Climate resilience starts on our own doorstep

On Monday night I joined 70+ people at The Pilton Stage for a screening of The People’s Emergency Briefing, a film being shared through grassroots community groups to start local conversations about the climate and nature emergency.

I was pleased to join the post-screening panel discussion alongside Somerset Wildlife Trust. In the room were two local parish councillors, farmers, residents and local businesses. People asking questions, thinking and talking together about the challenges and the opportunities.

It’s hard to watch, even the third time. This time I sat at the back to hear and feel the room’s reaction, which was palpable.  But I came away feeling we can face this together. And it really matters here in Somerset: our flooding, our farms, our older and more isolated residents, and our young people’s future.

No one can fix this alone, but no community has to face it alone. Government has to lead, but resilience is built locally, and before the emergency, not during it.

As Somerset’s Associate Lead Member for Community Resilience, I’m helping all 328 parish councils get prepared. When councillors and our MP worked together, Somerset secured £50 million from Government. There’s plenty we can’t do alone, which is why local action matters.

I built mycommunityresilience.org so any community can create and share its own local action calendar. You can start yours tonight.

Thank you to everyone who came, and to The Pilton Stage for hosting. 💚

#Somerset #ClimateAction #CommunityResilience #Pilton