This time of year marks the anniversary of Planet Shaftesbury's beginnings and in winter 23/24 Planet Shaftesbury becomes 5 years' old. This could provoke a few reflections, even if it wasn't also a time when I need to make changes to the way in which I engage with our network.
Remembering the beginning: on 8th November 2018, two people from Extinction Rebellion spoke about climate change action at the Friends' Meeting House. The room was packed and the talk, an early version of 'Heading for Extinction', packed a punch. Those present were already concerned, and the talk led each of us to consider our response to this existential challenge. The meeting led directly to the formation of a local group (XR Shaftesbury) of people who have subsequently taken part in non-violent direct actions aiming to push the government to face the climate crisis and act accordingly. The meeting also led indirectly to the emergence of Planet Shaftesbury as an umbrella organisation for individual environmentalists and green groups (including XR Shaftesbury) across the town. The idea was incubated through informal conversations and then a meeting at the Arts Centre on 20th December, after which the network was launched on 17th January 2019.
Five years of change: The last 5 years have seen many changes. Covid pandemic. Economic turmoil. Step change in public awareness of environmental challenges. Cynicism. Planet Shaftesbury has been buffeted and shaped by changes around us. At the same time, Planet Shaftesbury itself can't not make a difference. We can wonder how much some of what's happened around us has been influenced by our existence. The Council's declaration of a climate emergency. Businesses and community initiatives like Coconut & Cotton, the Vintage/Eco Market & Repair Cafe, Myrtle & Marigold, Folde, Reading the Land, Hedgehog Friendly Shaftesbury, Shaftesbury Swifts, connections with Dorset Climate Action Network. And then there are the initiatives made possible only because individual efforts were magnified through the Planet Shaftesbury network of connections. The Pilgrimage to Studland, protesting about oil drilling in Dorset. The Tree Festival. Local participation in Dorset Greener Open Homes. 'Shaftesbury 2030: choosing our future' conference at Shaftesbury School. There are links below to summaries of Planet Shaftesbury activity over each of the first four years.
What has Planet Shaftesbury become? What do we need now? Planet Shaftesbury is now often referred to as if the network was 'a thing'. Our network connects a substantial number of individuals and groups who, from a distance, appear to be a cohesive whole. But we're like a whale-shaped shoal of minnows. When you get close there's no substance. Just individuals or small groups, all doing our best to evidence our particular concerns for the living planet through the choices we make in our day-to-day lives. Sometimes collaborating. Sometimes needing to be separate. The fluidity helps us to be adaptable. It also makes us unpredictable - as we saw during this year's Great Big Green Week when some elements attracted a lot of support, and some very little.
Our continued existence as a network, our ability to collaborate, our adaptability and responsiveness - these are all dependent on there being ways in which we can connect and communicate with one another and the wider community. Around 180-190 people are signed up for the emailed newsletter. Based on recent attendance (a dozen or so), our monthly meetings are redundant for most of us and yet face to face contact is important. In contrast, in a typical month, about three quarters of us open the newsletter. I've enjoyed my part in editing it over the past 3+ years and have received good feedback - but compiling it has become onerous. This, and now significant hearing issues, led me to prompt wider consideration of how we move forward differently next year. This post aims to establish a wider context for these considerations. Feel free to add comments but, better still, join in at meetings - including on December 14th.