Planet Shaftesbury Meeting - 20th August 2026

Minutes of the Planet Shaftesbury Meeting 20^th August 2026

Present: Rachel B, Rachel T, Annie, Christina

Apologies: Diana, Emma, Lucy, Robin, Karen, Ed, Richard

Chair: Rachel B

Minutes: Christina

Action Points from Last Meeting

-       The visit from Sophie from the DWT is confirmed for the next PS Meeting on 17^th September to talk about Nature Connect North Dorset; a number of people from local groups are being invited to attend as well.

-       John was unable to talk about river testing at the showing of the Rave on for the Avon film but Christina supplied information on water guardian volunteering, and referred interested parties to the item under Water on the PS Projects page.  She has asked Robin and Karen to comment on the very well-attended and lively event for the forthcoming PS Newsletter.  Keggie Carew whom Karen had also invited to speak at the event, was unable to make it as well.

-       Ed is continuing to investigate how to set up taking donations on the website

-       A new date was set for the visit to Kensons Farm and it went ahead on 4^th August.  Christina and John agreed to do a write-up for the next newsletter. Rachel T reported that Home Grown was pleased to learn from the farm that green manure was more effective in creating soil fertility than their home-made compost, and she is able to supply information on green manures to the group

-       Rachel B’s diagram is still in development but had evolved with help from Ed and AI; a new draft was shown at this meeting which comprised the working group members who are working on it as part of the website About Us 

re-vamp

-       Jenni Morisetti was absent from the meeting so the follow-up on the Power Station film has yet to be agreed

-       John and Christina agreed to do the next Newsletter due out in the first week of September, deadline for contributions by 27^th August (Update: John and Christina are unable to edit the October newsletter due to unforeseen circumstances; Christina has put a request on the PS WhatsApp group for someone to cover for the next (October) issue

New Agenda Items for Discussion:

1. The showing of the People’s Emergency Briefing film in Marnhull was packed, and Annie reported that there is a Big Update Webinar follow-up after the screening; link:  https://youtu.be/BCAwhdZrRt4?si=vUfrJ4YmomtaUaU5rntky and it is well worth watching. This is the last local showing for the time being.

2. Richard Thomas has invited anyone who is interested in meeting the new Shaftesbury Town Clerk, Matthew Harrison, to the next Sustainable Shaftesbury (SuSAC) meeting on 25^th August

3. The Feeding Dorset Partnership is currently assembling ideas relevant to increasing resilience of the local food system that could inform a bid for funds from the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund.  Rachel will be joining a workshop in Dorchester on 4^th September, run by FDP to start to shape a proposal.

Rachel T. reported that there had already been a similar but national event organised by The Movement Strategy Process for Food, Farming and the Land earlier this year

4. Friends of the Earth - with whom Planet Shaftesbury had a close connection for a while - are encouraging participation in a parliamentary lobby by the 'Good Business Matters' campaign.  This is aligned with the 'Better Business Act' promoted by B Corps.  Rachel B wondered if Folde might raise this with Shaftesbury’s Chamber of Commerce. (Update: No. Rachel had an exchange of emails with Amber Harrison who is not active with the CoC.)

5. Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show (19^th and 20^th August)

Despite the weather, there was encouraging interest at the PS/SuSAC stand from a number of children, their families and other young people. Very heartening is the level of knowledge these young people already possess about climate change, and especially about the importance of protecting Nature and how to attract wildlife into their gardens and on their land (a number came from farming families).

The event has raised ongoing learning points accrued over a number of years of having the stall, and there needs to be a discussion on how to take this forward for the future.

6. Nature Connect North Dorset

It was agreed to invite representatives from the various local groups to attend the PS Meeting on 17^th September to learn from Sophie what support is on offer from DWT from this project, and for her to learn more about what we do already and what she thinks we could do.   Sophie is already out on the road contacting or being contacted by various groups and individuals and has already met Home Grown, Catherine from the Swift Group and Joe from Orchard Town.

Action: Local groups are being contacted with a brief outline of the project and inviting them to come along to the meeting to learn more.

7. Next Meeting: 17^th September 2026 at 6pm in the Assembly room