< Back Ludlow Town Council has become the latest Shropshire authority to back the Climate and Ecology Bill. Jane Cullen 15 Mar 2023 More support in Shropshire for the Climate and Ecology Bill. At a meeting on Monday night, councillors decided to unanimously back a motion calling on Ludlow Town Council to express its support for the Bill. The town clerk will now write to South Shropshire MP Philip Dunne, urging him to support the draft legislation as it makes its way through Parliament. So far over 200 UK councils and 125 MPs have expressed their support for it. The Climate & Ecology Bill aims to introduce a new UK law to deal with the full extent of the climate and nature crisis. It would ensure the UK slashes emissions in line with the 1.5C target; reverse UK biodiversity loss by 2030; ensure that the entirety of the UK’s global carbon and ecological footprints are accounted for; and invite the public to be part of the discussion on how to tackle the crisis. Jane Cullen from South Shropshire Climate Action, who spoke in favour of the motion in the public session of the town council meeting, said: ‘ I am pleased and relieved that Ludlow Town Council is backing this Bill. We’re already seeing the effects of the climate and ecological emergency here in South Shropshire, and we’re desperate for new laws to protect us, our beautiful county, and the wildlife we share it with. ’ Ludlow Town Council joins Shropshire, Bishop’s Castle and Ryton & Grindle Parish Councils on the list of Shropshire authorities that have come out in support of the Bill, with motions being tabled at Shrewsbury, Whitchurch, and Oswestry Town Councils later this month. So far only one of Shropshire’s five MPs – Liberal Democrat Helen Morgan – has publicly expressed support for the Bill. It will be reintroduced into Parliament later this Spring. Jamie Russell, a spokesperson for campaign group Zero Hour Shropshire, which is campaigning for the Bill locally, said: ‘ We’re extremely grateful to Ludlow councillors for supporting this motion. At Zero Hour Shropshire we’re hoping that more parish and town councils will back the Bill and we’d love to hear from any councillors who would like to know more about this very simple motion of support. Every Council that gets behind the Bill will help encourage more of Shropshire’s MPs to realise that the time for this vital legislation is now. ’ Previous Next

< Back Appointment of the new SSCA Project Co-ordinators Fiona Morgan 5 Jul 2022 Meet Nick Read and Fiona Morgan Nick and Fiona started as the SSCA project coordinators in the summer, 2022. Their role, in response to climate change, is to foster collaborative partnerships that inspire and support people and communities to undertake actions leading to human and ecological wellbeing. Fiona Morgan was formerly a social worker and Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Wolverhampton. She has been actively engaged in voluntary work relating to climate action including Climate Action Network West Midlands, Transition Telford, and is a founding trustee of Climate Action Hub Telford. Nick Read is an Anglican Priest and Agricultural Chaplain, the Co-Chair of Herefordshire Green Network and a member of the Marches Nature Partnership. He was previously the Food Policy & Research Adviser for the NFU and Director of the Brightspace Foundation, a Herefordshire charity focused on sustainable development. You can email them at SSCA@mea.org.uk Previous Next

< Back Having a Household Energy Survey (HES) with Lightfoot Enterprises Jane Cullen 1 Feb 2023 A customer's experience If you want to reduce your carbon footprint and save money by improving the energy efficiency of your home, an easy first step is to arrange with Lightfoot Enterprises to have a Household Energy Survey. To give you a clear idea of the process and where it might lead let’s hear from Laura and Oliver about their experience: We asked them: what were you expecting from the survey? ‘We wanted to know how to make our home more energy efficient, for both environmental and financial reasons. We hoped to gain an understanding of where we could make simple but effective changes, and any areas which might require a larger investment’. Next, we found out what having the survey was actually like ‘It was a straightforward and simple process. We enjoyed having the survey, as it was a very friendly process and we were guided through everything. The surveyor was totally non judgemental, we felt we could give honest answers and not make ourselves out to be better in terms of energy usage than we actually are! We also learnt some useful tips even before we received the full report. Overall it was a very positive experience’. We wanted to know what has actually happened as a result of the survey It turns out that Laura and Oliver have done quite a lot, for example: ‘Put draught excluding tape/sealant around our front door. This was super cheap and easy to use, we simply bought it from a local hardware and stuck it on’. 'Then we found an electrician (at the surveyor’s recommendation) to find and install a more user-friendly thermostat to replace the old, cumbersome one, to help us control our heating.' Next up ‘we're also looking into making some reflective panels to go behind our radiators to reflect the heat back into the room. A friend of ours has done this, and we have found a weekend to get together with her and make our own!’ There were other recommendations ranging from getting the boiler serviced, to installing solar panels, and it's up to us to decide whether we want to progress with these.' 'It was great to have a range of suggestions, from easy, quick wins to more long term options’. Lastly, we asked would you recommend having a Household Energy Survey (HES)? ‘It was a no brainer for us to get this survey done - there was nothing to lose and everything to gain. We would highly recommend it’. What do you need to do next to get a HES? An easy first step is to arrange for a Household Energy Survey with Lightfoot Enterprises by emailing: jeremy@lightfootenterprises.org A small charge is made of £35. The survey answers are sent to a professional energy assessor who will produce a bespoke report for your home, with on-going advice and recommendations Previous Next

< 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

< Back Bishop's Castle Heat and Wind Project gets some wind in it's sails Mike Watkins 5 Mar 2024 Funding awarded to help progress community energy project Previous Next

< Back SSCA’s response to the government’s decision to roll back on the UK climate commitments Jane Cullen 23 Sept 2023 Our letter to Philip Dunne MP On the 23rd September we wrote to Philip Dunne MP, to make the following points: 2023 is the hottest year ever recorded; We in the UK lack climate leadership at all levels, especially government; The Office for Budget Responsibility has recently highlighted the economic benefits of speedy action on net zero and the financial risks associated with any delay; If we continue to use fossil fuels for our cars and heating this will drive up costs; Children experience profound anxiety as they try to grow up amidst all these pressures; Lack of action on the climate emergency creates more hardship and disintegration of communities while damage to the environment and nature accumulates; Milestones on the way to 2030 are missed that makes a net zero transition so much more difficult, so much less likely. Surely Prime Minister Sunak can see the climate emergency cannot be used in the ordinary way to score political points? Please write to Philip Dunne yourself (the Rosebank oilfield and the closing of the Energy Efficiency Unit both happened last month too). His email address is: philip.dunne.mp@parliament.uk Philip Dunne’s own letter to Prime Minister Sunak on behalf of the Environmental Audit Committee can be read here . [Photo credit: The chart is by Ed Hawkins, University of Reading using Met data and depicts Shropshire's increasing annual temperature change since 1884]. Previous Next

< Back Bishop’s Castle receives £238k for local nature projects Bernard Edwards, chair of the Going Wild in Bishop’s Castle Steering Group 27 Feb 2024 Apply for a job opportunity by Monday 11th March Going Wild in Bishop’s Castle is celebrating an award of £238k from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to hire staff as coordinators to support the community to develop and implement local wildlife and nature projects. The group has been working with community groups over the last two years with projects in and around Bishop’s Castle focused on the ecological management of local land, including building and installing swift boxes and establishing meadowlands on local properties. Going Wild in Bishop’s Castle has become known for its winter talks and summer activities series. The ‘Going Wild Kid’s Club’ also provides an extracurricular outdoor education and bushcraft club for young people in the community. The grant, secured with help from Enterprise House, will allow Going Wild in Bishop’s Castle to hire a part-time coordinator and a part-time assistant to support the development, delivery and monitoring of local biodiversity projects. Bernard Edwards, chair of the Going Wild in Bishop’s Castle Steering Group said “This will help us increase wildlife locally and share our activities with a wider audience to showcase the potential of community-level rewilding. Above all, this is about joining the people of Bishop’s Castle to learn together and celebrate our landscape through embracing nature”. Town councillor Grant Perry said “The town council is delighted to have supported and continues to support Going Wild in Bishop’s Castle. This project helps us contribute to the town’s Climate and Nature Recovery Plan.” The Project Co-ordinator role will be based out of Enterprise House. Prospective applicants are invited to review the job description on the website . Application closing date: Monday, 11 th March. Previous Next

< Back Celebration of South Shropshire Climate Action’s Achievements 10 Apr 2025 End of Project event held at the Discovery Centre, Craven Arms on 10th April 2025 Nearly 70 people attended the evening celebration event for South Shropshire Climate Action (SSCA) at Craven Arms Discovery Centre on 10th April. Delegates were asked to answer two questions: What would you celebrate that you have achieved on Climate and Nature action in Shropshire over the past 3 years, and what would your priorities be for Climate and Nature action in Shropshire for the next 3 years? The answers will help inform the future direction of Shropshire Climate Action, which will continue addressing the Climate and Nature emergency. After an excellent meal from the Discovery Centre’s Asia and Toby, there were a series of briefings. Looking back over the last three years. Jane Cullen, the chair of the SSCA Steering Group, outlined how SSCA came about in the summer of 2019 and what we have been doing since - do keep a look out for the next conference later on this year. Jane also paid tribute, on behalf of the steering group, to Nick and Fiona, in-post as our project coordinators since 2021, funded by an anonymous benefactor. Both have worked with dedication, unflagging commitment, tolerance and good humour which is a great achievement amongst a sea of Climate emergency challenges! Next up, Fiona showed delegates the new Shropshire Climate Action website , where you can also find our newsletter archive, along with a wealth of information on taking action to decarbonise. Then came presentations reflecting the breadth of activity taking place across Shropshire: topics ranged from land use and biodiversity, food, water, energy and buildings, transport, community groups and Community Climate Connectors. Our thanks to Phil Holden (Shropshire National Landscapes), Dr Alison Caffyn (Clun Rivers Group), Sascha Robinson (SCA Transport), Dr Daphne du Cros & Emma Cantillion (Shropshire Good Food Partnership), Mike Bourke (SCA Retrofit), Chloe King (MEA Community Climate Connectors) David Matthews (Programme Manager SCA) and Grant Wilson (Manager, Shropshire Hills Community Centre). Finally, the meeting ended by looking ahead now that SSCA and Zero Carbon Shropshire have fully combined to become Shropshire Climate Action, a county-wide group, of course including Telford & Wrekin. There is a plan in place for the Discovery Centre to host a Climate Hub for South Shropshire. The presentations ensured that people left with a positive buzz and appreciation of a strong, county-wide network of committed, purposeful people and actions, moving forward. Our thanks most particularly go to our anonymous benefactor, all our sponsors and supporters! Don’t hesitate to get involved, either through making personal contact or by signing up on the website. Share your ideas and actions! Previous Next

< Back Aims of the Climate Conference for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin: 18th May Sarah Gibson 10 Apr 2024 Why we need to accelerate change and spur on climate action in our communities A conference at Shrewsbury Town Football Club on Saturday 18 May will bring people together to inspire and stimulate them to act within their communities to address the urgent changes required to bring about net zero. “The challenges are immense,” said Colin Preston of Zero Carbon Shropshire, one of the event organisers. “Carbon emissions in the Shropshire Council area are currently 2.5 million tonnes per year, we need to get this down to 1 million tonnes by 2030. In the Telford & Wrekin area emissions are 1 million tonnes per year and this needs to come down to 0.5 million tonnes by 2030.” Young people, who stand to be most affected by the consequences of climate change, will take a leading part in running the conference, including participants from Shropshire Wildlife Trust’s Environmental Leadership Programme for 18 – 25 year-olds. “ Our young leaders are passionate about finding new and different ways to do things and making change that starts in communities. As well as being a great opportunity for them to meet and create connections with organisations working towards the same goals in the county, they will be helping to draw out key actions that will be taken by communities going forward from this day,” said Jen Allerton, Youth Engagement Officer at Shropshire Wildlife Trust. During the morning there will be a series of short talks. First up will be Dr Sam Hampton, a climate behaviour expert from Bath University, who will talk about the power of individuals to influence the political agenda and make lifestyle choices that drive down emissions when action is taken collectively, helping to keep the global temperature rise within safe limits. Other speakers will focus on the particular challenges faced by different sectors including land, nature, food and farming; transport, energy and housing and the circular economy. The afternoon will bring people together into workshops to explore and share skills and knowledge with the aim of encouraging public engagement and collaboration. Tickets available now The conference is open to individuals, groups and businesses. Tickets can be booked at Eventbrite with the option either to make a donation or for free tickets. Lunch is provided. Environmental groups and small businesses are invited to take out a stand at the conference for a small fee. To register an interest in this please complete the online form . The event is being organised by Zero Carbon Shropshire, South Shropshire Climate Action and Save Our Shropshire and sponsored by Shropshire Homes and Kier. “As a company which has implemented its own green initiative, Shropshire Homes is pleased to support the Climate Conference. We believe it is an important event to encourage the county’s organisations to work together to make a real difference to climate change in Shropshire and the wider area,” said Rebecca Hayward. Previous Next

< Back Shropshire residents out in force in London for “The Big One For Biodiversity” March on 22nd April Fiona Morgan 22 Apr 2023 Members of SSCA joined in the March calling on the Government to protect Nature and take action on climate. On Saturday 22 April (Earth Day) people from across Shropshire and the UK attended the “The Big One For Biodiversity” March in Westminster calling on the Government to take meaningful climate action and halt the biodiversity crisis affecting the UK’s wildlife. The event was organised by Extinction Rebellion in partnership with over 200 environmental and social justice groups including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Fair Trade Foundation, Stop Ecocide, Keep Britain Tidy and faith groups. It was estimated that 65,000 people attended the March including children and their families to show their concern about the current crises, many of whom made some amazing creative art works to demonstrate their love and appreciation of nature. Previous Next

< Back Launch of the second share offer by Shropshire and Telford Community Energy Dave Green 17 Jul 2025 Investment in Tremlowes Solar Farm in North Shropshire off to a good start! This summer saw the launch of the second share offer by Shropshire and Telford Community Energy. The fantastic news is that they have already raised £140,000 in the new share offer. This is nearly halfway to the minimum target of £300,000 and a third of the way to the main target of £500,000. Thanks to all who've invested so far, including 32 new investors. If you haven't invested yet the offer will be open until Oct 19th. The minimum investment is £250, every little helps, offering a target interest rate of 6%. We expect to be able to repay the share capital within 11 years. We have already paid out the first 6% interest to our initial investors but future payments are not guaranteed. If you know anyone else who might be interested please pass it on. See www.stcenergy.org.uk for full details. The first share offer succeeded in raising the funds necessary to purchase the 10MW solar farm at Prees Heath. This has enabled the delivery of significant community benefits local to the site, but also further afield across Shropshire, including Telford & Wrekin. For example, we financially supported the Festival Drayton Centre in its investment in rooftop solar PV to reduce its energy costs and generate income from exported electricity. We are similarly supporting Wellington Orbit with funds towards their current programme of improvements. This second share offer will help us secure the solar farm and our ability to deliver increasing community benefits to the people of Shropshire. 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