Saturday November 7th, 9.30am - 6pm, Oxford Town Hall

Organized by the Community Action Group Project and Climate Xchange.
Supported by the Oxfordshire Climate Action Network (OxCAN)

Over 150 people attended the Big Climate Event at Oxford Town Hall on Saturday 7th November.

With a diverse range of workshops, the Big Climate Event brought together key people from Oxfordshire to share their experiences, and to give practical help and advice about some of the more innovative projects and cutting edge ways of tackling climate change on the ground. A report of the day is now available here.

Details from the workshops are available by clicking on the highlighted area of the workshops below:

The event was specifically aimed at both new and existing Oxfordshire groups engaged in action on climate change. The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Oxford Councillor Mary Clarkson opened the event and  Oxford Sheriff Councillor Elise Benjamin added her thoughts. Ian Curtis gave an inspirational address which was followed by practical ‘how to...' activities and plenty of time for informal networking, finishing with wine and live music! 

The objectives of the event:

• - Meet other groups, learn from each other, strengthen your work and share  best practice
  - Skill share of specific ideas to involve your community in carbon and waste reduction
  - Provide inspiration, ideas and support for starting up new projects and community groups
  - Showcase local agencies and organisations that can provide help and support

 These included:

For further information on the event please contact:

Simon Kenton 07793 647190

Jo Hamilton 01865 275856

Workshops:

MORNING WORKSHOP SESSIONS

COPENHAGEN & BEYOND. Get up to date with the key issues to be discussed at Copenhagen, plus the local campaignes. How can the international politics be communicated to your community, and how can we raise the local profile of climage change in the coming General Election, with Dr Keika Schroeder (Environmental Change Institute), John Gordon (Taking political action in our communities) Mim Saxi (Stop Climate Chaos/The Wave). 

CUT IT OUT! COMMUNITY ENERGY REDUCTION & ECO-RENOVATION PROJECTS. Find out about successful local energy projects and upcoming eco-renovation opportunities, with Low Carbon West Oxford, Oxfordshire ClimateXchange and Low Carbon Hook Norton

INNOVATIVE WASTE REDUCTION Learn about reuse initiatives such as swap shops, scrapstores, food waste, Community RePaint & timber reuse. Come and learn how to engage your community, reduce waste and get wider involvement in practical action, with Dorchester Carbon Project, Oxfordshire Community Action Group Project and Oxfordshire county Council Materials re-use Officer.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES & CLIMATE CHANGE Find out your local authority commitments, who's your contact, their environmental strategy & how you can influence, with Oxfordshire County and District Councils.

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 AFTERNOON WORKSHOP SESSIONS

MICRO-HYDRO PROJECTS. Practical tips and experiences from groups planning micro-hydro projects in their community with Goring and Streatley Environment Group and low Carbon West Oxford.

GETTING STARTED The nuts and bolts, highs and lows of setting up a Community group and taking local environmental action - issues to consider, the support you can get and practical recommendations for fun and success with Oxfordshire Community Action Group Project, Oxfordshire Rural Community Council and Canalside Environment Group.

COMMUNITY ENERGY AUDITS. Learn from the experiences of groups who have done Thermal Imaging surveys, and community energy audits, and get tips and tools for carrying them out in your own community, with Brightwell Cum Sotwell Environment Group and Sustainable Blewbury

LOCAL FOODS Find out about local food groups & suppliers, community ‘share-cropping' and great food activities, with BBO Food Group, Barracks Lane Community Garden and Charlbury Area Waste Action Group.

Full Agenda:

9.30 - 10.00 Registration and coffee

10.00 - 11.00 Plenary session: introductions, the challenges ahead and the strengths that Oxfordshire brings

11.00 - 11.15 networking

11.30 - 13.00 WORKSHOP SESSION 1

13.00 - 13.45 Lunch

13.45 - 14.20 Coffee/tea and Stalls / support

14.30 - 16.00 WORKSHOP SESSION 2

16.00 - 17.00 Final plenary - Moving forward

17.00 - 18.00 Social, networking  with music & wine

With kind suport of: