Action For Somerset’s Future Event

Booking link for free ticket: https://bit.ly/ActionForSomerset

We are incredibly excited to present to you our upcoming Action For Somerset’s Future event in collaboration with Somerset Climate Action Network and Somerset Local Nature Partnership!

‘Action for Somerset’s Future’ is an interactive day of developing connection across Somerset communities to encourage climate action and community wellbeing. All are welcome including individuals, community groups and councils.

Join us for panel discussions, workshops and the opportunity to connect with your local community over tea, coffee and cake!

The event team are incredibly excited to welcome environmental campaigner, Trewin Restorick as our Keynote speaker for the day! Trewin has been recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award, as a Global Leader for Good and has an extensive background in founding sustainability enterprises, including the brilliant Hubbub and Sizzle. Trewin has a track-record of creating successful environmental enterprises including PaperRound a flourishing recycling business and Global Action Plan a long-established environmental charity. These enterprises were created built on experience gathered through pervious roles at Friends of the Earth where he was Director of Fundraising and at Plymouth City Council where he supported the creation of new social enterprises. His current CIC, Sizzle is a creative space where daring and bold organisations can explore fresh solutions that tackle environmental and social challenges.

Panel Discussions

We will be holding two panel discussions on the day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon

Our first panel discussion is entitled ‘Waste and the Circular Economy’, we will hear from local council, business and community on initiatives that are already happening in Somerset and how we can get involved to further support the growth of circular initiatives in our county.

Our panellists include Lily Morton, Mickey Green and Teresa Wooff. Lily Morton is Senior Community Liaison Manager at SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, working on the municipal Somerset Waste contract. Lily is responsible for managing community engagement projects as well as the social value and environmental commitments within the contract. Mickey was appointed Executive Director of Climate and Place for the new unitary Somerset Council which was established on 1 April 2023. His portfolio includes climate, ecology, waste, water, infrastructure and transport, economic development, regeneration and planning. Teresa Wooff is a member of Wivey Kitchen community group. Wivey Kitchen is a community food project based in Wiveliscombe, Somerset. They take what would-be waste food and turn it into delicious and nutritious meals that are shared with their local community. To date this brilliant community group has made over 60,000 meals and saved many tons of food from going to waste!

Our second panel discussion is entitled ‘Visioning into 2030’. This panel discussion will cover our vision, aims and actions for Somerset as we face the climate and ecological emergency. With insights from the local community, businesses and local government.

Our panellists include Nicky Saunter, Cllr Dixie Darch and Anita Roy. Nicky is one of the founders of Boston Tea Party Café, the company was the first coffee chain in the world to stop issuing single-use coffee cups on 1 June 2018 to impact the global plastic crisis. They also have strong sustainability commitments around their sourcing, the environment and local communities. Cllr Dixie Darch has been the Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change at Somerset Council since April 2023 and before that was the Climate lead at Somerset West and Taunton District Council. The portfolio remit is broad (including Waste, Flood management, Civil Contingencies and Countryside management) and also involves working across portfolios – Transport, Housing, and Assets in particular. Anita Roy is chairperson for Transition Town Wellington community group. Transition Town Wellington is a not-for-profit, environmental community group set up in 2008. They are part of the Transition Movement and their focus is on taking the practical steps that we urgently need to combat the ecological and climate emergencies we are facing. Their aim is to help build a healthy, thriving biodiverse and sustainable future.

Workshops

We will be holding a number of workshops throughout the day on a range of topics. These will be participatory sessions where your input will be integral. Read below for workshop leaders and topics!

Peoples Plan For Climate Workshop will be run by Rights Community Action. This organisation will be holding two workshops on this topic, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Do you want to know why your local plan matters? Do you want to know how you can you make it better? Join their workshop to turn your ideas into planning policies.

Overcoming Barriers to Community Action Groups Workshop will be run by Lucy Smith, our CAG Somerset Coordinator. This will be an opportunity for community groups to share their experiences, find ways to support each other and discuss positive solutions.

Actions on Reuse Workshop will be run by Catharine Conway, director and reuse lead for Go Unpackaged. This workshop will centre real-life reuse ideas that community groups wish to implement. The session will then discuss the ideas as a group, identify ways to bring them to life and overcome any challenges or barriers the ideas may face.

The Local Nature Recovery Strategy Workshop will be run by Jack Bedford, the Climate Adaptation Officer for Somerset Wildlife Trust. Somerset Council, in collaboration with Somerset Local Nature Partnership, is working on a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for Somerset. This strategy will provide a framework for targeted, co-ordinated and collaborative action for nature.
Here’s your opportunity to hear about Somerset LNRS and play a part in shaping it by sharing your experiences and local knowledge.
Focussing on three habitats – urban; rivers and wetlands; and hedges, trees and woodlands – we’ll explore the pressures impacting each habitat, the outcomes we’d like to achieve, and the measures that could be taken to achieve these outcomes.

Somerset Retrofit Partnership Project Workshop will be run by Chris Gaskell, project manger for Retrofit Somerset. Join them to find out more about the project and get tips and information on improving property energy efficiency across the county.

The day will also include plenty of networking opportunities, group discussions, hot drinks, cake and a community indoor picnic (bring your own lunch).

We look forward to seeing you, you can reserve your free ticket here: https://bit.ly/ActionForSomerset