Introduction to the Great Collaboration

Climate action is already happening extensively at parish and town council levels, as well as within community groups, and this presents a valuable opportunity to share good practices more broadly.

Three things can help us with this:

• Framework – an easily-searched data base of actions that can happen at the local level (sometimes referred to as “making the climate jungle more navigable”!)

• Network – exchanging good practice and requests for guidance amongst and between local councils and their local action groups.

• Joined-up work – effective partnership working not just horizontally at local level but also vertically from local places up through higher-tier local authorities to Government.

Our starting point is the Great Collaboration website (www.greatcollaboration.uk), where individuals can select from 60 climate actions and register their involvement or intentions by postcode. This data helps local councils assess climate action within their areas.

Over the past two years, the Herefordshire Green Network has successfully piloted the website, giving talks to Herefordshire parishes and supporting its use. Now managed by The Place-Based Initiative Ltd, the platform will expand nationally, incorporating collective actions for councils and community groups and featuring a digital map of parish-level activities.

Communication is the key to the next steps. Our aim is to:

• gather information from local councils and groups as to their information requirements.

• develop a county-based network for sharing good practice locally and nationally.

• incorporate these elements in a web-based portal that enables two-way exchanges.

• contact national bodies and funders to advise and support the initiative going forwards.

We have started this process by organising free weekly "Banter sessions" with speakers on special topics followed by a wider discussion, and everyone is welcome! You can join these sessions via this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpcu2urjMvGdJH09t0GQ72fBJSFr9zzIDj

Please contact us via [e-mail] if you would like to:

• help us to develop new guidance and case studies, maybe sharing your own good practice

• offer to be a point of contact for a particular type of action or expertise - whether climate or environmental action, nature recovery or supporting biodiversity

• support regular communication between ourselves and local communities.

Dealing with climate change to improve the future of our families and communities is now more important than ever. Let us work on this together – we look forward to hearing from you!