Feeling wary? - what to expect at our indoor meetings; Not too late for Dorset's environment; Dorset's Climate Action Network; Get involved this summer; Calendar of outdoor events, online meetings & more

Being cautious around indoor meetings 

Planet Shaftesbury is back at the Town Hall on 22nd July for a talk, Hedgehogs in Shaftesbury. Further in-person meetings could take place in August, September and beyond. Many of us will be feeling wary. Of course, if you have any Covid-like symptoms you should stay at home but, if you're well and want to come along, what do you need to do? What steps are being taken to increase safety for participants?

To join a meeting safely please:

• Register through Eventbrite. You won’t need a ticket but this helps us to plan for the number of people likely to turn up. 
• Expect it to be similar to going to a café under Covid guidelines in June 2021: we’re encouraging participants to come along a few minutes early to sign in, wear a mask on entry until seated and use the sanitiser which will be available.
• During breaks make full use of outside areas for distanced mingling and mask up for moving around inside.
• Feedback and suggestions will be appreciated by email to Rachel, rachel.bodle@gmail.com

Planet Shaftesbury’s ‘Covid-cautious’ preparations:

• Meetings will have a clear theme and focus and we'll be functioning well within the recommended 50% of the Town Hall’s capacity.
• Chairs, and tables if being used, will be arranged to ensure social distancing.
• The room will be well ventilated.
• Any break will be long enough to meet everyone’s needs without risk of crowding to access the w/c or refreshments.
• Any discussion during a meeting will be managed in a way that enables us to maintain safe distances.
• We'll continue to work within the framework of a comprehensive risk assessment responding to national rules, advisory guidance, local statistics, common sense and feedback received.

It's not too late for Dorset's environment

Last week's online talk from Professor Adrian Newton of Bournemouth University was headlined 'Ecosystem Collapse, What is it and what does it mean for Dorset?' Adrian proved to be an engaging speaker who managed to leave his audience feeling optimistic about the prospects for Dorset. Yes, he pulled no punches as he spoke of past extinctions, degraded coral reefs, deforestation and desertification. He highlighted the way in which slow decline can accelerate to the collapse of a whole ecosystem. But he also talked of nature's remarkable capacity to recover if damaging human activity ceases. And then he homed in on Dorset. Our agricultural land has become seriously degraded, but work being done to support collaboration between Dorset's  Local Nature Partnership and the Local Enterprise Partnership has demonstrated that investment in tackling Dorset's environment could be economically attractive. Whether we like it or not, money talks and there's a lot of hope here.

For those who want to know more: Adrian has newly published a book 'Ecosystem Collapse and Recovery' and his Dorset references came from a research project into valuing nature and an extensively illustrated report 'Trends in Natural Capital, Ecosystem Services & Economic Development in Dorset'.   

Dorset's Climate Action Network (Dorset CAN) is evolving

Towards the end of last year, individuals and community groups came together to comment on Dorset Council (DC)'s draft strategy for responding to the climate and ecological emergency (January 2021). Subsequently the group collaborated during the consultation on the Draft Local Plan (March 2021). In both cases, through collaboration the documents submitted to Dorset Council were comprehensive and substantial (Stronger Together!). The work has connected people with special interests in land use, energy, or transport and teams have formed around these themes. People with the skills to support development of a website, maintenance of a regular newsletter, or facilitation of large zoom meetings have combined their skills to support the new network in those ways. Others have come together to advocate more ambitious policies in each of the county's unitary authorities. Work being developed this month is the building of a campaign to achieve a 're-think' on the amount of housing envisaged within the Local Plan. 

Now the network is encouraging both individuals and groups to formalise their 'membership' by signing up (there is no fee).  A founding members' online meeting on 21st July will receive an update on early achievements, values and vision, agree the constitution and strategic aims, and there will be a film screening and panel discussion. The film - Trees Are the Key – was made for the Word Forest Organisation, a charity based in Lyme Regis and which plants trees in Kenya and nearer to home. The discussion will review the importance of trees as part of our front line defence against climate change. Panellists are confirmed as Tracey West, founder and CEO of Word Forest, Richard Bradford, botanist and part of Trees Be Company (Dorchester’s tree festival), Robin Walter, a forester and writer based in Shaftesbury, and Prof Michael Dower, co-founder of Dorset CAN and inspiring tree planter. The meeting is included in the calendar below and is listed on the Planet Shaftesbury website.

Opportunities to get involved

Bees, other pollinators & roadside verges: This is Bees' Needs Week which encourages us all to provide a good habitat for bees. Our talks about bees in Shaftesbury were the subject of the latest blog, Zooming with Bees, added to the website along with links to the talks for those who missed them earlier. A group has now formed and is working with the town council to make sure our green spaces and verges do more to support the whole life-cycle of local pollinators. More enthusiasts invited - you don't need to be an expert! Contact local ecologist Mariko (email mariko.h.whyte@gmail.com). Mariko is also inviting interested people to join her for a walk in the centre of Shaftesbury looking at how verges can be managed to benefit wildlife and learn to identify some common flowers and grasses that grow in our verges. This will include discussing how to recognise better quality verge habitats and favourable management practices. Thursday 29th July 6pm. Please email to book.

Support our stand at Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show 18/19th August: This is a joint effort with Greener Gillingham and Hawkers Farm. We're preparing activities and displays to provoke conversations and interest in the lifestyle changes needed for more sustainable living. Bring your creative ideas and join us later this month as we check what else we need. Or sign up to spend a few hours on the stand between 8.30am and 6pm on one of the show days. To get involved contact planetshaftesbury@gmail.com 

Shaftesbury Fringe 28-30 August will have a sustainability fair at its heart on all three days. Based at the Town Hall with the Fringe HQ and a Planet Shaftesbury stall, there will be a range of other stalls and workshops including T-shirt printing, make do & mend, and repair demonstrations. Organiser Georgie Faulkner-Bryant also hopes to offer occasional brief contributions from speakers: "If it was up to me ...." followed by a personal take on sustainable living. Get involved by stewarding our stall for an hour or so; by offering to demonstrate a repair skill; or by having 3 minutes on Georgie's soap box. Email Planet Shaftesbury as above or Georgie at georgiekirby@hotmail.co.uk 

Great Big Tree Festival 23-26th September: We are really excited that organisation for this event is moving apace. We have participation offered from walk organisers, talks by experts, dancers, artists, poets, schools... The Festival will culminate in a celebratory picnic on Sunday 26th September  - everyone welcome.  A full programme of events will be unveiled at the Shaftesbury Fringe. Remember this is very much a grassroots festival for each of us to celebrate the beautiful trees we have and the new trees and hedgerows that have been planted this year.  Please feel free to organise your own celebration - we would love to hear about it. If you would like us to publicise your event or add it to the programme drop a line to Bethlewis560@gmail.com or to Planet Shaftesbury. This corresponds with Great Big Green Week, a national week of events celebrating action on climate change.

Dorset Greener Homes 25/26 Sept & 2/3 Oct: An event that has run previously in West Dorset but will be county-wide and supported by Dorset CAN this year. Linked to Great Big Green Week, people who are taking steps towards living more sustainably are invited to open their homes (or gardens, allotments, churches, schools, community buildings) to visitors so that they can talk about their experiences. Do you think you'd like to take part? We want a mix of buildings within easy reach of Shaftesbury (across the Wiltshire border is fine!). The organisers say that in the past many of the most inspiring homes used simple low-cost solutions, repurposing materials, cutting down waste, growing vegetables or ditching the car. Visitors are also interested to see solar panels, batteries, electric cars and bikes, or heat storage systems in action as well as technically-advanced eco-homes with heat pumps and ventilation systems.  You could decide to be open for just one day or two half days, and Covid flexibility is being built in (possibilities of outdoor conversations with visitors and no hassle over withdrawing if you change your mind). Our local coordinator can provide further information to help you decide. Email Rachel at rachel.bodle@gmail.com

Connect with Climate Action Groups: Planet Shaftesbury is signed up to the network of Climate Action Groups supported by Friends of the Earth. FoE offer a number of resources that we can (but rarely do) tap into. Forthcoming online talks and webinars address working with unresponsive local councils; and delivering net-zero through local government. If you would like to help Shaftesbury connect with others in this network please email planetshaftesbury@gmail.com

Calendar

21st July: D-CAN Founding Members' meeting online 7pm. As described above. Open to new as well as existing members - join as a Founding Member and/or register for the meeting (no charge) here.

22nd July: Hedgehogs in Shaftesbury, a talk starting at 7.30pm by Susy Varndell of the Dorset Mammal Group. Susy is reversing the decline of the hedgehog population in Dorset by helping towns and villages to become hedgehog-friendly habitats. Hedgehogs travel around one mile every night in their quest to find enough food, and a mate, come along to find out how to make life easier for Shaftesbury's hedgehogs. At the town hall, doors open from 7pm, admission free, but please register on Eventbrite so that we know how many people to expect. 

29th July: 6pm. Guided walk with ecologist Mariko Whyte looking at management of verges and green spaces for wildlife. Email to book mariko.h.whyte@gmail.com. 

29th July & every Thursday: 7.30pm - Planet Shaftesbury hosts online Zoom meetings unless there is a scheduled in-person meeting. Occasional speakers as advertised, other meetings informal. The routine will change when monthly in-person meetings become re-established - to be advised through the website.

19th August: A possible date for Planet Shaftesbury to host a general meeting at the town hall. To be confirmed, with agenda, nearer the time via the website.

Chalke & Chase Partnership has many summertime / school holiday workshops and activity days on its website: from 21st July onwards.

Gillingham Walkers Welcome are hosting a walking festival again this year. 4-11th September. Themes include bats, meadow flowers, red kites & more. 

Hawkers Re-Creatives: This hub for sustainable fashion is open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10-4  at Hawkers Farm (near Duncliffe Wood car park). Free admission. See www.hawkersfarm.org for details.

Big Butterfly Count 16th July - 8th August, organised by Butterfly Conservation: butterflies are pollinators too!

The next monthly newsletter will be distributed in the 3rd week of August. If you have news to share please send it to planetshaftesbury@gmail.com