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Inspiration and connection for councillors to support more activity for climate, nature and adaptation in their communities.
South Hams parish, town, district, and county councillors were invited to this interactive event hosted by Sustainable South Hams and South Hams District Council. The day was designed following conversations with councillors from across the district and showcased projects for climate, nature and adaptation. We explored specific requests for support material that will be most useful for councillors.
If you would like to contact us regarding this event, please email ruthlw@sussh.org rather than booking a ticket.
A full copy of all the presentation slides can be found here.
Proudly supported by:
- Connect with other councillors who would like to support and catalyse more action on climate and nature in their communities
- Discover what support is available to you and leave armed with a wealth of practical ideas and resource links for your community
- Learn about great examples of action in other South Hams Parishes
- Take inspiration from speakers taking practical grassroots community action
- Explore key themes in workshop topics chosen from our research with councillors
- Meet representatives from a range of organisations that can support you
- Inform us about what ongoing support would be helpful to you
Programme
Arrival & registrations
Introductions & scene setting
View Introduction slides here from South Hams District Council and Sustainable South Hams
Quickfire Round - Councillors
Break & networking
Keynote speakers
Sune will set the scene by sharing some of the ideas that are working well at Dittisham Parish Council.
People, places and nature - creating wilder communities across Devon.
We will show the new video that synthesises the findings of the Learning Journey for Climate Adaptation that BLC led in the first week of June. This has action points in it for both councillors and local communities and is the first step in a climate adaptation strategy for South Devon.
A brief introduction to the role that planning can play in carbon reduction and and biodiversity net gain. A full workshop will follow at a later date.
Quickfire Round - Exhibitors
Exhibition, networking and lunch
A wilder community is a group of people that have come together to take positive action for wildlife where they live, learn, work, or play. If you want to start a local project that helps nature and involves others in your community, we can help grow your ideas.
The Wilder Communities team at Devon Wildlife Trust is here to support you to tak action for nature where you live, learn, work or play.
We believe communites have the knowledge and skills to do amazing things! With support and guidance from the team we can help grow your ideas. This includes councillors!
Do you need greenspace advice? Is your council a large land owner and do you need advice? Do you need help with connecting and galvanising your local community?
We're here to help so please get in touch: wildercommunities@devonwildlifetrust.org
Nature makes a particularly important contribution to the natural beauty of the South Devon National Landscape. Given today’s state of nature, accelerating Nature Recovery is essential - conserving and enhancing habitats, landscape features and their associated fauna to create a connected network of wildlife-rich places.
Life on the Edge is SDNL’s flagship collaborative nature recovery project. It will give rare and threatened species a sustainable future, supporting farmers, gardeners, communities, and businesses to make more space for nature along the coast, targeting the needs of our rarest species with measures that also help our more common wildlife.
Core to the project is involving people, helping them to reconnect with nature, refreshing their sense of wellbeing and empowering them to make a difference for nature.
The result will be a National Landscape buzzing with wildlife, packed with wildflowers and a treat for the eye for residents and visitors alike.
Devon Communities Together is the Rural Community Council for Devon. We are an independent charity, which works with communities across Devon to help them tackle the challenges they are facing, which at the moment are exacerbated by the Cost of Living Crisis. Our areas of work include: affordable housing for local people, access to services such as healthcare, supporting people with digital connectivity and skills, advice to people in fuel poverty, supporting Village Halls. We manage the Devon Community Resilience Forum, supporting communities to build resilience and prepare for emergencies, including those exacerbated by climate change.
Email Rod - Rod.Birtles@devoncommunities.org.uk
Isabel Carlisle (CEO) and Bridie Kennerley (Adaptation Project Manager) will be circulating during the breaks wearing BLC badges. BLC is an NGO that has been working for climate adaptation in South Devon since 2017. Operating as a local resource at the scale of landscapes and systems, BLC brings creativity into all its projects and works with both civil society and policy makers/ government.
Contact email: bridie.kennerley@bioregion.org.uk
Information about Eco Church and Living Churchyards will be on display.
Community Action Groups (CAG) Devon is here to support and empower community groups to act towards a more sustainable future. We provide community groups with a grant to cover insurance costs, guidance, training, and opportunities for networking and sharing skills with other groups. We support groups across all districts in Devon.
Email Helen - helen.vines@resourcefutures.co.uk
Devon Climate Emergency is a partnership of organisations including local councils, businesses, government organisations and charities working together to bring about a climate resilient net zero Devon by 2050, at the latest. The Devon Climate Emergency Project was responsible for creating the Devon Carbon Plan and Devon, Cornwall, and Isles of Scilly Climate Adaptation Strategy. Councils and councillors can come to us for advice, updates on activity across Devon and decarbonisation and adaptation resources on our website.
Email Emily - Emily.Reed@devon.gov.uk
Food in Community is a not for profit whose volunteers collect local, organic and sustainably grown surplus produce. It distributes it to groups and organisations in our community making nutritious, delicious meals for all. We also work with local organisations to provide cooking sessions, where people can learn to prepare and cook healthy meals from scratch. We also glean produce straight from the field.
Email David and Chantelle - foodincommunitycic@gmail.com
We're excited that there are so many SusSH mentors able to help with projects.
Jane Nichols - CEO. Email - jane@sussh.org
Mel Harvey - Community and street level composting projects. Email - melissajharvey@gmail.com
Rosa Hannaford - Community Engagement & Festivals. rosa@sussh.org
Ruth Leonard-Williams- Councillor Support Pack. ruth@sussh.org
Lynda Kelly - looking to sign up village shops for a new pilot scheme for local food producers. lynda.kelly2@btinternet.com
Sune Nightingale - supporting parish councils on emergency declarations and plans for climate and nature. Email - hello@beginbystarting.co.uk
Mike Hodges - working with SHDC and SDCE to advise on surveying energy efficiency of community buildings. Email - mike2.hodges@btinternet.com
Tony Lyle- Director and energy specialist - tony@sussh.org
Dan Parnell - Energy specialist - dan@sussh.org
The Share Shed is the world's first mobile library of things where you can borrow 350+ useful items at a low cost. This sharing resource connects with many communities across the South Hams, promoting a collaborative and sustainable lifestyle, saving people money, space and resources, and inspiring people to engage in social change. Share Shed are looking for new sites to visit in the South Hams.
Email - mirella@networkofwellbeing.org
Cllr John McKay: Lead Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity. Cllr.John.McKay@southhams.gov.uk
Rebecca McKee: Food and Farming Officer.
Rebecca.Mckee@swdevon.gov.uk
Rob Sekula: Principal Natural Resources and Greenspaces Officer. rob.sekula@swdevon.gov.uk
Adam Williams: Principal Climate Change Officer
Adam.Williams@swdevon.gov.uk
Phil Baker: Principle Planning Officer
Phil.Baker@swdevon.gov.uk
Gemma Bristow: Lead Active Travel Officer
Gemma.Bristow@swdevon.gov.uk
Andrew Elliot: Principal Economic Development Officer
Andrew.Elliot@swdevon.gov.uk
Chris Shears: Head of Place and Economy
chris.shears@swdevon.gov.uk
South Dartmoor Community Energy (SDCE) works to empower local communities by promoting sustainable energy solutions and reducing carbon emissions. We offer guidance on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and carbon reduction strategies tailored to the needs of households, businesses, and public sector organisations. We support those in fuel poverty, those eligible for grants and also those who are self-funded. Councils can collaborate with us to develop and implement local energy strategies, promote community engagement in sustainability projects, and address fuel poverty through targeted advice and support. We can assist with public consultations, deliver energy-saving workshops, and support the installation of renewable technologies in community spaces.
Email Jemma - Jemma@sdce.org.uk
Details coming soon...
ParkLife South West provides opportunities for people to be involved first-hand in a wide range of climate change mitigation and landscape and habitat enhancement schemes. At a smaller scale this could be wildlife road verges, village recreation grounds, and public parks. At the other end of the scale, projects include new and existing woodlands, nature reserves and land being managed for wildlife within the wider landscape, or as part of a river catchment system.
The ParkLife team is able to provide a complete project management service. From taking and developing ideas from community groups, through planning, consultation and grant applications, to organising, coordinating and supervising work on the ground. ParkLife already works in partnership with County, District, Town and Parish Councils and councillors can engage at any stage of the process, on behalf of or alongside community representatives.
www.parklifesw.org.uk
Email - keithrennells@gmail.com
Contact: office@parklifesw.org.uk
Funded by Devon County Council/ Working with Devon schools and school communities to help them improve their recycling systems, encouraging reuse and reduce and delivering workshops, assemblies and audits in schools in Devon. More recently working with Devon Climate Emergency helping to signpost schools in the right direction to start writing climate action plans and supporting the Network of Environmental Educators in Devon (NEED).
Email Alex - alex.mack@resourcefutures.co.uk
Spotlight sessions
How do we engage with and inspire a wider audience around climate and nature? What role can the South Hams arts festival have next summer? How can your community become involved? Join in the discussion! The Festival is to be held in June 2025, across the district in towns as well as rural areas. Paul Liengaard from NDP Circus, organisers of the Festival, plus Councillors and Officers from South Hams District Council, sponsors of the forthcoming festival will also be present.
Facilitators:
Rosa Hannaford - Sustainable South Hams / Kingsbridge Nature Festival
Jane Nichols - Sustainable South Hams
Helen Vines - CAG Devon
Paul Liengaard - South Hams Festival
We will go deeper into what climate adaptation is and how it is currently taking place in our region, using information gathered during the Bioregional Learning Centre’s Learning Journey this summer. Together, we will consider what resources and support are available/needed to get prepared, in your community. There will be an opportunity to learn more about the findings of the newly-published discussion paper from BLC, 'Climate Adaptation in the South Hams, Devon: towards a joined-up regional strategy’.
Facilitators:
Isabel Carlisle and Bridie Kennerley - Bioregional Learning Centre
Rod Birtles - Devon Communities Together
Nature focussed activities are the most universally engaging subjects that your community can initiate. Caring for and about nature is often the start of a journey around adaption and carbon reduction. This session is facilitated by Devon Wildlife Trust and will focus on simple projects that your communities may wish to become involved with. Your time will be fuelled by cake and will be very much about chatting to one another informally and discussing this topic together.
Facilitators:
Katie Wilkinson & Emma Smith - Devon Wildlife Trust Wilder Communities Team
The Wilder Communities and Wilder Learning team will be posing some questions to think about in relation to how communities can best work together to enable local action for nature.
Once at the heart of communities, farmers have become increasingly isolated and detached. This session expands on the themes from the Keep It Local Symposium and explores specific ways in which local councils could support farmers in their communities. How can more local produce be sold to a local market? What are the benefits of this approach? A series of accessible and simple case studies, will be shared.
Facilitators:
Becky McKee: South Hams District Council Food and Farming Officer
Lynda Kelly: Sustainable South Hams Food Mentor
David Markson and Chantelle Norton: Food In Community
Key Learnings
Contact
For more information contact:
Ruth Leonard-Williams
ruthlw@sussh.org
With thanks to…
Our sponsors: South Hams District Council
And to...
All speakers, exhibitors and the extended Sustainable South Hams team, SHDC councillors and Climate Officer Adam Williams, Popo Yung and Rob Nichols for design and graphics, Food In Community