Local Resources
Activism
Local
Extinction Rebellion:
Mothers rise up!
This is for the mother who read about the IPCC report and wept.
For the mother who realised Climate Change just got personal.
This is for the mother who can’t hold her children tight enough when she thinks of their future.
For the mother who has had enough of feeling helpless.
This is for the mother who can bear the inaction of our Government no longer.
This is for the mother who is called to ACT NOW!
Whose instinct to protect is burning to find expression.
Who is looking for allies in this race against time.
This is for the mother whose feet are already moving.
Extinction Rebellion
A community for people in Glastonbury and its surrounding area, from across the political spectrum, to discuss how we can support and nurture the cause of Extinction Rebellion. This may involve everything from sending letters, signing petitions, making donations, fundraising, and organising Non-Violent Direct Action. This is a place where we can share ideas and learn from one another.
Gatherings were held every Thursday evening from 7pm to 9pm in the Avalon Room, Glastonbury Experience.
Check with contacts for current situation: Taunton, Astrid Perez ; Wells, Claire Davey.
Glastonbury Friends Of The Earth
A group of locals from diverse backgrounds. We meet to share knowledge, plan events and raise awareness about local actions we can take for the protection of the Planet. We believe in enabling our local communities to protect our winged, hoofed, leafed, pawed, petaled, scaled, slimed and single celled friends. Contact: Sue Santilano.
Meets monthly at the Healing Gardens in Glastonbury, usually a Monday, 6.30 till 8pm.
(Click on link to Facebook page to check current situation).
Produced by FoE nationally, but for local details: How Climate Friendly is your community?
Plastic Free Glastonbury Contact: Linda Ball & Laura Sorenson 07729618368. (Plastic Free Wells Contact Tom Ronan).
Tree Protectors, Tree Guardians Local contacts: Claire Crumpton 01458 837909 and Linda Ball. Tree Sisters, Tree Planting.
Green Party Local contact: Jon Cousins, 01458 831769, or contact your Local Green Party Councillor.
Transition Town Movement Transition Glastonbury was a community led association which ran from 2007 until 2014. At the end of 2014 the initiative dissolved, with the sense that the umbrella of a Transition Initiative in Glastonbury was no longer needed. This is not to say that transition is not happening, many community ventures and initiatives have sprung up over the past few years, including many of the groups listed in this Changing Times document. Local Contacts Jane Sanders and Nick Osbourne.
Earth Protectors Local contact Claire Crumpton 01458 837909.
Glastonbury Mothers Collective – ‘Reclaiming the village’
The Glastonbury Mothers Collective are a Community Association founded in November 2019 - set up by Mothers for Mothers. We support and empower local Mothers in Glastonbury and the surrounding areas.
Aims:
- To reclaim the village where Mothers are empowered and supported at the centre of community life.
- To empower all Mothers through community projects which supports practical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
- To create a Mothers Empowerment fund – a fund which provides financial support to Mothers experiencing difficulties.
- To create a Mothers Hub – a community space that parents and children can come together, connect, have fun and forge relationships with other families.
- To be able to signpost Mothers to local support and other welfare services.
Vision:
Our vision is to create different projects that provide support to Mothers, help them feel empowered, improve their wellbeing and create community. Our projects are to provide support for local Mothers who are actively Mothering children, from pregnancy to teens living in Glastonbury and the surrounding areas. We are particularly interested in reaching out to single Mothers who are struggling, feel isolated and have no support from family.
For the last year we have been in the planning process but now we are ready to take the next steps and share our vision with the community and start implementing projects.
Projects:
So far we have kindly been supported by the Glastonbury Trust and the Goddess Temple but are looking for funding and support to get some of the following projects up and running: Childcare Projects, Family Befriender Project, Adopt-a-Grandparent Project, Children’s Activities, Family Community Events, Wellbeing Events, Mentoring Projects, Mothers Retreat Days/Pamper Days, Trainings, Parent Tools, Rites of Passage, Ceremonies and more. We would also love to manifest a Single Parents Community Home!!
Support
We are looking for people that might want to support us in manifesting this vision.
Regional
Somerset Climate Action Network Somerset CAN is an organisation aimed at bringing together those with enthusiasm, knowledge and/or skills to support Somerset to drive down greenhouse gas emissions as well as plan for the adaptations we will need to manage a changing climate. Somerset CAN guidance document provides a summary of who needs to be doing what and where!
Somerset Wildlife Trust 01823 652400.
Food Forest Project 07519803529.
Surfers Against Sewage ‘Plastic pollution is the new sewage, tackling it is our number one priority’.
Frack Free Somerset ‘Clean water for all’. Frack Free Somerset is a coalition of concerned groups in Somerset who are taking action on unconventional gas.
Close The Door Energy Saving Scheme
Local Contact, Sustainable Wells: Steve Allen
Other
Deep Adaptation
The Deep Adaptation Agenda is a creative response to the fast approaching likelihood of society collapsing under pressure from climate change and other threats to the environment. It was developed initially by Professor Jem Bendell of the University of Cumbria, in a paper published in 2018. On-line, the paper has been downloaded by well over 500,000 people and there is now an audio version available. Briefly, its conclusions are that disruption of society through the effects of climate change is now inevitable and not far away; that the old system’s days are numbered and any attempt to ‘adapt’ through such things as flood prevention schemes or carbon sequestering can do no more than marginally reduce the effects. At the same time, he points out that those who take this idea to heart often begin to live their lives more authentically. If we consider how we would want to spend our time if that time is limited, it can bring what is really important into focus.
Deep Adaptation Task Groups
One of the fundamental purposes of the Deep Adaptation Forum is to encourage active collaboration among its members on all topics related to deep adaptation, as our societies face climate-related collapse. Each TG exists for its members to actively work on a given task, and has a specific purpose and mission statement; eg"Creating a handbook of strategies for deeply adaptive agricultural strategies in region.
The Fours ‘R’s
Resilience What is it we most value that we need to keep to help in the times ahead?
Relinquishment What is it we must give up and let go of now?
Restoration What have we lost in our carbon fueled culture that we need to bring back to help?
Reconciliation No blame, no shame.
‘What do we want to stand for even if we are going to sink?’
Spiritual Ecology
An emerging field in religion, conservation, and academia,
recognising that there is a spiritual facet to all issues related to conservation, environmentalism, and earth stewardship.
e ‘When our ancestors knew that everything they could see was sacred, this was not something taught but instinctively known. It was as natural as sunlight, as necessary as breathing, a fundamental recognition of the wonder, beauty, and divine nature of the world. From this sense of the sacred real meaning is born, the meaning that makes our hearts sing with the deepest purpose of being alive’. Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee
The Theory of Anyway Have a look at this, anyway.
Check Your Resilience 100 questions to see how prepared you are.
60 Steps Towards Being Green Checklist produced by Wells Cathedral.