Thank you for providing this link - great article!

Thank you for posting this. Mark Chivers and his Zero Carbon Dorset colleague Dr Neil Smith are doing a brilliant job of compiling information on what is already being done - practical initiatives that can be replicated where there's a will. Whilst delivering accolades, I also appreciate the ongoing work being done by the Dorset Deserves Better campaign, one objective of which is to secure a Local Plan that is consistent with Dorset Council's CEES. Newsletters & more are on the web here https://www.dorsetcan.org/ddb.html

Here are the documents provided to partner organisations prior to the meeting on 11th January.

I just got back from a visit to Marnhull where I was collecting some tree whips from Ros Eveleigh. We met at the Marnhull hub (Home | The Marnhull Hub), a 2-hour weekly slot at the village hall where a repair cafe takes place alongside other green and community activities. Whilst I was there a handful of people appeared with different items in need of attention - from knife sharpening to broken crockery. There was also a train set getting attention but it was hard to see whether it needed repair or playing with! There is a similar repair cafe initiative in Gillingham but I haven't visited: Home (gillinghamrepaircafe.org.uk)

Message sent on 23rd Dec: Dear Michael and your fellow 'campaigners' Thank you all for your work on this. Details of the Dorset CAN & CPRE Campaign to secure a Re-think of the Dorset Local Plan have been publicised across the Planet Shaftesbury network, giving people the opportunity to comment. No-one has expressed any reservations about support for the campaign, and a more sustainable Local Plan may resolve some of the concerns voiced locally. Planet Shaftesbury will join the Campaign Alliance and will co-sign the open letter to Dorset Council. The Planet Shaftesbury network has 175 active participants. One or more individuals from Planet Shaftesbury will attend the meeting of partners on the evening of Tuesday 11 January. with best wishes for Christmas and 2022 Rachel Bodle Planet Shaftesbury Team

There hasn't been discussion here but to date I've had several informal comments in favour of Planet Shaftesbury continuing to support this initiative and none against. I also had a request that we engage with the strategic review of links between M4 and south coast (which includes A350). This may also be better done in collaboration with those with planning & highways expertise within the Dorset CAN. Any comment?

I have a particular attachment to this purple hazel that Richard and I planted at Springhead to mark a special occasion. An optimistic glow to a leaf when the tree was newly planted. And now there are many new shoots. Here it is more recently.

Here's a note of the meeting that took place last Sunday afternoon - in a sunny garden, with cake! Thank you to Christina Strickland & Richard Foreman for their notes which have been combined here, and to Christina & John Nelson for the garden & cake. We started by refreshing our ambition for Planet Shaftesbury to make a difference (post pandemic, in light of changes in public/gov’t/corporate view of climate emergency, biodiversity crisis etc.). We touched on the different groups we may have an impact on: 1. The general public in/around Shaftesbury - in making lifestyle changes, becoming involved in green activities and, according to personal choice, activism. Suggestions: i. ‘Buddying’; ii. Annual competition 2. As a partner of the Town Council with its Action Plan on Climate Emergency, encouraging them to broaden their scope to encourage greening of people’s homes, local businesses to develop more sustainably etc. Possible ways to do this: i. joint working group involving PS and councillors; ii. developing relationships with individual councillors open to supporting green initiatives; iii. publicising plans, activities, & progress against plans, on PS website - thus exposing the council and the rest of us to more scrutiny. (Shaftesbury Town Council’s action plan is now on the website under Resources); iv. inviting councillors to attend PS meetings on regular basis; 3. Make links with business people a. Chamber of Commerce (some links already established by plastics group. b. suggest ‘better business’ style town events; 4. Engage young people a. Schools b. Youth Council (which is on town council wish list) We noted that ‘This is Alfred’ is an invaluable resource. We could offer regular input perhaps in form of a monthly PS programme. We returned to this topic later*. After this we talked in turn about the ‘tools’ we use and what we can do better Meetings (in-person & online): • If first meeting is possible in July, combine it with hedgehog meeting at Town Hall on 22nd July. • Thereafter, resume 3rd Thurs of month regular in-person meetings. Have ‘greeters’ on door to welcome new people, introduce them to others. Include informal refreshment time & have a theme/speaker for these meetings. Set up list of practical roles needed and ask volunteers to sign up. • have a monthly Zoom meeting in between (this leaves space for other events between meetings). • Green teas/drinks – appealing additional ways of meeting informally if hosts come forward. Information Stall/ Display, Posters etc: Discussion centred on Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show where we (& Greener Gillingham) will have a stand. • Can hang banners, etc on gazebo • Additional ground or table-mounted display panels/boards needed (eg. Room divider?) • Eye-catching activities required to engage people: eco-lucky-dip type things. Quiz. Children’s games, block printing ‘tattoo like’ badges? • Can invite PS network (and those with particular expertise or knowledge) to offer information for the displays, people to join in at event. Material and boards assembled for G&S Show will remain as resource, to be used in events such as Fringe 'Sustainable Living' event in Town Hall, at other public talks, and we'll try them out at the July (hedgehog) meeting. Engaging Events / Public Talks: • Tree Celebration in Sept (support offered to compile programme). Promotes related events ….. • Resumption of community tree planting. • Participate in Dorset Climate Action Network (Dorset CAN) proposed ‘Open Greener Homes’ event (Oct 2-3). All details to be discussed via Zoom etc in due course. • Later this year (around time of COP26?), town-wide survey to establish a baseline and engage population in thinking about changes needed in homes/lifestyle in response to Climate Emergency. Include collecting info on potential for electric car power point sharing initiatives. • For future: annual review of progress with town council & lifestyle changes. • Pick up on public talks when possible including those cancelled last year (Charles Dowding, Gillingham Royal Forest etc.) • Re-visit skills and interest list from PS network to supply support teams for events • Use all media extensively! Blackmore Vale Magazine events diary. Offer reports on PS activities. Structure of PS: Doesn’t need to change. Minimal formality (As a legacy of the Transition Town we have a constitution and officers, currently: Chair Robin Walter, Treasurer Karen Wimhurst, Secretary Richard Foreman). We noted the difference from Planet Purbeck membership structure. Projects are autonomous and different structures may be appropriate there. Any partnership with town council & others (eg. to encourage change across the town in response to CEE) could appear on the website as a project. If it needs its own budget & fund-raising capability then it may need its own formal structure. Newsletter/Website: Both recognised as fit for purpose as we go forward. Newsletter will inform a monthly recording made available to Alfred* and on the website. Ed Bersey & Karen Wimhurst will use material generated for the newsletter (currently by Rachel Bodle) .

This will be central to an in-person meeting that has now been arranged in a private garden for May 30th - weather permitting. Subject to the limit on numbers (max 30, which we're very unlikely to come anywhere close to) this is open to everyone interested. Please email me for details rachel.bodle@gmail.com

Are there any local initiatives for us to connect with?