covid secure trip to the Ballet plus all dressed up for Valentines Day dinner at home.


2021 was also good year for the garden, both at home and at Beetle Bank Farm.


We wish all our friends and family a peaceful New Year.

Jane & Seggy



 
























 



Friday, 25 December 2020

Segaran family - A year in Pictures 2020

It has certainly been a different year to the one we planned to have back in January 2020. But in general, we have a lot to be thankful for. We have acquired new skills, took pleasure in doing things locally and spent time with distant friends using Zoom and a myriad other video apps. 

Jane set up a spare room as her sewing workshop, updated her sewing machine went on a few virtual courses to up-skill and started sewing bags for the mini rocket stove and for the Wonderbox thermal cooker in earnest.

Wishing everybody a Happy New Year. Below are are some of the family highlights from 2020. 

January: We attended our first Solar Cooking Conference in Faro and presented 2 papers. It was great to meet solar cooking enthusiasts from across the world and share stories.


February: We pick up our caravan - the first part of our plan this year to take our low impact cooking workshops out to a number of green festivals. We used it to run remote workshops from as well as to discover Yorkshire over the summer.



March: The year's highlight was being part of the celebrations surrounding Joseph's and Richard's wedding. It was a lovely lovely family gathering - here are a few photos to try and capture the event.


Little did we know how lucky we were to enjoy this - the troubles to come best highlighted by this notice in one of the toilets in Amsterdam. Empty streets in York in the first few days of lock-down.



April to June: We spent the first lock-down by trying out new recipes, going for bike rides and walks when we could and taking a few of our planned sustainable living workshops on-line as virtual events. 

Various garden gatherings for Birthdays.


August 2020: Coming out of the first lock-down. Work and play at Beetle Bank Farm - A Community Supported Agriculture venture.



Joseph collated all his cooking photos into a new website - Cooking with Joseph

Emily picked up joinery, DIY and gardening skills with great results.


Luke and Sarah carried on working from home all through various Covid lock-downs. They managed to get a short break in Lincoln. Luke used the time to try out exciting new recipes using black garlic and other exotic ingredients. 



Christmas Day 2020: 













Monday, 23 December 2019

Segaran family - a year in pictures 2019

Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

2019 family highlights

Jane and Seggy spent 2 weeks in January helping Amma with her move to her new flat - the culmination of a 6 month project.

In March & April we spent 6 weeks in Sri Lanka promoting solar and haybox cooking followed by a holiday with Joseph and Richard.

Joseph and Richard are engaged and getting married in March 2020 in Amsterdam.

Emily graduated from York University as a teacher in July and is now working at York St John University.

Luke and Sarah are both busy in their respective fields of programming and staff welfare at an NHS trust. At Easter, they traveled to Las Vegas for Sarah's sisters wedding and managed to get to the Grand Canyon.

January

Last stage of our 6 month project in helping my mum move from a large 3-bedroom semi into a spanking new flat. Jane and my mum waiting for a taxi after all the furniture has gone.


My mum settled in her new flat



February

Fountains Abbey - a good spot for a walk on a winter's day



March

Off to Sri Lanka promoting Solar and Haybox Cooking. Click here for a video summary.





April

Joseph and Richard join us in Sri Lanka for a holiday.






May
A short break in the Lake District


Luke and Sarah on holiday



June

A walk in Levisham with Jill and Ian Souter

Northumberland in June


At Durham Miners Gala


July

Engineering projects with my apprentice!



Garden Party - with competitive games


Emily graduates as a French and Spanish teacher


August

We are at Green Gathering in Chepstow again - our 3rd year






September

Family get together to remember Jane's mum





We run workshops at the Festival of Thrift at Redcar





October

Visit to Beamish open air museum





Monday, 17 December 2018

Segaran Family 2018 - A year in pictures

We have been blessed this year - keeping busy with many projects but still having time to have a lot of small holidays. The Green Gathering in Chepstow was a high point. Luke left home and Emily returned from Canada and started training to be a secondary school language teacher. Sadly, Jane's mum passed away in October. 

Our love to you all, wishing you a Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.

January

We had an overnight stay at Ravenscar. Discovered Saltwick Bay - just south of Whitby. One of the photos show the wreck of the Admiral Von Trump from 1976.


March

Jane and I had a lovely break in Madiera. Walking the Levadas, riding the cable car to the Botanical Gardens and trying out the Madeira wine.

April

Joseph and Richard came for a weekend and managed to visit Gran Mary.


May

Luke moved with Sarah into their own house closer to the centre of York. 



Jane and I went to see Emily in Montreal.


June

Emily back from Montreal. Jane and I spend a few days in Snowdonia. 

Carecent, where Jane volunteers, gets new kitchen and face lift.


July

My nephew, Danesh, spent a few days with us getting some hands-on engineering experience. We had a small gathering at the end where we got to try out a pizza oven in the garden, making our own mini pizzas.


August

Weeks of experimenting with solar, haybox and hybrid cookers culminated at the Green Gathering in Chepstow. It was great to meet up with our Solar Cooking colleagues and make new friends.


Jane starts helping out at Luke's Larder - intercepting waste food from supermarkets and sharing it with the community.


September

Jane and Sggy have a break in Andalucia and Tangier.
October

Sadly, Jane's mum passed away at the end of October. Aged 94, she has been in York since 2000, the last 2 years in Ivy Lodge, an excellent family run residential home. Her funeral was attended by friends from Acomb and Great Ayton Quaker meetings.