What’s happening?

Up-coming Events!

Let’s Grow It at The Arkell Centre

Nailsworth Climate Action Network (CAN) was delighted to receive funding recently from Stroud District Council’s Stroudfunding scheme and our local community to help create a fruit and vegetable garden in the outside space at The Arkell Centre, Forest Green. The Community Hub there hosts a number of support groups for people of all ages, including the food bank. The outside space is rather unloved so we will be adding fruiting trees and shrubs as well as a number of planters around the edge to keep things neat and accessible. The aim is to showcase how you can have a productive garden even in a small space. Bill Roberts and Maggie Dutton of Nailsworth CAN have been out to measure up and design the layout and the work will be taking place over the coming months, with Nailsworth CAN’s ‘Grow It’ group providing ongoing support.

‘Take the Jump’ on Tour…

Take the Jump is a national campaign which encourages people to take individual action to reduce their carbon footprint. It identifies the most impactful lifestyle shifts under 6 main themes: Eat Green, Dress Retro, Travel Fresh, End Clutter, Holiday Local and Change the System. Cllr Maggie Dutton is chair of Nailsworth CAN and a member of Stroud District Council’s 2030 Community Engagement Board; both groups have identified Take the Jump as a great way to start conversations with people to inspire practical actions to tackle the climate emergency. Maggie has been taking ‘Take the Jump’ on tour over recent months to spread the word in Stroud Town Centre, at Minchinhampton Common Marking Day, Rodborough Fete and Rodborough Earth Day, talking to people about ‘no fly’ holidays, repair cafés, plant-based eating, getting on your bike, clothes upcycling and much more. Although governments and corporations have a big role to play in reaching climate targets, Take the Jump has identified that 27% of the contribution can be made by people taking individual action. The next Take the Jump event will be hosted by Horsley & Nailsworth CANs at Horsley Fete on Saturday 13th September. [Photo of stall at Rodborough Fete – Cllr Robin Layfield and Cllr Maggie Dutton]

Climate Corner - Nailsworth Library

Nailsworth CAN’s next monthly climate corner will be on Friday 5th September, 1030-1230am, at Nailsworth Library. The focus this month will be on books that cover a range of topics including biodiversity, green energy, climate justice and climate action, as recommended by Dr Richard Erskine. Visitors will be encouraged to make suggestions of their own and have conversations about the wide range of books available through the library. These can be found on the ‘climate corner’ cart and the Greener Together shelves in the library.

Refreshing the Green Directory

Nailsworth Climate Action Network is refreshing its local Green Directory and we welcomed needle felting business The Makerss, based in George Street, into the fold. The fully refreshed Green Directory will be published on this site in early September 2025. We are looking for new suggestions (read on).

Steffi Stern, pictured here with NailsworthCAN volunteers Maggie and Lizzie Dutton, told us her sustainability story. The felting kits use natural wool and dyes, compostible materials and recyclable packaging. Steffi works as much as possible with local suppliers and businesses for her needle-felting workshops and retreats. She also has tie-ins with nature and wildlife groups and all the amazing kits are produced on the premises.

There are lots of people in Nailsworth trying to change the way we live, work and shop. Lizzie is volunteering with NailsworthCAN to refresh the Green Directory over her summer break and if you have already taken significant steps towards becoming a sustainable business, we would love to hear from you. Contact us at Resources for business owners — NailsworthCAN

https://www.nailsworthcan.org/resources-for-business-owners

Activities & Other News

Standing Up for Nature in Nailsworth

Nature in Nailsworth - NiN - is a new community group that has been set up to support nature and wildlife in and around Nailsworth. The group was initiated jointly by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Nailsworth Town Council and NailsworthCAN and its role will be to provide advice, stimulation and expertise to people, community groups and Nailsworth Town Council on the priority actions to take to halt and reverse nature's decline in the local area. NiN will adopt a forward thinking and active approach, based on the best available evidence on what works, to encourage people to help restore nature. NiN will engage local communities to find out what is important to people and will focus initially on the following three priorities:

1. Work with Nailsworth Town Council to develop objectives for the Local Nature Recovery Strategy Biodiversity Action

2. Plan for the Nailsworth area.

3. Engage with local communities in caring for nature, offering a range of stimulating and rewarding projects that will make Nailsworth a better place for wildlife.

4. Work with local community groups such as NailsworthCAN to develop and promote practical delivery of projects that serve to reverse nature's decline and accommodate climate change.

At the NiN stall at the Town Event on 5th April we took a map of Nailsworth and asked people to tell us locations of iconic trees, special plants and local wildlife, collecting a wonderful amount of positive nature sightings. The next NiN will review this information, arrange a pre-survey visit to Norton Wood, identify species knowledge gaps and plan a BioBlitz. Everyone is welcome - there's a lot to do!

My Octopus Experience

Shelley Rider is a Nailsworth Town Councillor and Chair of the Environment Committee, and also the NCT liaison with Nailsworth Climate Action Network. She lives in a 1970s modern 3 bedroom semi-detached home, and here shares her experience of getting an air-source heat pump. Click here to read Shelley’s blog.

Your experience will depend on the current situation. If yiou already have double panel radiators throughout the house, you may not need to upgrade any radiators. But don’t listen to the naysayers that say you that old houses cannot use a heat pump etc. - read our piece 8 Heat Pump Myths.

Community Energy

This is a major theme for NailsworthCAN, and we should celebrate the work that has already been done. Treasurer, Matt Partridge, introduces this great film by Limestone Media celebrating the success of a solar energy project at Minchinhamption Primary school:

Read more in our blog on the New Community Energy Initiatives.

Demystifying Heat Pumps

There has been a lot of chatter recently about heat pumps being new and untried technology, or not suitable for old buildings, or being much more expensive to run than a gas boiler. None of these is true.

Our new page Demystifying Heat Pumps should help to dispel these myths, but please send us any questions you may have. Also note that Nesta are running a scheme to connect those curious about getting a heat pump with householders who already have one.

Go to Nesta’s Visit a Heat Pump page to learn more and book a visit (or if you have a heat pump, to offer your services, at dates/ times of your choosing).

Learn about the Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme here.

Nailsworth CAN Grow It

Is a support network, coordinated by Bill Roberts, for anyone growing anything to eat. We meet monthly and have a WhatsApp group, to join message ‘Grow It’ to 07932 623672.

Project ideas welcome

We are interested in proposals for projects / events that further the aims of NailsworthCAN from any supporter in the locality who is willing to take on a leading role. We have created a simple form to allow such ideas to be captured, so they can be reviewed by our Steering Group. The aim is to support each other and engage in local, positive action on climate and nature. You can register / offer up a project idea here.

Ongoing projects

On the blog