Jan 2012 Ecohere update
Ecohere continues into 2012, and things are getting exciting…!!
The Ecohere team are now working with five Herefordshire communities, and it is wonderful to see the enthusiasm of local residents in their desire to save money, save energy and therefore support the continuation of rural life. It is also inspiring to see how their Parish Councils are listening to these needs and supporting the present and future life of their community in this way.In Breinton, a group of residents (‘Painting Breinton Green’) are beginning a series of local events that will inform local people about the ideas and issues that they have already found are important to local residents, such as energy efficiency, car share schemes, bulk oil buying and gardenshare. They will use these events to continue their consultation with their local community about what to include in their Sustainability Action Plan. A review of their own Community Led Plan is also just beginning, and this will incorporate the planning and consultation work around local sustainability that has already started as part of the Ecohere project. Indeed, many of the initial issues recently raised for the CLP (being related to creating a thriving, resilient community) reflect those already raised by the local Ecohere group’s work so far, which is both very encouraging for Breinton and also indicates how effective the group’s work has been so far in listening to the local community.
In Leominster and Bodenham we continue helping to build on the sustainability-related actions that have already been identified in their recently developed community led plans, coordinating appropriate advice and support, bringing together local community groups and organisations with similar aims, and facilitating participation in visits (such as to successful community composting schemes and food cooperative networking events) in order to share experience, expertise and best practice. Along with local consultation, these activities will help local people raise further issues and needs that will eventually form unique Sustainability Action Plans in each community. Work in Leominster is gathering pace now, starting with events to support community clean ups and developing work with the Leominster Junior School.
We are delighted that Garway have recently joined the project, and they too have many aspects of their CLP on which they are ready to act and expand on with our support. Ideas such as creating wildlife areas, community composting and renewable energy systems have already been raised, and an enthusiastic group of people are also forming a Transition group with neighbouring communities which is wonderfully exciting!
We are also really pleased to now be supporting a group in Welsh Newton and Llanrothal as they plan their first local consultation event for their SAP, looking at energy efficiency, community renewables and the development of a carbon reduction plan.
Ecohere are also involved in developing projects as part of the New Leaf’s successful Local Energy Action Fund (LEAF) bid for the County. We look forward to developing closer working relationships with the key partners of RetroPHit, Marches Energy Agency, Herefordshire inTransition Alliance, Herefordshire Community Renewables, Sharenery and Herefordshire Energy Assessors through this work, and many of our communities are already taking up the opportunities offered by this particular project. For more information about this New Leaf project, see www.herefordshirenewleaf.org.uk, or contact kate@herefordshirenewleaf.org.uk
Whilst working closely with communities, the Ecohere team are continually building on our own knowledge-base of local sustainability resources, funding streams and expertise, both in response to issues arising in these communities and in preparation for the next communities who will join this exciting, forward-thinking and dynamic project.
We are are now looking for the next group of Herefordshire communities who would like our support in developing a Sustainability Action Plan! Would you like to be one of them? Are there other people in your local community who would like to get involved in supporting their community’s future as part of this exciting project?