Liz Reason takes us through Charlbury's declaration - the reasons for it in the first place, the immediate impact, and the consequences, particularly in terms of volunteers
Last updated
00:00 - 26:50 Presentation
26:50 - 47:56 (end) Q & A
Liz Reason, Vice-Chair Charlbury Town Council
In November 2019, the town council received a 750-person petition asking to declare a climate emergency, which was passed unanimously.
A public meeting on climate change and its impacts was held.
A workshop of 75 residents delivered a series of ideas.
Energy
Land & Nature
Buildings
Journeys
Stuff
Food
Six topic-based working groups were set up.
Membership consisted of councillors and non-councillor volunteers.
Five groups undertook significant work, while the "Stuff" group continued outside council remit.
An "Engagement" group was created.
In 2021, 18 candidates stood for 12 town council seats, re-energizing the council.
Framed around community, nature, and climate.
Integrated with the Charlbury Neighbourhood Plan, approved by referendum in 2021.
Southill Community Benefit Society
360 members invested in 2015, with a 5% predicted annual return.
Surpluses of £105,000 distributed since 2017 to Cotswold National Landscape.
£250,000 distributed by Sustainable Charlbury to projects reducing emissions and restoring nature.
Cosy Homes Oxfordshire
A non-profit organization delivering zero-carbon homes.
Very active local website (not council-owned).
Commissioned a feasibility study on hydroelectricity from Mill Cut at Mill Field.
Not feasible.
Organized a weekly local food market during summer months.
Selected 10 home typologies and created models.
Modeled costs and benefits of moving to net-zero.
Encouraging solar panel installations on rooftops.
Bought an electric bike for residents to borrow.
Promoted bus stops, bus routes, and the £2 fare.
Explored setting up an electric car club.
Two households joined HiyaCar.
Worked with OCC to introduce a residents' parking scheme.
Charlbury became a "Walkers Are Welcome" town.
Collaborated on a Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan.
New map on the Co-op with QR codes.
New leaflets for hotels and pubs.
Interpretation boards (3 at Mill Field, 1 at Centenary Wood).
New waymarkers on some trails.
Plans to develop train walks to Evesham.
Conducted a Nature Recovery Framework survey of Charlbury, Finstock & Fawler.
Hosted Nature Day with:
Riverfly sampling, reptile walk, butterfly walk, meadow flora walk.
Dam building and water quality monitoring.
Developing a Local Nature Recovery Plan, aligned with the National Nature Recovery Plan.
Charlbury Wildlife Group formed.
Mill Field weir:
Needs repair or replacement.
Evenlode Partnership funded design study for rock ramp fish pass (potential DEFRA funding).
Mill Field floodplain meadow restoration began.
Wigwell Nature Reserve: Cooperating with Wychwood Forest Trust.
Citizen science projects with Evenlode Catchment Partnership.
Surveying Charlbury’s hedges.
Traditional hay meadows lost due to modern farming.
Project to restore a floodplain meadow, beginning with a half-acre area ("Zone 3").
Funded by Sustainable Charlbury.
Meadowsweet (flourishing in damp soils).
Great Burnet (long-lived plant, over 100 years old).
Yellow Rattle (sown to weaken vigorous grasses and promote diversity).
2022: Spread green hay with fresh seed from Fir Farm, Lower Swell, Gloucestershire.
2023: Yellow Rattle sown to weaken grasses.
Annual maintenance mimics traditional hay meadow management:
Spring cut to remove vigorous grasses.
Summer hay cut (after flowering).
Autumn cut if needed.
Narrow access limits machinery for cutting and baling.
Weather variability affects growth:
2024 heavy winter flooding affected Yellow Rattle establishment.
Future plans:
Further Yellow Rattle sowing.
More wildflower seeds from ancient meadows.
Modeled on Fir Farm’s ancient floodplain meadow.
Local seed sourcing to preserve plant diversity.
Successful community day.
80 attendees.
Follow-up activities underway.
Funding requests submitted to Sustainable Charlbury.
Event Highlights:
Welcome & Intro (Overview of the Year of Nature Recovery).
Inspiring Talk by Catriona Bass:
Insights from Eynsham’s Nature Recovery Network.
Speed Networking:
Meet others and share ideas.
Use Possibilities Board and I Want / I Need / I Can Offer boards.
Project Development:
Work in groups to develop initiatives.
Tea, Cake & Chats:
Because no great idea comes from an empty stomach!
Can we measure the impact?
Next steps to consolidate and expand initiatives.
Jan 29, 2025 12:19 PM London ID: 811 8815 5863
The meeting involved discussions about the rebranding of the Chalbury Town Council, their efforts towards climate change, and the establishment of working groups for various initiatives. The participants also shared their experiences and challenges in community engagement, volunteer participation, and reducing carbon emissions in their respective towns. The conversation ended with discussions on the potential for a unitary authority and the role of community groups in energy management.
Actions arising:
Engagement group to deliver leaflets and talk to people in the community to increase engagement.
Town Council to conduct second annual survey in March to monitor progress.
Cozy Homes to continue refining their home energy assessment software and reporting.
Weymouth Council to implement targeted campaign this summer encouraging visitors to take their waste home.
Borton businesses to develop solutions for waste management in preparation for the bin-free policy by 2030.
Town Council to review and update their climate action strategy with new councillors.
Land and Nature Working group to engage with Longmead scientists on effective meadow restoration techniques.
Town Council to set up WhatsApp connections for volunteers interested in different nature recovery activities.
Journeys team to work on implementing the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) in September or October.
Town Council to continue promoting and supporting the electric bike lending program for residents.
Locations and Climate Meeting Clash
Graham and Helen discussed their locations, with Helen being from Berkshire between Newbury and Reading. They reminisced about their past experiences in the area, particularly regarding restaurants. Cllr Stuart mentioned a clash with the upcoming climate meeting, suggesting a possible change in meeting time. Liz joined the meeting late, apologizing for the delay. She shared her screen and introduced herself, explaining her location in West Oxfordshire. Graham guided her through the process of sharing her screen and transitioning to slideshow mode.
Chalbury Town Council's Climate Action
Liz discussed the rebranding of the Chalbury Town Council, which included a new logo featuring a building with tree roots. She also shared the council's decision to take action on climate change, which was sparked by a petition to declare a climate emergency. The council unanimously voted in favor of the emergency, leading to a surge in discussions about climate change. Liz mentioned a public meeting where the council organized a presentation by the Chief Economist for the Committee on Climate Change, and a workshop with 75 attendees.
Visual Minutes and Base Camp Usage
Liz discussed the use of visual minutes and base camp in their community's activities. She explained how visual minutes capture discussions and decisions, and how base camp facilitates sharing of information among counselors and volunteers. Liz also mentioned the establishment of six topic-based working groups and an engagement group to improve communication with residents. She highlighted the importance of sharing what they do and getting feedback from the community. Liz recommended a training course on engagement for further improvement.
Town Council Changes and Initiatives
Liz discussed the significant changes that occurred in 2021, including the election of 18 candidates for 12 town council seats, which brought a new culture to the council. She mentioned the appointment of a new town clerk who is more tech-savvy than the previous one. Liz also talked about the town council's strategy, which is currently being reviewed by the new council members. She highlighted the importance of community, nature, and climate in their activities. Additionally, Liz mentioned the town's unique Solar Farm, which was built in 2015 and has been paying dividends to the community. She also mentioned the town's efforts to improve the soil and increase biodiversity, including the introduction of sheep.
Charlbury Organizations and Sustainable Initiatives
Liz discussed the various organizations and initiatives in Charlbury, including Cozy Homes Oxfordshire, which specializes in delivering zero-carbon homes and works closely with local councils. She also mentioned a local website that serves as a forum for discussions and news events. Liz then shared updates on the town's working groups, including a feasibility study on the mill fields and the organization of a weekly local food market. She also mentioned the Home Comforts project, funded by a local business, which aimed to improve the energy efficiency of homes in Charlbury. Liz concluded by highlighting the need for more sustainable solutions to the deer culling problem in the area.
Charlbury Community Progress and Plans
Liz discussed the progress and future plans of the Charlbury community. She mentioned the disappointment with the net 0 engagement but highlighted the positive outcomes such as the installation of solar panels and air source heat pumps at the local community center. Liz also talked about the electric bike initiative and the promotion of bus stops. The introduction of a residence parking scheme was discussed, along with the development of a local cycling and walking infrastructure plan. Liz also mentioned the work of the Land and Nature Working group, including the Wigwall and About nature reserves, and the collaboration with the Evenload Catchment Partnership. Lastly, she mentioned the upcoming rock ramp fish pass project and the need for the community to move forward with the residence parking scheme.
Floodplain Restoration and Learning Strategies
Liz discussed the challenges and successes of their floodplain, meadow, and restoration efforts in West Oxfordshire. She highlighted the importance of learning from experts like the scientists who own Longmead, a thriving wildflower meadow. Liz also mentioned the use of visual minutes to document meetings and activities, and the creation of Whatsapp connections for volunteers. She expressed interest in measuring the impact of their efforts beyond numerical outcomes. Graham praised Liz's presentation and encouraged further discussion. Sarah also expressed her admiration for Liz's work.
Volunteer Engagement and Community Initiatives
Sarah, the Climate Action and Community Engagement chair for Home Valley Parish Council, expressed concerns about volunteer engagement and the effectiveness of their community initiatives. She noted that despite their efforts, they struggled to get people to actively participate in climate action on a regular basis. Liz, from Longmead, shared her experience of having 750 people on their mailing list volunteering for their wildflower meadow project. She suggested that personal engagement and talking to people were key factors in her success. Graham offered to share information about successful community organization sessions they had held in the past. Councillor Stuart expressed admiration for Liz's achievements and asked for more details about her engagement training.
Town's Annual Meeting and Energy Initiatives
Liz discussed the town's annual parish meeting, which has evolved from a traditional format to include cheese and wine, speakers, and stalls, attracting a different audience. She also mentioned a project called Home Comforts, which aimed to improve energy efficiency in homes. Cllr Stuart inquired about the town's housing structures and recommended using the software tool from Cozy Homes for energy savings. Garry asked about the town council's net 0 plan, to which Liz responded that they don't own any buildings or vehicles, so it wouldn't make sense for them to have such a plan. Cllr Helen, who chairs Weymouth's climate and environmental emergency working group, expressed interest in the discussed initiatives and mentioned that Weymouth has been proactive in installing solar panels on council buildings and changing their vehicle fleet.
Addressing Carbon Emissions and Waste
Councillor Helen discussed the challenges of reducing carbon emissions in her seaside town, highlighting that 60% of their carbon footprint comes from beach cleaning. She expressed concerns about the high cost of maintaining the beach and the need for a targeted campaign to encourage visitors to take their waste home. Councillor Helen also mentioned the town's urban farm and its efforts to support mental health charities. Graham suggested a pollution-free incinerator as a potential solution, but Councillor Helen mentioned that they are currently fighting against an incinerator being built on the Jurassic coast. Amanda from Bourton shared their initiative to make the village centre bin-free, aiming to incentivize businesses to take responsibility for waste management.
Unitary Authority and Community Energy
In the meeting, Graham and Liz discussed the potential for a unitary authority to be established by 2030, with Amanda expressing skepticism about this timeline. They also discussed the role of community groups and volunteering opportunities, with Liz sharing her experience from a recent event. Graham then announced the next meeting's topic, which will be about community energy companies, specifically one from the Isle of Wight. Liz mentioned her past work with a fellow director, Colin Palmer, who is now on the Isle of Wight. The conversation ended with Graham expressing gratitude for the attendees' contributions and looking forward to the next meeting.
00:28:00 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great collaboration:
Sustainable Charlbury provides grants for projects that reduce carbon emissions and help restore nature. These are funded from revenues generated by the Southill Community Energy solar farm, bringing real benefits to Charlbury and the local community in West Oxfordshire https://sustainablecharlbury.org
00:29:13 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great collaboration: Start planning your energy-efficient home today with our free online Plan Builder tool. Get tailored suggestions to make your home more comfortable, sustainable, and cost-effective. https://cosyhomesoxfordshire.org
00:30:30 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great collaboration: Nestled amidst the rolling hills and honey-colored stone cottages of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, Charlbury beckons you with a timeless charm. This vibrant village, brimming with history and natural beauty, offers a quintessential Cotswolds experience - and so much more. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 2,830 https://www.cotswolds.org/charlbury-oxfordshire/280/
00:30:44 Andrew Clegg: Are there equivalenst to Cosy Homes Oxfordshire in other Counties (like omerset?)
00:31:07 Cllr Helen Toft, Weymouth Town Council: Does the Very Active Website replace a local paper as the first source of local information ?
00:35:52 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great collaboration: Peer to Peer car rental: Rent affordable vehicles from trusted local owners by the hour or the day https://www.hiyacar.co.uk
‘Mates Rates’ allows car owners to lend their cars to family and friends at a discounted price, making sure that all parties are insured.
00:36:45 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great collaboration: Walkers are Welcome is a nationwide initiative launched in 2007 to be ‘welcoming to walkers’. We enable and encourage the development of accredited towns and villages in England, Wales-Cymru and Scotland to support their communities’ economic growth through the promotion of walking. https://walkersarewelcome.org.uk
00:39:54 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great collaboration: Long Mead existing wildflower meadow: https://www.longmeadwildlifesite.org.uk/thames-valley-wildflower-meadow-project.html
00:42:11 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great collaboration: Visual minutes: illustrated record of meetings, events, etc: https://www.morethanminutes.co.uk/visual-minutes
00:43:00 Hazel McCambridge: Inspirational! Thank you for sharing
00:46:56 Andrew Clegg: Sarah. You have described exactly our problem, I wish I had an answer
00:47:52 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great collaboration: Banter sessions that have discussed how to get community engagement - very inspirational and successful! Check out banter sessions 04 and 34 at https://wiki.greatcollaboration.uk/knowledgebase/events/banter-sessions-inc-table-of-all-sessions/
00:49:21 Kirsten Newble - Cambridge: Reacted to "Check out banter ses..." with 👍
00:50:44 Amanda Davis: Sorry, got to travel now. Hello Liz, fellow CNL Board member here. Great to learn more about you and Charlbury's achievements. We must catch up very soon, Liz.
00:51:32 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great collaboration: Software tool to help determine energy savings at home: https://cosyhomesoxfordshire.org/homeowners/register/
00:57:22 Amanda Davis: Bourton has a zero bins policy by 2030 in our tourist village. Polluter pays, up to shops
00:59:26 Liz Reason, Charlbury: Replying to "Are there equivalens..."
Manchester, London
01:00:51 SARAH WHITELAW: The Big Community Celebration we did - over 100 community groups and 1000 visitors certainly helped raise awareness of Volunteering opportunities and needs - it was one of our aims ...
01:01:50 David Garrett, West Hunsbury Northampton / Garden Organic: Brilliant session thank you
01:02:01 David Morgan-Jones: Very good thank you.
01:02:16 Helen Pratt - Bucklebury, Bradfield, Frilsham and Stanford Dig..: Thank you Liz - a very interesting session. And thank you Graham for hosting!
01:02:25 Madeline Fraser Buckden PC: Very interesting and inspiring, thank you
01:03:14 Kirsten Newble - Cambridge: THank you again
01:03:16 Madeline Fraser Buckden PC: Bourton has a zero bins policy by 2030 in our tourist village. Polluter pays, up to shops The National Trust have bin free places. Not sure how well it works though
WEBVTT
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109 00:08:17.030 --> 00:08:19.035 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: Just before we start. Could I
110 00:08:19.810 --> 00:08:22.020 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: ask a question or make a suggestion.
111 00:08:22.330 --> 00:08:23.470 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: You please.
112 00:08:24.631 --> 00:08:27.999 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: I've recently joined up with river watch.
113 00:08:29.695 --> 00:08:40.770 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: This is a subset of a national or actually international river quality measuring campaign.
114 00:08:42.750 --> 00:08:46.649 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: I found their data quite hard to find initially.
115 00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:55.520 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: and I discovered their database is on a Gis system called cartographer.
116 00:08:56.320 --> 00:09:00.999 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: and I suggested to them that they might want to share the
117 00:09:01.780 --> 00:09:06.039 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: data with parish online, and they seem to be very keen.
118 00:09:06.870 --> 00:09:07.690 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Okay.
119 00:09:07.690 --> 00:09:10.489 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: I I was hoping Tristra might be here. But
120 00:09:11.030 --> 00:09:14.970 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: I don't think he's going to be. I didn't see him.
121 00:09:15.700 --> 00:09:21.070 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: I wish conversing with him by chat earlier today, and he didn't indicate he was going to be here.
122 00:09:21.170 --> 00:09:21.950 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: Oh, really.
123 00:09:22.296 --> 00:09:26.460 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: I can certainly give you the address to which to send it.
124 00:09:26.740 --> 00:09:28.690 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: So if you put them in touch.
125 00:09:28.850 --> 00:09:32.009 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Stuart, with support@geosphere.com.
126 00:09:32.610 --> 00:09:35.530 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: and that's GEOX, PHEO.
127 00:09:35.770 --> 00:09:39.370 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Then that's all you need to do. Just tell them to go there and
128 00:09:39.870 --> 00:09:42.289 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: say why they're there, and what they want to do.
129 00:09:42.560 --> 00:09:43.330 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: Okay.
130 00:09:56.860 --> 00:10:01.819 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Can you give it another minute or so, Andrew? Just for the last?
131 00:10:02.190 --> 00:10:05.870 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: We're gonna give another a minute, Andrew, for the last few people just to come in.
132 00:10:05.870 --> 00:10:06.710 Andrew Holman: No problem.
133 00:10:18.220 --> 00:10:22.249 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: You should be talking to Andrew Harriet. He has the same issue.
134 00:10:23.570 --> 00:10:24.600 Andrew Holman: What's that?
135 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:30.709 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Oh, other Andrew! Sorry. Andrew Clegg, in Somerset, has got a very similar colored sort of cat that.
136 00:10:30.830 --> 00:10:31.430 Andrew Holman: Don't!
137 00:10:31.430 --> 00:10:35.260 Andrew Clegg: Oh, yes, yeah. Mine doesn't have a mine doesn't have a white bib.
138 00:10:35.260 --> 00:10:36.130 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: No.
139 00:10:36.350 --> 00:10:41.649 Andrew Clegg: Mine will be here, probably because it it gets hungry about half past 12.
140 00:10:43.260 --> 00:10:46.309 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Well, yours may have more highly developed keyboard skills.
141 00:10:48.520 --> 00:10:54.520 Andrew Clegg: Why Jasper is joining the chat? Because I think he thinks it's lunchtime as well. Yeah.
142 00:10:54.520 --> 00:10:55.020 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Yeah.
143 00:10:55.020 --> 00:10:58.510 Harriet Brabazon: Anyway, he's much better looking than I am, so that's fine.
144 00:10:58.870 --> 00:10:59.540 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Right.
145 00:11:01.420 --> 00:11:05.099 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Let me just check to see who else we think might be joining us.
146 00:11:08.490 --> 00:11:13.039 Andrew Holman: Steve. You've moved in front of the window there, so we can just see your silhouette.
147 00:11:14.400 --> 00:11:17.709 Andrew Holman: and haven't even got the benefits of seeing the birds on the marsh.
148 00:11:24.310 --> 00:11:30.190 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Still got a few coming in at the last second, so give me a second demo or 2.
149 00:11:50.970 --> 00:12:00.290 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Well, we've reached the magical time, Andrew, if you'd like to go ahead and introduce yourself and tell us what you're going to talk about, and then go ahead and do it. That would be wonderful. Thank you.
150 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:07.120 Andrew Holman: I will do well, I'll I'll just check on sharing the screen.
151 00:12:08.630 --> 00:12:12.810 Andrew Holman: But I'm still able to do that.
152 00:12:13.540 --> 00:12:14.910 Andrew Holman: You can see that. Okay.
153 00:12:14.910 --> 00:12:16.429 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Yeah. It's looking very good.
154 00:12:16.770 --> 00:12:19.880 Andrew Holman: Brilliant. Okay, So
155 00:12:20.380 --> 00:12:25.029 Andrew Holman: my name's Andrew Holman. I live down here on the Isle of Wight. I'll be sort of
156 00:12:25.130 --> 00:12:39.189 Andrew Holman: saying what we're doing here in terms of looking at increasing public access to nature, and how that fits in with some policies and procedures, and so on, but also nice things to do down here in terms of bird watching. So
157 00:12:39.510 --> 00:12:48.300 Andrew Holman: good afternoon to everybody. I hadn't realized I was going to be talking to some local people as well. So that's a bit more scary. I might have to rewrite some bits in this in this chat.
158 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:55.869 Andrew Holman: But Graham, 1st of all, thanks for landing me with this one at such short notice.
159 00:12:56.592 --> 00:13:06.100 Andrew Holman: I will use that as an excuse for anything I say that is either factually wrong, inaccurate, misleading, or badly prepared.
160 00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:09.409 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: How many of our people use it? Actually, those same words.
161 00:13:10.068 --> 00:13:14.680 Andrew Holman: Well, you've got broad shoulders, I'm sure.
162 00:13:15.198 --> 00:13:35.099 Andrew Holman: So a bit about me. I've always worked with people, with learning disabilities and being a rights campaigner, and since the nineties I've run a company of the largest supplier of accessible information in the Uk. Although I am finally giving that work up in the next couple of months.
163 00:13:35.380 --> 00:13:38.320 Andrew Holman: As an example of that sort of work.
164 00:13:38.600 --> 00:13:49.690 Andrew Holman: Last week I wrote an easy read document for the World Health Organization on how people with disabilities can address health inequalities in their own countries.
165 00:13:49.900 --> 00:13:53.199 Andrew Holman: Which reminds me actually, after
166 00:13:53.370 --> 00:13:59.500 Andrew Holman: the latest presidential announcements, we better invoice them quickly, because I think they're going to be short of money soon.
167 00:14:00.311 --> 00:14:08.879 Andrew Holman: Unfortunately. So, anyway, that's me. And where we live now is on a houseboat
168 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:16.459 Andrew Holman: on the Isle of Wight or South Isle, as it's sometimes known in Bembridge Harbour.
169 00:14:16.620 --> 00:14:25.180 Andrew Holman: and we live here mainly because of the the access to the sea, but also the incredible views and the areas that are surrounding us.
170 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:29.649 Andrew Holman: The opportunity to live in such a special place
171 00:14:29.830 --> 00:14:37.579 Andrew Holman: has come about due to one of the greatest Victorian embezzlers, one Jabez Spencer, Balfour.
172 00:14:37.740 --> 00:14:46.799 Andrew Holman: He eventually managed at great expense to build and an embankment road and railway line across the old river estuary.
173 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:54.120 Andrew Holman: and so here we have Jabez, who unfortunately paid for this embankment with money that
174 00:14:54.230 --> 00:14:57.380 Andrew Holman: people had invested in his building society.
175 00:14:57.500 --> 00:14:59.670 Andrew Holman: and when, instead of lending money
176 00:14:59.830 --> 00:15:05.229 Andrew Holman: out for people to buy their own houses. He used it to build the railway embankment.
177 00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:09.969 Andrew Holman: trying to capitalize on the the Victorian popularity of the island.
178 00:15:10.670 --> 00:15:24.389 Andrew Holman: When caught out, he fled to Argentina, but was arrested by the Uk detective who tracked him down, brought back here, and then imprisoned in Parkhurst, as we see here for this multi-million pound financial fraud.
179 00:15:25.170 --> 00:15:32.309 Andrew Holman: Luckily for us, this left a stretch of harbour alongside which we've been able to plonk our boats.
180 00:15:32.440 --> 00:15:37.690 Andrew Holman: the 1st being the 1st Bembridge lifeboat that retired in 19 0. 4,
181 00:15:38.410 --> 00:15:58.149 Andrew Holman: as you might imagine, living in such an area, comes with quite a few restrictions that have grown over the time as the the importance of the area has been recognised. So I thought I'd quickly mention some of those if they have a relevance on what we're able to do or not do down here.
182 00:15:58.620 --> 00:16:08.339 Andrew Holman: So here we have a map of the harbour and surround. So this is the Embankment road here, and the railway line was behind it. Here.
183 00:16:10.500 --> 00:16:12.760 Andrew Holman: Here we have what used to be
184 00:16:12.930 --> 00:16:20.249 Andrew Holman: the estuary leading up to braiding, but is now all marshland, and is all the Bird Reserve.
185 00:16:20.760 --> 00:16:27.180 Andrew Holman: So in front of us, in this direction we have the Bembridge Marine Conservation Zone.
186 00:16:27.560 --> 00:16:41.570 Andrew Holman: This zone includes a wide, a wide range of habitats and and protects various species, including these 2, the short snouted Seahorse and the stalked jellyfish.
187 00:16:41.780 --> 00:16:48.619 Andrew Holman: although I wouldn't have recognized that as a jellyfish. Initially, I've never seen. I've seen a a seahorse, but never the jellyfish
188 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:58.139 Andrew Holman: So the harbour itself is also a Ramsile site. That's an international treaty for the conservation
189 00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:04.660 Andrew Holman: and sustainable use of wetlands of international importance
190 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:34.520 Andrew Holman: areas that provide crucial feeding grounds for wintering and migratory waterfow. So that's 1 of the reasons why we can't or we're not meant to do any work on our boats over the winter period, because, as I was writing this yesterday, we had a couple of 100 Brent geese feeding alongside an old friend, Katrina the Curlew, off the back here, who's been a visitor here for the last 5 years, amongst a great many other visitors.
191 00:17:35.130 --> 00:17:43.080 Andrew Holman: In addition, we're a site of special scientific interest, of course, in recognition of our significance as habitat for wildlife.
192 00:17:45.010 --> 00:18:00.359 Andrew Holman: but more recently, with rises in sea levels, the Environment agency, coastal defence scheme is actively working on coastal defence projects to protect the land behind the embankment from flooding. So all this area here.
193 00:18:00.550 --> 00:18:10.630 Andrew Holman: and indeed, if that flooded it would go sort of straight through to sandal, because originally Bembridge was a separate island from the the rest of the Isle of Wight.
194 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:14.639 Andrew Holman: I think originally it was known as the Isles of Wight. There were 3 of them.
195 00:18:14.870 --> 00:18:22.850 Andrew Holman: This would obviously let seawater over there which would destroy a lot of the preservation work that has been carried out.
196 00:18:23.100 --> 00:18:30.200 Andrew Holman: but is also another good reason to live in a houseboat. As we quit, we actually float above these matters.
197 00:18:30.660 --> 00:18:34.700 Andrew Holman: And of course, we're also a conservation area as well.
198 00:18:35.410 --> 00:18:41.860 Andrew Holman: So behind us as we see is Harbour Farm, which I'm talking more about today.
199 00:18:42.110 --> 00:18:45.370 Andrew Holman: and we love this area
200 00:18:45.510 --> 00:18:52.559 Andrew Holman: at the turn of the century most of the land was sold to the Rspb. To establish a bird reserve
201 00:18:53.472 --> 00:18:57.689 Andrew Holman: and this has been a spectacular success.
202 00:18:58.170 --> 00:19:21.810 Andrew Holman: Then, 13 years later, the Environment Agency bought up the farmhouse here, and the land 40 acres there, all the buildings there, and so on to capitalize on the success they wanted to raise the freshwater level area of wetland on the marsh, thus attracting more wetland birds.
203 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:27.109 Andrew Holman: So some of the birds we are. I think we are one of the best
204 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:34.410 Andrew Holman: bird watching areas on the island with some very rare and special birds on both sides of us, front and back.
205 00:19:34.530 --> 00:19:38.640 Andrew Holman: The marsh last year had 3 booming bittens.
206 00:19:38.810 --> 00:19:46.199 Andrew Holman: so they've gradually built up over the last few years. We also have, for instance, a great white
207 00:19:46.420 --> 00:19:53.520 Andrew Holman: egret there, cattle, egrets, ordinary ones, marsh harriers, Chetty's warblers to name but a few.
208 00:19:53.650 --> 00:19:59.699 Andrew Holman: We also get regular, rarer visitors, such as knight and purple heron have seen over there.
209 00:20:00.450 --> 00:20:07.760 Andrew Holman: Meanwhile the environment agency on the land that they bought kept us locked out.
210 00:20:08.850 --> 00:20:16.450 Andrew Holman: The farmhouse, cottages, farm buildings, and surrounding land were all left to go to rack and ruin under their ownership.
211 00:20:16.920 --> 00:20:28.570 Andrew Holman: Will I say their ownership yet? Of course, it was bought with with our money with public money, and, to my mind, should therefore be viewed as a public, not private, ownership.
212 00:20:29.930 --> 00:20:33.280 Andrew Holman: The public access angle was highlighted
213 00:20:33.710 --> 00:20:41.019 Andrew Holman: as an opportunity by the environment agency in recent flood survey work that they commissioned.
214 00:20:42.081 --> 00:20:45.090 Andrew Holman: They identified Harbour Farm here
215 00:20:45.330 --> 00:20:53.509 Andrew Holman: as having potential tourist and or public amenity improvements, as we see down here?
216 00:20:54.241 --> 00:20:59.588 Andrew Holman: So that's there. And then, in addition to that, they said it was
217 00:21:00.600 --> 00:21:10.730 Andrew Holman: possibility there of a nature trail giving the best chances of spotting wildlife, plus a couple of bird watching opportunities as well. So they identified here and
218 00:21:10.930 --> 00:21:19.110 Andrew Holman: and up here, further along towards towards the Yacht club there as great areas to have bird hides.
219 00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:31.750 Andrew Holman: The document concluded that with with the promise to have continued community engagement with more detail on these specific projects and other stuff about flooding.
220 00:21:32.370 --> 00:21:41.280 Andrew Holman: This gave us really inspired us, gave tremendous hope that others saw the areas, the opportunities that this area
221 00:21:41.390 --> 00:21:44.019 Andrew Holman: had in the same way that we did
222 00:21:44.830 --> 00:22:01.070 Andrew Holman: so. Our proposal was simple, but we set up a harbour farm nature group community interest company to run and fundraise for the site something that I'm pleased to say we successfully completed yesterday.
223 00:22:01.792 --> 00:22:07.800 Andrew Holman: We want as well to recruit officers to the Cic. With relevant experience.
224 00:22:07.970 --> 00:22:15.039 Andrew Holman: and then to engage with the environment agency, with more polished proposals, with the various options that we saw there
225 00:22:15.160 --> 00:22:21.978 Andrew Holman: to gain access to to this land, and in that range of options, with the range of
226 00:22:23.060 --> 00:22:34.089 Andrew Holman: included things like an offer to buy the whole land for a pound to them, or at least letting us have a long lease on some or all of the land.
227 00:22:36.950 --> 00:22:45.060 Andrew Holman: Then, when allowed, we would quickly set up one or 2 of these bird hides, and a nature walk
228 00:22:45.370 --> 00:22:52.999 Andrew Holman: through some of the grounds, as you see here, with the old trees there that are now dying, due to the increased water levels.
229 00:22:54.410 --> 00:23:05.390 Andrew Holman: We would look at increasing the roosting opportunities in our new structure. Something that's very keenly thought as necessary in the area, culminating in our
230 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:31.320 Andrew Holman: bigger proposal to have a multi organization education Visitor Center. This would host information from the large number of local conservation groups, for example, blue seas protection we have here who run shark and ray egg case surveys to check on the local populations and how they're thriving and moving about in the local seaweed areas.
231 00:23:32.010 --> 00:23:33.960 Andrew Holman: But going back to the real world.
232 00:23:34.560 --> 00:23:39.500 Andrew Holman: We quickly had some opposition from the local environment agency officers.
233 00:23:39.880 --> 00:24:02.239 Andrew Holman: Initially they denied that they'd said anything of the sort in the Flood Survey report, and as I'd lost my copy, I had to challenge that it was easily challenged with a freedom of information request that showed otherwise, and of course they had been saying that, but having to do that and force them to do that wasn't a great start.
234 00:24:03.136 --> 00:24:06.960 Andrew Holman: Then my Cambraneing brain came into play.
235 00:24:07.090 --> 00:24:11.589 Andrew Holman: wanting to escalate issues to a more senior level and get it off the island.
236 00:24:11.800 --> 00:24:24.789 Andrew Holman: Our campaign gathered a lot of local support, with a petition signed by 1,500 local people and a quiet, non-bird, disturbing demonstration of some 100 people on site.
237 00:24:25.710 --> 00:24:38.140 Andrew Holman: This allowed us, of course, to recruit a significant people with the relevant experience we needed and the expertise to run a venture of this nature. Unfortunately, there are a lot of them about here.
238 00:24:38.740 --> 00:24:57.859 Andrew Holman: The large press coverage, including several front pages, which in Ireland terms, is pretty desperate for stories around here, and a shed catching fire will get a front page. So that wasn't difficult, but that prompted the environment agency to offer us the consultation that they'd originally mentioned.
239 00:24:58.700 --> 00:25:01.849 Andrew Holman: It's taken us a year, but that's moved on
240 00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:08.800 Andrew Holman: now to a meeting with us and the central agencies involved in a couple of weeks time.
241 00:25:09.600 --> 00:25:13.380 Andrew Holman: So there was good news there. But apart from the public pressure.
242 00:25:13.510 --> 00:25:18.439 Andrew Holman: another of the levers I used here was their complaints process backed up with
243 00:25:18.580 --> 00:25:23.440 Andrew Holman: an open readiness on our part to go to the Ombudsman if necessary.
244 00:25:23.570 --> 00:25:42.330 Andrew Holman: which, of course, you have to do to? You have to go through your local Mp. To do that, and we gained his support. We knew that we already had a degree of political support from the from the demo here, where we had the previous Mp. Attending, and also the Green Party candidate speaking.
245 00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:44.290 Andrew Holman: But
246 00:25:44.390 --> 00:25:59.059 Andrew Holman: every time this went on and on, and things went quiet every so often. So when I got round to it again it was being quiet, hadn't heard. For a while I tried to keep up that pressure and put us back up on the agenda.
247 00:25:59.540 --> 00:26:10.359 Andrew Holman: For example, when I had a visit from the chair of Offwat a couple of months ago, now had him for a couple of hours, and we were meant to talk about sewage.
248 00:26:10.520 --> 00:26:26.720 Andrew Holman: which I did, but also I had free rein in what I could do, sort of with him, and finding out he was also a bird watcher and a trustee for the British trust for ornithology. We went on a bird watching walk and talk around Harbour Farm.
249 00:26:27.190 --> 00:26:35.660 Andrew Holman: He coincidentally was meeting the heads of the Environment Agency and Rspb. The following week, and promised to bring the farm to their attention.
250 00:26:36.110 --> 00:26:55.089 Andrew Holman: I'm always aware of not trying to piss people off too much with this approach, but usually find people at a certain level which you know at least can handle it professionally. And I wanted to use this approach after we developed it when working years ago, way back in Slovenia after the war.
251 00:26:55.680 --> 00:27:06.019 Andrew Holman: There we had colleagues working with government, whilst we, with our accessible information, would work with disabled people and their organizations.
252 00:27:09.710 --> 00:27:11.189 Andrew Holman: So this is a
253 00:27:12.280 --> 00:27:14.290 Andrew Holman: showing off here, this bottom up.
254 00:27:14.290 --> 00:27:14.819 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: I just.
255 00:27:14.820 --> 00:27:17.189 Andrew Holman: Top, down, approach would prove very successful.
256 00:27:17.190 --> 00:27:17.640 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: Wonderful.
257 00:27:17.640 --> 00:27:25.479 Andrew Holman: In bringing about change people wanted. And this is a photo of a director of our firm, Richard
258 00:27:25.590 --> 00:27:40.110 Andrew Holman: and I, the UN. Headquarters in Vienna, getting an award for the work on a new law and decision making that would help influence in Kenya, or we empowered local people to to influence that decision, making
259 00:27:40.440 --> 00:27:44.149 Andrew Holman: it gave an empowering and longer lasting approach
260 00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:47.750 Andrew Holman: with stronger local voices. As a result.
261 00:27:48.050 --> 00:28:10.489 Andrew Holman: it is one we have carried on in many a United Nations and World Health Organization Campaign for change from the one I mentioned earlier at the beginning of this talk about health access inequalities to trying to keep female refugees safer in refugee camps
262 00:28:10.910 --> 00:28:17.210 Andrew Holman: in Syria, which was particularly distressing work.
263 00:28:18.940 --> 00:28:24.949 Andrew Holman: I try unusually, unsuccessfully, to know of any blockages.
264 00:28:25.100 --> 00:28:29.840 Andrew Holman: I often go blindly into meetings, thinking this makes perfect sense to me.
265 00:28:30.020 --> 00:28:34.869 Andrew Holman: only to find that that's not the case for many others who think I'm barking
266 00:28:35.010 --> 00:28:51.550 Andrew Holman: here. We know that the local Rspb. Officer is imposed to any form of human activity whatsoever on his site at all. Unlike nearly any other bird reserve that you go to, that has bird hides and walks, and so on.
267 00:28:51.750 --> 00:29:02.069 Andrew Holman: So no, but no matter how well we argue with examples of how well things can be done, and how you can minimize or not have any disturbance.
268 00:29:02.230 --> 00:29:11.201 Andrew Holman: and how we can enhance people's understanding of the situation and the the vulnerabilities of the site
269 00:29:12.390 --> 00:29:20.270 Andrew Holman: ensuring the reasons for non-disturbance are understood. For all which I think is essential. All we get here is sort of more barbed wire going up.
270 00:29:22.820 --> 00:29:28.200 Andrew Holman: This has led to clashes with them, where, for instance, a footpath was blocked off.
271 00:29:28.320 --> 00:29:41.080 Andrew Holman: resulting in a successful application for a rights of way because of this intransigence, and that footpath has got new steps in, as you say, and reopens very
272 00:29:41.610 --> 00:29:42.690 Andrew Holman: shortly.
273 00:29:43.420 --> 00:29:49.069 Andrew Holman: But I'm always in favour, of course, of looking at in detail the guidance that people are following.
274 00:29:49.510 --> 00:29:56.975 Andrew Holman: And this is from the statement of biodiversity priorities.
275 00:29:58.000 --> 00:30:05.470 Andrew Holman: ecologically, we want to ensure all elements of this circle from the official guidance are enacted locally.
276 00:30:05.750 --> 00:30:30.879 Andrew Holman: Obviously, we have a focus on the cultural aspects of this circle. So we see here, we've got the basic provisioning of water supply materials, and so on, the regulating, supplying, supporting their healthy soils. And what have you? Which is? Why, of course, we wouldn't want any sea water getting in there. But we're more interested in the cultural aspects here. The physical health and mental well-being.
277 00:30:30.940 --> 00:30:37.550 Andrew Holman: tourism, knowledge and learning, recreation having a sense of place.
278 00:30:37.730 --> 00:30:43.909 Andrew Holman: inspiration, and the spiritual and religious connections to to the land.
279 00:30:46.690 --> 00:30:57.870 Andrew Holman: so obviously, that's our focus, the cultural aspects. But equally must remain very aware of the need to do that in synergy with wildlife and all the other points that are made
280 00:30:58.240 --> 00:31:06.740 Andrew Holman: a quick example. We know of the mental and physical health benefits of contact with nature as they talk about here.
281 00:31:08.300 --> 00:31:29.849 Andrew Holman: and we plan to work with the national Rspb's Nature prescriptions program where they have piloted, there a nature prescription program where you presumably they talk to local health people about the benefits of contact with nature
282 00:31:29.990 --> 00:31:33.720 Andrew Holman: that that we know happen.
283 00:31:33.830 --> 00:32:01.770 Andrew Holman: So we'd like to work productively with any opposition. And hopefully, we'll be able to do that here in the future. Currently, though looking to bypass that by supporting national guidance, and specifically in this example are the Rspb's national aims, and they're a good example of this and and many others of their national governance that are relevant for us here.
284 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:29.820 Andrew Holman: One of our board members has been working successfully on this well-being contact with nature as a useful approach with several health benefits, something people will find harder to argue against. Given. As I say, it is this national policy, and this is, for instance, where our nature trail could come in very useful in providing that contact in a non-disturbing but beautiful environment.
285 00:32:30.620 --> 00:32:58.119 Andrew Holman: I'm a firm believer in the need for ecological education. If we are to ensure our futures, and more broadly, I'd like to offer those opportunities for younger children with some forest school facilities. That sort of all the rage in schools. Now we have Fridays off going down the forest for activities there, and there are lots of central grounds in the farm that can be used for that with barn areas and so on.
286 00:32:58.280 --> 00:33:11.530 Andrew Holman: whilst older children, taking the new Gcse in ecology, could gain a lot of relevant information from the Multi Agency Information Center and from experiencing this very precious location.
287 00:33:12.350 --> 00:33:24.780 Andrew Holman: Bird watchers would gain access to previously hidden areas with carefully placed hides, and there are lots of lots of examples of how best to do that, and so on without
288 00:33:25.030 --> 00:33:27.698 Andrew Holman: interfering with Wildlife. I remember there was
289 00:33:28.230 --> 00:33:37.793 Andrew Holman: was it? Slimbridge went to the other, where? You've got to hide opposite the Kingfisher bank and very successfully. The 2 can
290 00:33:39.420 --> 00:33:42.959 Andrew Holman: come together without disturbing the wildlife
291 00:33:43.618 --> 00:33:49.710 Andrew Holman: with these public recreation and learning opportunities, we hope comes change better health.
292 00:33:49.910 --> 00:33:56.529 Andrew Holman: respect for our area and wildlife, and information on what to do about it. Amongst many other benefits.
293 00:33:57.110 --> 00:34:08.349 Andrew Holman: we are forged enough to at this time have a consultation on the island's local nature recovery strategy.
294 00:34:08.820 --> 00:34:18.449 Andrew Holman: This is a national program so covering the whole of England, and presents an important opportunity to influence actions in all of our areas.
295 00:34:18.790 --> 00:34:43.520 Andrew Holman: It's done centrally through a map, as you see here, and you can click on what you want to show. And there's a range of suggested targets, and so on and actions in each of these areas. And you can see here, I'm just with a couple tick. We've got quite a lot of actions in the harbor already, and there are more than that. So there's a lot to look at.
296 00:34:43.949 --> 00:34:51.570 Andrew Holman: They target actions in locations where they're most needed and where they provide the best environmental outcomes.
297 00:34:51.850 --> 00:34:59.379 Andrew Holman: the stretches will help to join up with national efforts to reverse the decline in biodiversity.
298 00:35:00.480 --> 00:35:29.119 Andrew Holman: It's into this strategy that I hope to insert our objectives to ensure the proper proper cultural actions are also included locally, something it seems to be lacking at the moment. I've only just started looking at this in the last couple of days, but it seems that going back to our wheel that's been forgotten about in our area, and we want to try and bring them back to that central guidance to show that it's considered properly.
299 00:35:29.610 --> 00:35:31.860 Andrew Holman: So, how are we doing? Finally?
300 00:35:34.200 --> 00:35:38.769 Andrew Holman: A view of what? What more of us might be able to see in the future.
301 00:35:39.200 --> 00:35:47.460 Andrew Holman: This is a pair of white-tailed eagles that we're so lucky to have
302 00:35:47.680 --> 00:36:13.150 Andrew Holman: pretty resident locally. Indeed, we're hoping that they might be breeding, although it didn't happen last year. So, but fingers crossed for this year. This is a pair of the eagles. I spent an hour watching hunting a Canada goose, and I say a pair, and they work in unison. People have pointed out there's only one there. But of course there's this other chap over here on the right hand side.
303 00:36:13.170 --> 00:36:23.040 Andrew Holman: doing a sort of flanking operation. They sort of bounced about a bit, and one moved, and the other one moved, and so on, and then they pounced. One of them pounced on the goose.
304 00:36:25.700 --> 00:36:31.735 Andrew Holman: We live in a very special area, or I know that. And I appreciate that
305 00:36:32.610 --> 00:36:44.070 Andrew Holman: But it's an area that not only needs public access to it in a safe and secure way, but also a system that provides information to properly protect it for the future.
306 00:36:44.550 --> 00:36:49.840 Andrew Holman: and so on. That note, I think, Graham, that I'll I'll finish that there. Thank you very much.
307 00:36:51.030 --> 00:36:53.449 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: That was magnificent, Andrew, thank you very much.
308 00:36:54.450 --> 00:36:58.739 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Something on a spur of the moment, just like that remarkable.
309 00:36:59.120 --> 00:36:59.990 Andrew Holman: Very welcome.
310 00:36:59.990 --> 00:37:11.649 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: I hope that you've generated lots of questions in people, and people will please stick their hands up if they'd like to ask questions. I'm going to start the ball rolling with one. Which is, does the local nature
311 00:37:11.950 --> 00:37:17.860 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: reverse strategy come with any funding? Or is it just? This is what we'd like to do, and you can get on with it.
312 00:37:19.455 --> 00:37:34.110 Andrew Holman: I haven't seen funding in there, but then I've only started looking. It's there's a lot in there, and I've only just started looking at it so. No, I haven't got to the funding page, I presume not.
313 00:37:34.110 --> 00:37:37.090 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Do you happen to know which part of government has issued this?
314 00:37:38.140 --> 00:37:42.219 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: In our case? It's the out of White Council, but they're operating on right now.
315 00:37:42.220 --> 00:37:44.750 Andrew Holman: Actual again. Sorry. Yeah.
316 00:37:45.500 --> 00:37:52.189 Andrew Holman: I haven't. Yeah again. I haven't had time to to delve into it properly. It's only just come across my desk day before yesterday.
317 00:37:53.080 --> 00:37:59.830 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Okay, well, that's satisfied. My inquiries. Thank you very much. Anybody else who has got a question for Andrew, please.
318 00:38:00.770 --> 00:38:05.879 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: I'm not seeing any hands at the moment. There is a reactions, facility in zoom
319 00:38:06.110 --> 00:38:12.099 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: that you can use if you'd like to take up time, Harriet, where you go, and you're on mute at the moment.
320 00:38:13.800 --> 00:38:15.459 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: You're still on mute, Harriet.
321 00:38:16.140 --> 00:38:19.839 Harriet Brabazon: What could we? What could we try and do to
322 00:38:20.250 --> 00:38:24.679 Harriet Brabazon: progress? This, I mean, how do we go forward from here?
323 00:38:26.440 --> 00:38:35.530 Andrew Holman: Well, the in terms of the the Harbor farm access, you mean? Yeah. Well.
324 00:38:36.010 --> 00:38:51.229 Andrew Holman: I think it depends on the the outcome of our meeting with them in the next couple of weeks. We're going there to to talk to more senior people. Well, they're coming here. Who
325 00:38:52.300 --> 00:38:57.610 Andrew Holman: In the contact with them. They're very open to the possibilities here.
326 00:38:58.435 --> 00:39:03.419 Andrew Holman: And I think, you know, obviously, we'll put the case to them
327 00:39:03.560 --> 00:39:13.220 Andrew Holman: of what we want and the options and is to discuss the possibilities so hopefully, they're going to pick up on on
328 00:39:13.840 --> 00:39:23.880 Andrew Holman: one or more of those possibilities. And we in that sense, we're ready to jump. Now we've we've got the community interest company ready.
329 00:39:23.990 --> 00:39:34.285 Andrew Holman: We know that we can get a good degree of funding from local sources. So we're ready there. I think.
330 00:39:35.300 --> 00:39:36.280 Andrew Holman: once
331 00:39:37.290 --> 00:39:46.399 Andrew Holman: we have potential ways forward there, it's to work with local people to ensure that we're doing that. I
332 00:39:46.840 --> 00:39:54.518 Andrew Holman: it's a problem with the Rspb here locally that we haven't been able to
333 00:39:55.990 --> 00:39:59.190 Andrew Holman: work together with them on on anything.
334 00:39:59.580 --> 00:39:59.930 Andrew Holman: No?
335 00:40:00.390 --> 00:40:00.810 Andrew Holman: But.
336 00:40:00.810 --> 00:40:01.500 Harriet Brabazon: Andrea can.
337 00:40:01.500 --> 00:40:02.910 Andrew Holman: We've got to try hard on that.
338 00:40:02.910 --> 00:40:21.140 Harriet Brabazon: Yeah, I couldn't agree more and I'd be thoroughly sort of behind you and everything that they're trying to do with this strategy. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave because I need to deliver, perhaps to somewhere else. So please, can I have a recording.
339 00:40:21.540 --> 00:40:22.220 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Cool.
340 00:40:22.790 --> 00:40:24.410 Harriet Brabazon: Yeah, thank you very much.
341 00:40:25.000 --> 00:40:25.940 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Thank you for coming.
342 00:40:25.940 --> 00:40:27.399 Andrew Holman: Harriet, nice to you.
343 00:40:28.140 --> 00:40:33.330 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: John, would you like to take over, please, and let everybody know where you are? Because we're not all familiar.
344 00:40:33.330 --> 00:40:39.560 John Payne: Yeah, yeah, thanks very much. That's very interesting to me. We live in the
345 00:40:39.710 --> 00:40:57.950 John Payne: in the Y valley, near the Forest of Dean, and I've got 2 projects that I'd like your advice on. 1st of all, we own some woodland and fields in the forest, and we're going for a rewilding project. And it's all about really how you
346 00:40:58.510 --> 00:40:59.750 John Payne: design
347 00:41:00.030 --> 00:41:09.183 John Payne: this rewilding project. You get paid extra if you invite the the public in which I wanted to do, anyway. And it's really how you set up this
348 00:41:10.400 --> 00:41:16.620 John Payne: how you actually deal with the public, how you, how you lay down the rules, the ethos of what you're going to do.
349 00:41:18.420 --> 00:41:25.109 John Payne: The other point of it is, I'm I own, 1 8th of the of the share of the
350 00:41:25.530 --> 00:41:30.849 John Payne: Redbrook village store, the the shop which has been going for about 10 years.
351 00:41:31.010 --> 00:41:39.360 John Payne: and we don't own the business. We don't own the shop, we own the business and the the shop and the flats above it are being sold.
352 00:41:39.570 --> 00:41:40.410 John Payne: and
353 00:41:40.710 --> 00:41:49.020 John Payne: to my dismay, the the owners are about 8 of us. They just want to stop the business and sell up to the next person who comes along.
354 00:41:49.620 --> 00:42:03.924 John Payne: But I don't think that's going to be very easy where we live. We live in quite a there's not much traffic going past the road, mainly just serves local communities. And I want to set up a community interest company to
355 00:42:05.130 --> 00:42:09.749 John Payne: to run the shop, you know, and change it from its limited company status.
356 00:42:10.210 --> 00:42:14.000 John Payne: Are you able to give me some advice on both of these issues one about how we
357 00:42:14.120 --> 00:42:22.520 John Payne: involve the public, how we lay down the rules for access to a a grant led rewilding scheme, and, secondly, how
358 00:42:22.630 --> 00:42:27.240 John Payne: we, your experiences in setting up a community interest company.
359 00:42:28.170 --> 00:42:40.349 Andrew Holman: I. Personally, I I am no expert in in any of this stuff. I'm I'm finding out things as we go along. But also it sounds if you're you're in many ways far more advanced than we are.
360 00:42:41.084 --> 00:42:48.425 Andrew Holman: With some of our ideas that we've had, and that we're looking at with public access is
361 00:42:49.470 --> 00:42:54.620 Andrew Holman: with the from itself.
362 00:42:55.100 --> 00:43:18.479 Andrew Holman: Now, firstly, going back to the footpath, one of the things I'm doing there is putting up some signs reminding people about the Wildlife Act and disturbance, and whether you're potentially breaking the law or not, that's particularly with regards to dogs and dog walking and and dog shit
363 00:43:18.590 --> 00:43:28.160 Andrew Holman: that there are traces of dog poo in the. We've got a couple of saline lagoons 1st of all
364 00:43:28.470 --> 00:43:31.539 Andrew Holman: in this area that are very precious
365 00:43:31.690 --> 00:43:48.219 Andrew Holman: and need protecting. And so we're we're reinforcing the the notion that dogs have to be kept under control there. Not only does it need to be picked up and getting a dog. Poo!
366 00:43:48.340 --> 00:44:11.770 Andrew Holman: Been put in there by the local parish council, thanks to Harriet, who's just left us, but also we'll have signs up there reminding people it was sort of similar signs that I don't know when Rishi Sunak was caught with his dog off the lead in Hyde Park, and about disturbing the bird life there that drew me attention to the wording. That's useful. There.
367 00:44:12.460 --> 00:44:27.100 Andrew Holman: But with the farm we're thinking about whether to have a membership organization that allows access. So we're basing that on a bird reserve.
368 00:44:27.540 --> 00:44:46.760 Andrew Holman: What's it called Lady Lady Walk Reserve. I think that has a very precious reserve, and they they how they do it is a membership where you pay. I don't know whatever it is, 25 pounds a year, and you get the code to the gate. And obviously you can have all sorts of electronic gates now, and so on to allow access.
369 00:44:47.808 --> 00:45:06.169 Andrew Holman: but with the security there. So that's that's certainly 1 1 option there that we we want to look at and look at with the environment agency to ensure that we've got the controls that they would want in place. So
370 00:45:06.310 --> 00:45:20.120 Andrew Holman: I think that's quite a useful one, as well as a fundraiser in that to that extent, and that will be a clear area where dogs are not allowed at all on or off a lead. So that will be a bit of a gated community there.
371 00:45:20.793 --> 00:45:30.170 Andrew Holman: With regards to the crc, that's that's pretty simple. It's like a limited company with a few other.
372 00:45:30.170 --> 00:45:30.610 John Payne: Hello!
373 00:45:30.610 --> 00:45:38.630 Andrew Holman: Things that you have to fulfill in there. So you have to do sort of a Cic.
374 00:45:38.790 --> 00:45:51.760 Andrew Holman: What do they call it? Declaration of on formation of the Cic, just to say broad outline of what you're doing, and that has to be approved.
375 00:45:51.880 --> 00:46:07.879 Andrew Holman: And then you have with your articles of association that you're doing things in the right way, and that, for instance, if you go bust, that there's another like-minded organization that any funds will go to.
376 00:46:07.980 --> 00:46:27.119 Andrew Holman: So it's pretty simple. Your liability is still like with a limited company is only a pound, so is a useful sort of vehicle to run in the same way as a limited company. Everything else is the same. So it's a useful vehicle to do this and prove that you're you know you're a legit organization.
377 00:46:27.802 --> 00:46:32.660 Andrew Holman: It sounds a bit like the altars, doesn't it? With all the rewilding and the community shop, and so on.
378 00:46:32.991 --> 00:46:34.319 John Payne: Right. There we are!
379 00:46:34.320 --> 00:46:36.910 Andrew Holman: I think I get most of my guidance from there.
380 00:46:37.200 --> 00:46:40.350 John Payne: Brilliant. Thank you so much. That's great. Yes.
381 00:46:40.660 --> 00:46:43.149 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Gary, good afternoon. Would you like to carry on? Please.
382 00:46:45.390 --> 00:46:52.009 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: Thank you, Graham. And yeah, thank you, Andrew, it's very interesting presentation.
383 00:46:52.190 --> 00:46:55.479 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: You ended your presentation mentioning the future.
384 00:46:55.790 --> 00:47:09.400 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: I was just wondering, I mean looking at that site. What plans do you have for dealing with the climate change adaptations coming up? Because, I mean, you look at that site, and the obvious one that seemed to me
385 00:47:09.560 --> 00:47:16.949 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: is potential for sea level rise. Do you have any plans in place to deal with future climate change, adaptations.
386 00:47:17.620 --> 00:47:35.629 Andrew Holman: Yes, we're on the Environment Agency's list for raised sea walls. There we go straight through to the other side of the Peninsula. So Bembridge is on a peninsula, really, and it was cut off
387 00:47:35.880 --> 00:47:57.810 Andrew Holman: completely was a separate island. So there's all low lying land down round to sand down the other side. So there's a lot of flood defence work going on there at Sand down, and they're looking at raising our embankment as well. Whether they've got the funds for that or not in the next few years, before it floods. I don't know we could. It's a bit of a race against time there.
388 00:47:57.960 --> 00:48:01.939 Andrew Holman: The other issue, of course, is increased flooding
389 00:48:02.160 --> 00:48:09.544 Andrew Holman: in the area, and they've come under a lot of criticism for
390 00:48:11.280 --> 00:48:15.280 Andrew Holman: flooding this extra area, which is in effect now a floodplain
391 00:48:15.410 --> 00:48:22.350 Andrew Holman: keeping extra water here rather than letting it out through the river into the harbour
392 00:48:22.760 --> 00:48:28.279 Andrew Holman: and causing flooding further back upstream. They
393 00:48:28.740 --> 00:48:44.750 Andrew Holman: vehemently deny that that's causing flooding further back than saying that that would that would happen anyway, with the increased water flows that are coming through, and that the slew scapes are always opened on time regularly, so
394 00:48:45.120 --> 00:48:59.310 Andrew Holman: that has to be better managed, and and as well as people being told and shown what they're doing to show that that water management is happening. There are other opportunities there.
395 00:48:59.310 --> 00:49:17.100 Andrew Holman: We've got sort of some straight cut rivers, and looking at a bit more meandering brought back in, and opportunities for flooding sort of further up. We talked about beavers at one time, but I think that's been kibosh. The other day. I saw.
396 00:49:17.260 --> 00:49:19.219 Andrew Holman: if I remember rightly.
397 00:49:19.770 --> 00:49:32.850 Andrew Holman: I don't know if anybody else knows about that. But yeah, I think beavers have been knocked on the head. But there's opportunities further upstream, really, to to maximize water storage up there.
398 00:49:33.370 --> 00:49:34.679 Andrew Holman: And we need to look at.
399 00:49:39.210 --> 00:49:41.769 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Thank you and throw the floor oops
400 00:49:41.930 --> 00:49:48.019 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: further floor open to anybody else who wishes to ask Andrew a question before we all break for lunch.
401 00:49:48.520 --> 00:49:49.220 Andrew Holman: Hmm.
402 00:49:49.220 --> 00:49:50.160 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Or whatever.
403 00:49:51.070 --> 00:49:53.430 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Nobody else. Okay. Well.
404 00:49:53.430 --> 00:50:17.049 Mary Thornton: Can I just say, thank you very much to Andrew for all that work, and for bringing Harbour Farm to the attention of local Bembridge people, and for progressing a really interesting public facing role for that wetland, that ecological area. And I see
405 00:50:17.510 --> 00:50:23.740 Mary Thornton: Ali has answered Graham's question, who requested these local nature.
406 00:50:25.300 --> 00:50:43.749 Mary Thornton: Resource strategies! And if the answer really is defra with natural England, I I fear, for any future, although I know that Dorset has had to produce a a recovery plan, but they've done it in conjunction with the Wildlife Trusts
407 00:50:44.150 --> 00:50:44.795 Mary Thornton: and
408 00:50:45.600 --> 00:50:56.150 Mary Thornton: you know I don't. I mean the Government have been cutting back on natural England. I don't think Defra is particularly at the top of their list, but so I kind of think that
409 00:50:56.330 --> 00:51:03.759 Mary Thornton: anything that individuals do on a local level is equally as important as anything that comes from
410 00:51:03.970 --> 00:51:05.820 Mary Thornton: any government source.
411 00:51:06.400 --> 00:51:35.780 Andrew Holman: I think you're absolutely right, Mary, and we know that funding is is going to be crap over the the next few few years, as it has been. The environment agency has been cuts on cuts for forever and a day and it's like we took over the running of our local library because it was going to be closed. And I think if we're going to do anything, we probably need to do something ourselves
412 00:51:36.180 --> 00:52:03.740 Andrew Holman: here, and indeed, one of the freedom of information, the requests I had about meetings. I learned how the environment Agency locally. They, as I said, the buildings. They're going to rack and ruin, but so they're empty. But having been empty for 10 years, plus or whatever they're now paying 4 times the Council tax that they haven't got a budget, for they want to demolish it. They haven't got the budget for it.
413 00:52:03.740 --> 00:52:31.439 Andrew Holman: and so on, and so on. So each point. I just want to come in and say, Well, look, we can do that for you and give it to us, and we'll demolish the buildings, or we'll make use of them. We'll do this or that. We've got the ecologist to do the ecology surveys that you haven't got the money for, etc. Etc. So hopefully, that's another lever on our part to to come in, and being very helpful with their budgets.
414 00:52:31.818 --> 00:52:41.659 Andrew Holman: But also recognizing the reality. And you know. What do you do about that? You campaign government for for releasing more funds going through there? It's
415 00:52:41.760 --> 00:52:42.850 Andrew Holman: yeah, not gonna work.
416 00:52:42.850 --> 00:52:43.400 Mary Thornton: Yeah.
417 00:52:43.925 --> 00:52:52.180 Andrew Holman: Let's do something ourselves and this little area just a little bit to to help these local budgets, but also to have
418 00:52:52.390 --> 00:52:57.550 Andrew Holman: open up all these opportunities that we see there, and work with them productively.
419 00:52:58.010 --> 00:52:58.690 Andrew Holman: Cool.
420 00:52:59.150 --> 00:53:01.840 Mary Thornton: Excellent. Thank you. Thank you very much.
421 00:53:02.320 --> 00:53:02.670 Andrew Holman: Thank you.
422 00:53:02.670 --> 00:53:13.249 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Very dangerous words, Andrew, you just talked yourself into sort of a lab. You'll update to us all so we can see how you're getting on anybody else, please. Oops. Sorry, John
423 00:53:13.470 --> 00:53:14.200 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: Nope.
424 00:53:14.550 --> 00:53:35.050 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: just for people who are looking to next week. We've got a lady from Charnley who is making major progress with their net 0 projects. So she'll be telling us next week how they're getting on and how they did it, and what her recommendations are to us to achieve the same ends.
425 00:53:35.350 --> 00:53:43.859 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: So I really appreciate everyone's time. Thank you very much. A specific thank you to Andrew. Thank you again for helping us out with a very rapid step in.
426 00:53:44.130 --> 00:53:48.500 Graham Stoddart-Stones -Great Collaboration - Bembridge: and I hope to see people in the future. Thank you very much for your time.
427 00:53:48.750 --> 00:53:51.150 Cllr Stuart Withington Gt Dunmow TC, Essex: Thank you. Take care, everybody. Bye, bye.
428 00:53:51.150 --> 00:53:51.680 Andrew Holman: Thank you.
