Warrington Friends of the Earth
Warrington Friends of the Earth campaigns locally on a range of local, national and global issues and their activities vary from running events and stalls to lobbying politicians, doing media work, running local education projects and getting new positive projects off the ground. Their meetings are open to everyone and take place on the first Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm at the Friends' Meeting House, Buttermarket Street, Warrington. New members are always welcome. To find out more contact Dina Baird on 07960 420030 or just turn up at the next meeting.
You can find out more about Friends of the Earth via the link below.
You can also ask to be put on our contact database so that we can keep you up to date with any campaigns / activities in which you might be interested or could help.
Low Carbon Lymm
Low Carbon Lymm (LCL) is a voluntary, not for profit body, established by a group of Lymm residents. The main purpose of LCL is to work with all areas of the Lymm community to address the challenges of climate change and to reduce our carbon emissions. In doing this, we will also reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and save money.
The activities of LCL cover all areas of the community in Lymm – households, businesses, schools and community groups. LCL addresses energy efficiency, renewable energy, local food, transport and recycling by raising awareness of what can be done and by providing information and help on how to do it. It is also developing and implementing a number of specific low carbon energy generation projects for the village including a water turbine and PV installations on community buildings.
See attached newsletter for information on what we have been doing.
For more information visit the website via link below.
Contact: Richard Pearce on 01925 754480 or richard.pearce@uwclub.net
Taking action in communities
In August 2009 it was identified that there was the need to expand the low carbon community work that was currently taking place in Warrington.
Over a period of time in 2010 the climate change team, Stronger Together and private sector housing worked to focus climate change awareness in the community to the Bewsey area. Bewsey was chosen because of the active community association and a number of groups that meet at the community centre.
The main aim of the project was to create CO2 reductions and financial savings for people in the community. A number of actions were taken forward including a baseline survey for homes, thermal imaging of homes and power downs fitted in bungalows and insulation sold to homeowners, along with energy advice and tariff surgeries.
As a result, seven actions were identified and put into an action plan for the Friends of Bewsey Park. This can be found below.
From this project we have put together a programme for other groups to develop environmental action plans and become involved in improving and protecting the environment.
Green Action Plans and Eco-Reps for Community Groups
A green action plan can help a group develop some new aims which may help them be more efficient, benefit the local community or have a wider impact; it may also help in funding applications by adding another element to your aims and objectives.
All Stronger Together Community Wardens and Development officers have been trained to deliver the Every Action Counts session that can be used for groups to develop their own green action plan.
The session looks at five different areas:
- Save energy
- Save our resources
- Shop ethically
- Care for your area
- Travel
There is something of interest to everyone in these areas, from holding regular community cleans ups to only buying local or fairtrade produce for your meetings.
Any group that develops an green action plan will be invited to nominate a volunteer to become a community eco rep. The community eco-rep volunteer description can be found at the link below Volunteer role description for Eco Rep.pdf
The role of a community eco-rep is to champion the environmental action plan and act as someone who can pass on information to others in their group and community.
They will receive a quarterly e-newsletter that will highlight what other project people are doing in their community and it will make the network aware of when grants or offers become available and pass on information like changes to bin collection services.
We will hold a network meeting twice a year for reps to find out what each other are up to.
For more information or to develop a plan call contact Stronger Together in Warrington on 815468 for more information.
Related document:
Community funding
Community funding may be able to help you as an individual, or as a community group, to find money to help improve energy efficiency in your home or the local area. There is a searchable database available on the Energy Saving Trust website via the link below.
Starting a new environmental community group?
Please get in touch with the council's climate change team on 442615 for help and advice.