CCEG News,Local Events and Resources

CCEG NEWS

March 2025

The group had its monthly Zoom meetings on Thursday 20th March. Minutes from that meeting will be posted once approved. Minutes from the last meetings are posted here.

Date of the next meeting is Thursday April 17th 6.00 -7.00 by Zoom. Contact Chrissie Verduyn for the zoom link (chrissie.verduyn@btinternet.com).

Clun Town Council with Chapel Lawn has agreed a Biodiversity Policy. All Town and Parish councils have been advised by DEFRA to have a policy and we used a nationally produced template for this. The group used their stall at Clun Show as an opportunity to talk to Clun residents about their views. Many of the actions in the action plan are already underway but the group is concerned to work specifically on public engagement as lack of information about local activities was highlighted in the small survey. Our next local event will be on Sunday 28th September 2025. This will include a community habitat mapping exercise and information about a range of environmental and energy matters.

Concern about pollution in the River Clun continues with the group joining with Clun Town Council with Chapel Lawn in seeking further action from the Clun River Liaison Group (Environment Agency, Natural England, Severn Trent Water and Shropshire Council).  The River Monitoring Group is continuing monthly sampling at 7 locations. Results have now been calibrated and data analysis is beginning. For further information contact Chrissie Verduyn (chrissie.verduyn@btinternet.com).

We removed Himalayan Balsam from the River Clun this summer. A report has been submitted to interested parties and is available here. There has been follow up activity in locating access to a large clump opposite the coalyard on the castle site so that we are prepared for next summer’s work on this.

Litter picking on the roads into Clun has continued with monthly sessions sessions using new robust road warning signs for safety. These were purchased using a small grant from the Clun walking book fund. The next sessions will be on April 27th and May 18th. Meet at Memorial Hall car park 10am with a high vis jacket and gloves. Grabbers and bags (and a high vis jacket if you don’t have one) will be provided. Contact Dave Tomlinson for details.

Following an initiative from Shropshire Climate Action Group we are starting work on local publicity for domestic retrofits (solar PV, batteries, Heat Pumps etc) including emphasis on the importance of starting with a home energy survey and making available a list of reliable local retrofit specialists. We will be participating in training organised by Marches Energy Agency Community Connectors.

We have updated our audit of public buildings in Clun. A summary appeared in March’s Clun Chronicle. Both Memorial Hall and the Clun Museum have been successful in obtain grants for energy survey and the Memorial Hall now has improved insulation and solar PV panels.  SSCAG are involved in a project with the Decarbonisation Group at St George’s Primary School, Clun. The school have been helped using a thermal imaging camera to identify problems with insulation and now have a Salix grant, as part of the Academy Trust for preliminary baseline reports on energy use. There is a major new initiative at St George’s Church Clun commencing with replacement of the oil fired system with electric heaters.

LOCAL ECO EVENTS AND INFORMATION

Shropshire Climate Action website gives the people, communities and businesses of South Shropshire up to date tips on how to reduce their carbon footprints, save money, promote their health and wellbeing and enhance the natural environment.

 

We invite you to take a look at the website:

https://www.shropshireclimateaction.org/

 

SSCA published its “Next Steps” Climate Action Plan in 2021 to help the  South Shropshire Constituency reach net zero by 2030. The website helps to put that carbon reduction plan into action providing information and advice tailored to Shropshire.

 

No one needs to be convinced of the seriousness of the climate emergency, but much more help is needed to know what to do about it, and this website is focused on the actions we can all take, as individuals, communities, schools, town and parish councils and businesses. There are four main themes: energy & buildings, land & biodiversity, transport, and reuse – repair – recycle, each featuring a wealth of useful information, toolkits, videos and local examples to inspire you.

 

If you want to find help near at hand, there are links to the wide range of groups and activities already available in Shropshire.  These include local repair cafés and climate action groups, household energy surveys provided by Lightfoot, Stretton Climate Care and Marches Energy Agency, Save Our Shropshire’s carbon literacy workshops, and the many organisations supporting Shropshire’s wildlife.