TOWN COUNCIL CLIMATE EMERGENCY COMMUNITY WORKSHOP A SUCCESS
Newbury Town Council’s fifth Climate Emergency Workshop took place on Saturday 1 October 2022 in Town Hall Chamber, Market Place. Around 50 people came along, making this the most well attended workshop since our first one in 2019.
Since declaring a climate emergency in 2019, the Town Council’s Climate Emergency Working Group (CEWG) has been taking action to transition Newbury Town Council’s operations to net zero for carbon emissions. At the workshop, the Council outlined its climate emergency journey so far and updated the public on the suggestions that came out of the very first Workshop in 2019.
Cllr Chris Foster, Chair of the Climate Emergency Working Group said, “Newbury Town Council was first Council in West Berkshire to declare a climate emergency. We’re very proud to have reduced our carbon footprint by more than 40% so far, even while continuing to expand the scope of what we’re able to measure.
This workshop was an opportunity for local residents to come along and see for themselves what we are doing, as well as offer feedback on our plans to tackle the remainder of our carbon footprint.
We are very pleased that local community groups, including recipients of the Council’s climate emergency grant funding, were able to be involved on the day and showcase their own projects”.
The event was interactive and open to all members of the public, with an informal atmosphere that encouraged questions throughout. Friends of the Earth Newbury displayed photographs of their Lockdown Wood project and the Newbury and West Berkshire Sustainable Community had a stand to inform attendees about their campaign to make Newbury and Thatcham plastic free.
Susan Millington from Friends of the Earth Newbury said, “It was good to be able to share photos of the Lockdown Woods project, run by Newbury Friends of the Earth, which is part funded by Newbury Town Council. We have planted over 2000 trees so far and will plant our fifth Lockdown Wood this winter. There are over 100 volunteers helping to tend the young memorial woodlands”. Anyone interested can learn more about Newbury Friends of the Earth through their website Newbury Friends of The Earth | Newbury | Environmental Group (newburyfoe.co.uk) , and the Lockdown Woods project on their Facebook group (just search Lockdown Wood) or you can email the team info@newburyfoe.co.uk.
Eight Bells for Mental Health provided refreshments and raised over £80 for their charity in donations.
To view the slides from the Workshop click here.
Contact:
Cllr Chris Foster, Chairperson NTC Climate Change Working Group chris.foster@newbury.gov.uk 07779 302347
David Ingram, Community Services Manager david.ingram@newbury.gov.uk 01635 35486