Planet Shaftesbury Meeting - 14th May 2026

Present:        Kevin, Richard T, Anna, Rachel B, Emma, Karen E, Richard E, Rachel T, Robin, Karen W

Apologies:    Jenni, Ed, Sandra, Doug, John, Christina, Diana

Chair: Robin

Minutes: Richard E

Action Points from Last Meeting

Ed to create PS Business Cards — to be completed by 27th April (NEB film) ✅ DONE

Richard T to update PS on Gillingham show progress Going ahead with 2 stalls (paid for by SUSAC — £120). Dates 19 and 20 August. Comes with 6 tickets for those that populate the stall. Both DWT and NT have stalls — would be good to be close to them. DCAN and SUSAC can also help populate the stall. Need to put it out there to get volunteers. Need points of interest to talk to show goers about. Suggestions: Green Wheel, 89% project, Eat Well (map with pins?), Orchard Town, PEB. Need something in the newsletter to promote this. It would be good to recruit the Swift and Hedgehog group members to help.

• AP Rachel B — draft something for newsletter

• AP Karen W — contact Swift Group

Ed to complete electronic version of food leaflet for website ✅ DONE — and very well received. Thanks to Ed for this.

Discuss Rachel B's diagram of Planet Shaftesbury Activities 🔄 ONGOING — Group of four looking to modernise the 'About Us' section of the website. May have something to report at the next meeting.

Lucy to agree date with Kensons and write a sentence or two for newsletter Robin met Hugh from Kensons Farm and asked for potential dates for a PS visit.

• AP Rachel B — email Hugh and Liz at Kensons to tie down a date that suits them (update: either Thu 25th or Tue 30th June tbc)

Keri (via Karen) to update PS when he has new people to interview for the 89% project 2 interviews are now available on the website. Karen W has re-emailed everyone contacted so far to chivvy the process along.

Robin to speak to Beth about social media posting 🔄 ONGOING

Rachel B to follow up on government environmental grants for towns ✅ DONE

Richard T — Green Wheel has stimulated interest from DWT and Cranborne Chase National Landscape. There is a lot happening on the Nature Recovery front. Encouraging that there may be funding coming on stream for progressing this. North Dorset Nature Connection have just appointed a Project Manager for this, for areas of North Dorset outside of the National Landscape.

Robin to add WhatsApp message asking for volunteers to take over Newsletter editing ✅ DONE

Diana has now taken over the newsletter. Emails to the planetshaftesbury@gmail.com address now go to her. Material for inclusion in the newsletter should be sent to this email address. Karen W — a word count guide would be helpful, say 200–300 words. Deadline for next newsletter is 26th May.

Agenda for This Meeting

1. People's Emergency Briefing

Robin thanked Anna for the great organisation and facilitation of the Shaftesbury screening. Robin has emailed Simon Hoare MP, but has had no response. PEB is designed to prompt the national broadcasters to put on briefings for the public as per their legal requirement to alert the public about serious risks to life and security, under the 2003 Communications Act.

There are now over 1,000 screenings planned across the country. Dorset LibDem MPs and the Labour MP have signed the parliamentary letter. Simon Hoare is not yet supporting though. Another local screening on 11 June in Gillingham Town Hall — mainly for councillors, and Simon Hoare has been invited. Marnhull Green Team screening is on 15 August.

Follow up from the Shaftesbury screening — Jenni has the email addresses of attendees. 25 people have 'followed'. Links to PS website and Zero Hour.

• AP Anna — send a 'have you managed to do any of the actions?' email to attendees

• AP Robin — find out from Ed if we've had any additional sign-ups following the screening

Maybe we could do another screening? Karen W has a database of contacts for future use. All were emailed prior to the first screening, but not many came.

2. Power Station Film Screening

Scheduled for Monday 1st June in the Town Hall, 7.00pm for 7.30pm. Discussion about who to target.

• AP Kevin — research most suitable streets to become Power Stations

Update from Kevin: Regarding the best homes to promote the event to, those of standard construction (brick & pitched roof) built from the early 80s onwards are likely to be the best to target. Many of the newer homes to the East of the town would be ideal — anywhere from Tollgate Park through Wincombe Lane and Mampitts Lane to Salisbury Road. Many of the homes face East–West or odd angles; this doesn't rule them out, but they would need to be assessed individually. Ideally the homes would have a south-ish facing roof at the front or back and be privately owned. Homes owned by those in the 40s-upward demographic are more likely to have more disposable income for the scheme. The primary technologies POP Energy are installing are Solar with Battery Storage, Electric Vehicle Chargers, and Heat Pumps.

• AP All — get the word out, posters are available

3. St Peter's Fruit Tree

Permission granted for the planting of a fruit tree by the Archdeacon. Guidance now sought on what type of tree and availability. Suggest Emma links up with Joe for advice.

4. Messums Event

Robin, Rachel and Emma attended the Rural Futures event at Messums. Themed around the Common Treasures book dealing with sustainable living in rural areas. Robin to meet with one of the organisers, Amica Dall, to talk about forestry and food, as she is interested in the Eat Well initiative and may be planning to do something around food in Shaftesbury. This is potentially a fruitful collaboration.

Next Meeting: 18th June, 6.00pm — Library Room at The Grosvenor