Apart from staying cool, saving water, doing all we can to protect wildlife – and sympathising wholeheartedly with people who have to work in the sun – Dorking Climate Emergency has loads of ideas about events, campaigns, new groups to join, courses, funding and FREE offer.
Stay positive! George Monbiot sums it up in an excellent Guardian article: Don’t despair about what’s happening to our planet. That’s what they want you to feel | George Monbiot | The Guardian
He states: Despair is self-fulfilling; despair is disempowering; despair is what the bastards want you to feel. But above all, despair is irrational.
So, stay hopeful. Do what you can and take part in events, join groups, sign petitions and support good causes.
AND: hot tip: email your MP regularly about climate issues that matter to you. The more people who write, the more notice they take. Do it via https://www.theyworkforyou.com
EVENTS:
SUNDAY SEPT 6th: 2-4pm at Friends’ Meeting House, Butter Hill, Dorking RH4 2LE. Make Sunday a FUNDAY with family-friendly activities and talk / discussion on recycling led by people-in-the-know SUEZ who run our recycling sites. Bring clothes, books and good-as-new things to re-home.
THURSDAY SEPT 10th: Crossways Baptist Church Junction Rd, Dorking RH4 3HB 7.30 – 9pm. Our interactive follow-up to that thought-provoking talk on June 26th by outspoken writer and activist Jonathan Porritt. My Blog – Jonathon Porritt
Despite the heat the hall was packed and he gave us lots to think about. We’d like to follow up by hearing what you have to say on the issues he raised, whether or not you managed to be there. Contact us via contact@dorking-climate-emergency.net if you have an issue you’d like to raise, or would like our summary of his talk. Or just turn up.
SATURDAY SEPT 12th ROUND GATWICK FUNDRAISING WALK. Meet at various places, depending on how energetic you feel. Contact gatwickwalk@proton.me for details.
TUES SEPTEMBER 15th: 10am-1pm: EFFECTIVE FUNDRAISING WORKSHOP IN GUILDFORD
Surrey Climate Commission is bringing together community groups working for nature and the climate for a hands-on workshop designed to help you do even more. You’ll learn from an expert how to secure funding, and will develop ideas for funding bids, in collaboration with others.
Places are limited, so please book now. Amplifying Action Workshop 15 September
Sign up to their newsletter via Network, newsletter and our forum | Surrey Climate Commission CIC
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26th: Epsom Eco Fair: residents meet local green groups. Details to follow.
by WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 30th: Grant applications deadline for resilience projects.
The Community Resilience Toolkit, created by Surrey County Council, Surrey Fire & Rescue, and Surrey Prepared, supports community groups to create a local resilience action plan focused on the specific risks in their area – such as flooding, overheating, wildfires, and coping with utilities outages. Community Resilience Grant 2026 | Surrey
from TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1st: CALLING ALL CAMPAIGNERS – is this you?
A 6 week online training course (Tuesdays, 5.30 – 7pm) for campaigners working with councils, especially those in areas affected by devolution & local government reorganisation.
The Local Climate Academy will equip you with the knowledge, tools and confidence to support your council to take action on the climate and ecological crisis.
VARIOUS DATES SEPTEMBER ONWARDS: The National Emergency Briefing (NEB) Film, fronted by Chris Packham, with Jennifer Saunders and Debbie Mearden of Dragons Den, is rampaging over the UK. https://www.nebriefing.org/. We’ve already had 5 showings locally and more are being planned. Some MVDC Council Officers attended a showing and Parish Councils have been approached. So more screenings are in the pipeline.
Check their interactive map for local showings: National Emergency Briefing
Screenings are always followed by dicussions and local groups are often set up: see our ‘Join a Group’ section.
https://dorking-climate-emergency.net/
CAMPAIGNS
GATWICK EXPANSION:
| We’re deeply concerned sbout the High Court ruling which allows Gatwick to expand. Find out more on CAGNE’s website: Court ruling against CAGNE’s JR – CAGNE. Both CAGNE and GACC are continuing their campaign amd welcome your support. See above for GACC’s walk around the Gatwick area.
NO DRILL HORSE HILL: The Weald Action Group is leading a campaign to oppose another planning application from Horse Hill Developments. New application for oil production at Horse Hill, climate assessment is flawed – Weald Action Group
Surrey County Council are accepting late comments, so please send in your own via email to: mwcd@surreycc.gov.uk quoting ‘SCC_Ref_2018/0152 / RE18/02667/CON’, and importantly include your name and address. You can ask to redact your address..
DCE has sent a lengthy and detailed objection letter to Surrey County Council which will soon be posted on our website. Or get it directly by contacting us via contact@dorking-climate-emergency.net
SWIFT JUSTICE: Swifts circling the part-demolished Regent House building near Dorking Station appeared to be searching for their nests, which had been lost in the rubble.
Concerned local residents, working with Justice for the Swifts of Dorking, a collaboration of local swift groups, have come together to find out what went wrong with the legal protections for these beautiful threatened birds, and to help ensure that this does not happen again.
Since then, residents have submitted Freedom of Information requests to Mole Valley District Council and Surrey Police, asked the police to investigate and consider prosecution, and made a formal complaint to Mole Valley District Council. Find out more: bansteadswifts@gmail.com
NEW GROUPS IN DORKING
As a direct result of the NEB film screenings locals have set up two new groups, one on food resilience, the other on rewilding.
Find out more via contact@dorkingclimate-emergency.net
We have a huge nunber of local groups around Dorking. check our website for details: Climate Groups | Dorking Climate Emergency
and finally:
FREE HOME ENERGY SURVEYS to reduce heat loss and protect homes from summer heatwaves : get reliable, expert advice + advice on funding home insulation and heat/colling devices from https://circulardorking.org.uk/projects/free-energy-surveys-are-back-through-our-home-energy-advice-taskforce-heat/
We hope you feel inspired to do ‘stuff’. And please enjoy our take on the well-known poster ‘Daddy, what did you do in the war’?
Have a good summer and remember that rain-dance!
Yours,
Pat and Paul
https://dorking-climate-emergency.net/ |
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