< Back SSCA's first Retrofit Services Consultation Event, Craven Arms Mike Bourke 20 Jun 2023 Bringing groups from the Marches together to discuss retrofit and next steps for the region The Energy and Buildings Group of South Shropshire Climate Action organized a Consultation on Tuesday 20th June at the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre in Craven Arms. The purpose was to improve co-operation between the different groups offering retrofit services across the Marches, and those attending represented Shropshire Council, Herefordshire Green Network, Marches Energy Agency, Lightfoot, Telford Climate Action, Sustainable Bridgnorth, Stretton Climate Care and environmental groups in Broseley, Clun and Market Drayton. Two of those attending are also elected members of Powys and Herefordshire Councils. The day consisted of three workshops: 1. A Directory of Retrofit Providers and Specialists . People who want to retrofit their homes need to know of contractors with the relevant skills and qualifications. At present, some organisations have their own lists based on local knowledge, though all have, of course, to emphasize that they cannot recommend these firms or accept liability for any work carried out. It was agreed that a Marches-wide list should be produced, prefaced by a list of questions which customers should ask before any contractor is employed. A small group will take this forward over the coming weeks. 2. Grants and Funding . Tony Baker of MEA described the current Government funding schemes available to householders (Boiler Upgrade Scheme, Great British Insulation Scheme and the Home Upgrade Grant - the latter being restricted to households on means-tested benefits or with an annual income of less than £31,000). We also discussed a proposed Lottery Fund application for a scheme to insulate individual rooms within houses. 3. Household Energy Surveys . These can take two forms of different levels of complexity, depending on whether the aim is to measure the household’s existing carbon footprint or to prepare the house for a retrofit programme. Presentations were made by Stretton Climate Care, Lightfoot and MEA. Rob Narraway gave a demonstration of a Thermal Imaging Camera, and the use of the Retrofit Roadshow Van was described. The cost of the various schemes was discussed, and training will be offered to newly formed community groups. It was generally agreed to have been a useful day in co-ordinating the efforts of the various agencies across our region. Previous Next

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< Back River Clun Update and petition to Stop the Pipe Alison Weeks 3 Mar 2025 Objecting to Severn Trent's plans to transfer sewage effluent for the River Clun to the River Onny The River Clun and its catchment has changed significantly over the past 70 years. People who live here can remember tickling trout in the ‘50s and ‘60s and there were freshwater crayfish and pearl mussels up and down the catchment. There was a rich biodiversity of river invertebrates, butterflies, otters etc, and a clear river bed. There was much less sediment and turbidity as uplands and land adjacent to waterways remained unploughed. More water was retained in uplands and wider undisturbed areas of peat. The presence of pearl mussels meant Clun was designated a SAC (Special Area of Conservation), meaning that regulations prevent building development in the Clun catchment, because no new nutrients from sewage treatment can be discharged into the river; this has socio-economic consequences for bringing new people into the area and retaining families, maintaining schools, jobs, and work. The Onny pipeline proposal by Severn Trent is an example of the pressure put on the area because of the declining state of the river. This proposal will pump sewage effluent from new developments in Bishops Castle along a pipeline into the Onny to avoid the Nutrient Neutrality regulations in the Clun; in other words, exporting the problem downriver. There is significant local opposition to this. If you’d like to object to this scheme, you can find more details and sign the Stop the Pipe petition here . The River Clun Monitoring Group was set up in 2022 to monitor the river quality. Our aims are to raise awareness of how the water quality of the Clun impacts on all our lives; to increase monitoring where new groups form (and provide equipment); to present data for clear interpretation of the water quality and biodiversity and to work with local and national groups to improve water quality of rivers. We make monthly measurements of physical properties (temperature, water flow, height, total solids/conductivity): this tells us about seasonal and weather-related changes. We measure ammonia, which comes from sewage, agricultural inputs, and fertilisers; nitrate which is from soil and manure; phosphate, which is from sewage, fertilisers, washing machines, agricultural waste; turbidity, which is a measure of suspended and dissolved matter in the river; and invertebrates which tells us about the longer-term health of river ecology. We have about 30 volunteers who take part in the monitoring. We work closely with the landowners whose river stretches we sample. We have regular volunteer meetings, checking and calibration of equipment and monitoring methods and our steering group meets every 2 months to oversee it all. In 2025 a number of events are planned around the river. From 29th May/ June 8th: there will be River Clun Festival: with art, music, talks, Ellie Chowns MP. Other events which are being planned are in August an event in the Upper Clun, in September the Clun Climate Environment groupwill hold a half day event at Clun Memorial Hall. In September the second Dennis and Margaret Twist Memorial event will be focussed Food and Land. You can watch the excellent BBC Countryfile programme broadcast on 12th January about improving waterways in Shropshire and encouraging the recovery of atlantic salmon in the River Onny. Previous Next

Shropshire Climate Action: Gardening Gardening You don’t have to be a landowner or have a big garden to make a major contribution to Shropshire’s part of the planet. Whatever the size of our garden, even our windowsill, we can increase the planet’s health and vitality, as well as making a positive impact on our own wellbeing. Things to consider: Observe 'no-mow' periods on your lawn Grow fruit and vegetables where possible Plant for pollinators Create a pond - however small, this is fantastic habitat for amphibians and other creatures Grow a native hedge as a living boundary How we can garden to help nature Local expert, Sue Crichton from Abdon & Wheathill, promotes ways to garden while creating habitats to encourage insects, amphibians, birds and bats. Use this checklist to see how to make your garden more wildlife friendly. Follow Natural Networks Around Brown Clee (NNABC) via their Facebook page to find out more. Information online: Here are seven links to the R oyal Horticult ural Society (R HS) website, looking at specific topics: About Climate Change and how gardeners need to adapt – a ‘why?’ piece 'Hands on': 4 key elements in gardening for the environment Some 'how to' garden sustainably tips Reduce garden pollution: alternatives to chemicals Water use in your garden Go plastic free in your garden Why not persuade your local Gardening Club to invite speakers on some of these ideas? Shropshire Organic Gardeners (SOGS ) has information about organic gardening and events such as plant exchanges etc. See Shropshire-based Nancy Lowe's website, www.thenaturalgardener.org.uk to find out about talks, clubs and courses. Check out Shropshire Wildlife Trust's website which has information about helping wildlife thrive in our gardens Support for schools Seedpips Garden Club and Produce Pr oject CIC currently supports Corvedale CE Primary School, Diddlebury with their weekly gardening club and a community larder . They want to facilitate and su pport volunteer led gardening club sessions and schemes in schools across South Shropshire.

< Back Celebrating the launch of our walk through Ludlow’s green spaces leaflet Trice Astill 4 Oct 2023 Connecting residents and visitors to Ludlow's urban green spaces On the 4th October representatives from local Ludlow organisations, including Ludlow Library, Hands Together Ludlow, and Friends of Whitcliffe Common, joined us for an evening stroll around the town’s green spaces using the recently republished walk leaflet produced by Shropshire Wildlife Trust’s Ludlow branch and SSCA and designed by local artist Sarah Jameson. We wound our way around the castle walls, through the gardens, past the sycamore tree, leaves still green, onto the high paths overlooking the Teme and down to the Millenium Green. Over the Dinham Bridge and along the Bread Walk by the river, past the rock layers, waterfall, weirs and salmon run. We walked up the steps to Whitcliffe, following the path to Ludford and over the bridge to Lower Broad Street then up past the Butter Cross to St Laurence’s Church and the Jubilee Garden. There our walk ended as dusk fell. If you know Ludlow you might consider why this short walk took us nearly 2 hours? That is the purpose of the walk: we took time – time to “stand and stare” and really look for wildlife and to listen to birdsong and to sounds of the river, time to breathe and relax, time to talk, to get to know each other and to swap information and knowledge. We saw mistletoe above the insect hides on the tree by the castle, goosanders diving on the Teme by Dinham Bridge among the mallards, dippers on the rocks by Ludford bridge and a farewell flypast of swans at sunset over the Readers House. We heard blackbirds alarm calling, the chatter of jackdaws and winter song of robins. We admired the linear garden in pots along Lower Broad Street and the flower colours glowing in the lowering light and finally enjoyed the peace of the Jubilee Garden. Members of the group noted how the walk is an opportunity to discover a different side to Ludlow “ Although I’ve lived here all my life and played here as a child, with the group I’m seeing it in a new way “; and to take a step back from a busy life: “ It’s been so relaxing after work. I wouldn’t normally have done something like this but it’s helped me destress ”; and engage and learn about the natural world: “I love the soothing sound of the river, just being near water ”. It also offered us a more engaging way to get to know one another while walking outside, rather than meeting around a table. The three aims of producing the map and walk were for residents and visitors to discover, observe and enjoy the wildlife in Ludlow town, improve people’s mental and physical wellbeing by connecting to Nature and offer a sustainable tourism option for visitors. If you or your organisation are interested in the Walk Through Ludlow’s Green Spaces leaflet you can download your own copy as well as an A3 poster of the walk from SSCA’s new website here . Alternatively Ludlow residents can obtain a paper copy free of charge from the Hands Together Ludlow office and visitors can access them from Ludlow Visitor Information Centre (for a small cost). Previous Next

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< Back Artwork will highlight the global Climate Change impact Jane Cullen 1 Dec 2025 Using underwater sculpture to make a point At our South Shropshire online conference in May 2021 Gladys told us about life in the Pacific Ocean, where sea levels are rising at a life-altering rate. For example, one of Gladys’ childhood family picnic places had already disappeared underwater, when Gladys was still in her early twenties. The spot where Kale Island was is to be marked by a sculpture by English artist Jason deCaires Taylor. If underwater sculpture is new to you (as it was to me) you have a wonderful discovery coming your way, if you do know his work already why didn’t you tell us before?? In the coming months we will be launching a fundraising story on Crowdfunder to raise enough money to pay for a specialist barge to take the sculpture (more news to come) from Honiara (Solomon’s capital) to its permanent site. The British High Commission is contributing a major donation to this project but more funding is needed. Please look out for updates on what is happening, where and why and how, in this newsletter and the wider media. For an introduction to Jason’s amazing work around the world click here . Previous Next

< Back Our new Walk Through Bridgnorth’s Green Spaces leaflet Fiona Morgan 1 Jun 2023 Part of SSCA's series of walk leaflets for towns in South Shropshire A new self-guided walk leaflet has been launched by Sustainable Bridgnorth, South Shropshire Climate Action and Bridgnorth Library who have kindly funded the leaflet. The Walk Through Bridgnorth’s Green Spaces leaflet aims to support local people’s connection to Nature with a walk that connects the green spaces in the High and Low town and highlights the wildlife that can be spotted along the way, including peregrine falcons, otters, bats, insects and kingfishers. The walk contains a number of routes to meet people’s needs including a more accessible route (which will incorporate both the High and Low town once the funicular railway is back in operation), to a more strenuous route which uses some of the steeper steps in the town. It also features some suggested extensions to enable people to explore the lesser-known wildlife spots in the town, including at Bridgnorth Cemetery, Daniel’s Mill, The Dingle and Crown Meadow and Well Meadow where Bug Life have been creating B-Line to provide stepping-stones of habitat so pollinators can move through our town to feed, mate and rest. It is hoped that this self guided walk leaflet will be used by individuals and groups to promote their physical and mental wellbeing through connecting to the pockets of Nature that exist in Bridgnorth. The walk will be used by social prescriber networks in Shropshire to encourage people to get active. A3 posters of the walk will be located across town at Bridgnorth Library (where the walk starts and ends), health settings, schools and tourist hotspots such as Severn Valley Railway to encourage sustainable tourism. Both the walk leaflet and the A3 posters feature QR codes so people can access the walk via the new South Shropshire Climate Action website to promote sustainability. An inaugural walk is being held for the launch of the walk leaflet on Saturday 17th June 2023 – meeting for a 10am start outside Bridgnorth Library, Listley Street, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 4AW). The inaugural walk will be led by Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Bridgnorth Branch. It will last approx. 2 hours with plenty of breaks to take in the views and learn about the wildlife and plant life enroute. You are welcome to come along and explore all the Nature that Bridgnorth has to offer. The Walk Through Ludlow’s Green Spaces leaflet is also in the process of being revised (as 1000 copies of the first edition were snapped up in the past year) and the new version is due to be released soon so watch this space. Previous Next

< Back Oswestry Climate Action Hub (OsCAH) Sascha Robinson 1 Oct 2024 The community hub with a mission to "Make, Share, Grow, Repair" The Oswestry Climate Action Hub (OsCAH), based in the heart of the town centre at 36 Bailey Street, is transforming the local community by empowering residents with an endless supply of events and initiatives from mends and upcycling, to skill shares, to growing your own plants. Their mission is simple: "Make, Share, Grow, Repair". Talking to Hannah, one of the OsCAH organisers, it’s clear that they want to develop a community-driven group. As environmental concerns grow, it serves as a beacon of hope in the centre of Oswestry. When attending their ‘crafts and mend’ on Sunday afternoon, I met a handful of their regulars engrossed in activity. The fact that I can even say ‘regulars’ emphasises how welcoming the hub has become. People want to come back, again and again. Newcomers popped in throughout the afternoon, grabbing a cuppa and engaging in the session. In this space, you were allowed the time to learn and understand without judgement. I left feeling revitalized with the passion to ‘do more’, which is the important part of OsCAH: encouraging everyone to be more climate conscious whilst building a space welcome for all. Climate action shouldn’t weigh you down with the feeling that you aren’t doing enough; it should energise you. OsCAH intends for you to leave with a new climate conscious skill which you can pass on to those around you. OsCAH are currently raising funds to support the long-term future of the hub. If you are interested in finding out more please email communityoswestry@gmail.com Previous Next

< Back Shrewsbury Moves Festival 23 Mar 2025 A celebration of movement and future travel The Shrewsbury Moves Conference, which took place in March was about making better use of public space and improving access to town centres. The conference coincided with the Shrewsbury Moves Festival: a celebration of movement and future travel – from a showcase of sustainable transport to outdoor yoga sessions, running and walking groups, live music and a kids’ fun-day on Sunday, all aimed at showing the health benefits of active travel, how pedestrian-friendly spaces boost the local economy, and the case for accessible, inclusive public areas. There were panel discussions looking at travel and movement in Shrewsbury town centre, and a session in which local young people were invited to share how they would like the town centre to look in future. Speakers included Rhiannon Evans of Active Travel England, Rachel Lee of Living Streets and Kay Inckle of Wheels for Wellbeing. The first two days focussed on “talking movement”, with an evening event hosted by Peter Walker, deputy political editor of The Guardian, along with drop-in talks and panels during the day. Seb Slater, executive director of Shrewsbury BID, which is part of the Big Town Plan Partnership along with Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council, said: “We are very grateful to Liza Freudmann, of BLA Sustainability, for her hard work in bringing such an impressive range of people to share their experiences with the local community here in Shrewsbury, and to the team at Shropshire Festivals for creating an amazing feast of active entertainment in The Square.” Previous Next

< Back Telford and Wrekin Borough Climate Change Annual Conference Fiona Morgan 18 Oct 2024 Working in partnership to adapt our communities to an uncertain future The second annual conference organised by Telford and Wrekin Council took place on 18 October. The conference was well attended by local organisations including the Fire and Rescue Service, town and parish councillors, businesses including Veolia and representatives of community groups including Climate Action Hub Telford, Sustainable Newport, Transition Telford, Shropshire Cycle Hub, Marches Energy Agency and local churches.Speakers covered topics including: how the council is reducing carbon emissions across the borough how the local business community is sharing good practice via the Telford Sustainability and Energy Cluster the sustainability projects being run by Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals Shropshire Good Food Partnership's work on reducing food waste with schools the Postcards from the Future visioning exercise about what Telford and Wrekin could look like if communities took action to get to net zero in relation to energy, buildings, transport, land, food and waste was discussed by the local communities forum. This was followed by a group discussion about developing an adaptation strategy for the borough as to the actions needed to make local communities more resilient to climate change. This was made all the more pertinent due to the flood barriers being erected in Ironbridge that morning. Previous Next

Shropshire Climate Action: Recycle & Refill Recycle & refill According to WRAP 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from plastic packaging – more than the 2.5% contribution from global aviation. The best way to reduc e the need to recycle is to avoid buying overly packaged items in the first place. 76% of the 8,300 million tonnes of plastic produced between the 1920s and 2015 became waste. Back then only 9% was recycled. While recycling rates have increased , we can’t recycle our way out of the plastic problem. For example, despite 60% of people in the UK saying they use a refillable water bottle, 10m single use water bottles are still bought e very day, 700,000 of which are disc arded as litter. Surfers Against Sewage have identified the worst companies for plastic pollution in their Citizen Science Brand Audit . Actions you can take The following websites contains ideas and actions for how you can reduce you plastic use. Get involved in the campaigns and Big Plastic Count surveys of Every Day Plastic Surfers Against Sewage have a Plastic Free Communities campaign you can sign up to, to encourage your community and local businesses to go plastic free and they organise litterpicks and beach cleans Shropshire Against Pointless Plastic shows all of the local Shropshire communities who have already taken this step. Bridgnorth has been awarded Plastic Free Community status by Surfers Against Sewage Sign up to the Plastic Free July® challenge , an initiative of the Plastic Free Foundation. You will be sent weekly emails with tips, stories and news from the global movement Make your lunch box zero waste (poster is designed by Generation Zero Carbon Shropshire). Local Refill opportunities There are refill shops across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (see the list below) where you can refill your food, cleaning and toiletry products to avoid packaging and reduce your plastic consumption. The Refill website also helps you to find places to eat, drink and shop with less waste. Get inspired by Shrewsbury Cup - a reusable cup available in cafes across Shrewsbury. Customers pay £1 deposit, enjoy their drink and then return the Shrewsbury cup to any participating café to get their £1 back. The cups are washed ready to be used again. Harvest Wholefoods Glebe Farm, Lydham, nr Bishops Castle, SY9 5HB. Further information Myriad Organics 22 Corve Street, Ludlow, SY8 1DA. Further information Honeysuckle 53 Church Street, Oswestry, SY11 2SZ. Further information Pomona Grocery 1-2 Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, SY1 2AQ. Further information Refill Your Boots 31 High Street, Whitchurch, SY13 1AZ. Further information Pantry Severn Lasyard House, Underhill Street, Bridgnorth, WV16 4BB. Further information Simple Life Unwrapped 12 High Street, Much Wenlock, TF13 6AA. Further information Green Options Zero Waste Darwin Shopping Centre Pride Hill, Shrewsbury, SY1 1BN. Further information The Green Cove Wellington Market, Wellington, TF1 1DT. Further information Entertaining Elephants 43 High Street, Church Stretton, SY6 6BX. Further information The Little Green Pantry Newport Indoor Market, Stafford Street, Newport, TF10 7LU. Further information Minimise Shrewsbury Market Hall, Claremont Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 1HQ. Further information The Little Green Pantry 2 Crown Street, Wellington, TF1 1LP. Further information Recycling in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Recycling in the UK is c urrently the responsibility of Local Authorities . Find out what you can recycle where you live by clicking on the following Council websites: Shropshire Council's Recycling tips and Recycling and rubbish FAQs Telford and Wrekin Council's Recycling Information and A To Z of Recycling And Rubbish The TerraCycle scheme also helps people to recycle the unrecyclable (including crisp packets, cheese packets, pens, bread bags, coffee pods etc. etc). You can find your nearest collection point and what can be recycled via the website. Material Focus has created a tool to help consumers find recycling points for electronic item s.