Community action/Devon
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The gift of climate and ecological emergency is that we all get to work together. Ordinary citizens and community groups naturally share what they learn, and what they know of what helps. Everyone can help, everyone has something to offer, everyone is welcome. We all need to design, make and grow a better future for ourselves, our communities and our world. Together we CAN. Yes we CAN.
The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism across Devon. It's an introduction to local networks, groups, events, community resources and assets.
- Devon community climate action and ecological restoration is a separate page.
News
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Severe drought declared in six areas of England as reservoirs run low, theguardian.com (Oct 15, 2026) - Village facing 'existential' threat from climate change, BBC News (Jul 05, 2026)
- How community projects are building a brighter future for British farms, wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk (Nov 11, 2025)
- As pine martens are reintroduced to south-west England, a new study shows why local people need to be involved, theconversation.com (Sep 09, 2025) — "...more collaborative relationships can be developed when people are involved in making plans for reintroduction."
- ‘They’re beautiful’: 13-year-olds lead audacious project to save harvest mice in Devon, theguardian.com (Aug 28, 2025)
- ‘It bloody works’: why the world’s oldest cheddar-maker uses a ‘milk-source’ heat pump, theguardian.com (Sep 17, 2026)
- White storks: why introducing non‑native species in rewilding projects can be a good idea, theconversation.com (Jun 05, 2026)
- Citizens’ Assembly to invest £100,000 in West’s culture, westofengland-ca.gov.uk (Jan 16, 2026)
- Severe drought declared in six areas of England as reservoirs run low, theguardian.com (Oct 15, 2026)
- Ardingly Reservoir falls below 20% as drought persists, BBC News (Oct 14, 2026)
- A growing movement for perennials could play a key role in future food security, wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk (Oct 08, 2026) — In the wake of this summer’s drought and rising energy costs, there is renewed interest in perennial crops
- Citizens need to power Europe's future, demnext.substack.com (Oct 02, 2026) — The EU can enable new democratic institutions: in European countries; with a European Citizens’ Assembly as a 4th branch of government, and by legally enforcing the Global Citizens’ Assembly on AI, Claudia Chwalisz and Another Democratic Future
- Reclaiming the streets: the architects clawing back Europe’s car-centric spaces, theguardian.com (Sep 09, 2026) — The European Prize for Urban Public Space’s shortlist highlights projects helping people cope with climate crisis
- We’re the mayors of Paris, Milan and Phoenix. The heat crisis has us all facing the same question, Emmanuel Grégoire, Giuseppe Sala and Kate Gallego, theguardian.com (Sep 07, 2026) — Our three cities are learning from each other about how to protect residents. These climate policies are also public health measures
- Hunter Valley community group wins landmark high court climate change case over coalmine, theguardian.com (Oct 07, 2026) — Ruling on Mount Pleasant coalmine shows ‘we cannot continue to dig up coal … and pretend the consequences have nothing to do with us’, group says
- Citizens need to power Europe's future, demnext.substack.com (Oct 02, 2026) — The EU can enable new democratic institutions: in European countries; with a European Citizens’ Assembly as a 4th branch of government, and by legally enforcing the Global Citizens’ Assembly on AI, Claudia Chwalisz and Another Democratic Future
- Fifty Billion Seedlings: Can Ethiopia Replant Its Ravaged Forests?, e360.yale.edu (Oct 01, 2026)
CDC video
[edit | edit source]Each week 3 different short videos from across the UK or world.
Community action/United Kingdom/Cycling activism, Community action/South East England/Saving water / ...This week's featured Global videos / ... read more about Cosmolocalism
Networks and sustainability initiatives
[edit | edit source]- Green Futures Newton Abbot, community-based initiative involving a network of local people making a wide range of contributions. added 16:12, 20 April 2025 (UTC)
- Torbay Together, helping you find and share activities in Torbay, added 13:49, 23 December 2021 (UTC)
- Torridge Common Ground, non-party-political platform that puts the shared values and practical vision of the community at the heart of local governance, empowering communities across Torridge to transform their local economies and wellbeing for the benefit of all
- Bideford Sustainability Group
- Buck the Trend
- Chagford Hub
- North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
- PL:21, Ivybridge
- Sustainable Crediton
- Sustainable South Brent
- Transition Tavistock
- Transition Exmouth
Organisations working with communities
- Community Action Groups (CAG) Devon, "support and empower community groups to act towards a more sustainable future." added 10:50, 20 November 2023 (UTC)
UK and international events
[edit | edit source]UK events
Nov 9 - 15, 2026 (Mon - Sun) — Living Wage Week, livingwage.org.uk- Nov 13, 2026 (Fri) — Kindness Day UK, Nov 13 annually, aiming to increase the value of kindness in society as well as increase the amount of kind acts that take place, making kindness a greater part in our daily life, kindnessuk.com
- Nov 15 - 21, 2026 (Sun - Sat) — Road Safety Week, brake.org.uk
- Nov 21 - 29, 2026 (Sat - Sun) — National Tree Week, The Tree Council's annual tree celebration. People across the country planting thousands of trees to mark the start of the winter tree planting season. "Trees and hedgerows are some of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against climate change.", treecouncil.org.uk
Global or international events
- Nov 05, 2026 (Thu) — Media Liberation Day, Change the Media, Change the Future, mediarevolution.org
- Nov 13, 2026 (Fri) — World Kindness Day, Nov 13, annually, highlighting good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness for good which binds us, randomactsofkindness.org
- Nov 15, 2026 (Sun) — World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, third Sunday in November each year, worlddayofremembrance.org
- Nov 16, 2026 (Mon) — International Day for Tolerance, Nov 16 each year, fostering respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human, unesco.org
- Nov 19, 2026 (Thu) — International Men's Day, Nov 19, annually
- Nov 27 & 28, 2026 — Buy Nothing Day, en.wikipedia.org
- Nov 27, 2026 (Fri) — Citizen Friday, actionism.space
2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events
Devon video
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Bioregioning
[edit | edit source]- Bioregional Learning Centre UK, Community Interest Company (CIC) founded in 2017 to serve the people and place of South Devon. Video: Bioregional TV on youtube.com. Blog: bioregion.org.uk, UK Bioregional Community of Practice, bioregion.org.uk
Food activism
[edit | edit source]Rising temperatures have led to Devon becoming the first place in modern Britain to cultivate olives commercially. W
- LOVE Food CIC, community-based organisation that aims to increase access to, and raise awareness of the benefits of, Local, Organic, Vegan, Ethical Food for animals, health and the environment. added 17:18, 31 March 2025 (UTC)
- Barnstaple Pannier Market
- Bovey Community Garden
- Home Grown Community Owned
- Landmatters Co-operative Permaculture Project
- Real Food Store, Exeter's first community owned food store
Community energy
[edit | edit source]- Teign Energy Communities, "Our vision: To achieve the widest possible community engagement with energy use and energy generation. We want people in the local area to become more aware of, and engaged with their use of energy, so that energy becomes as familiar as money." added 14:36, 6 October 2020 (UTC)
- exeter community energy
Land activism
[edit | edit source]- Broadhempston Community Land Trust, Community Interest Company set up in 2012 to enable local people, in housing need, to develop affordable eco-housing.
Towards sustainable economies
[edit | edit source]- Local Spark Torbay, Community Supported Enterprise CIC, added 17:35, 9 August 2022 (UTC)
- Devon Doughnut, Exploring Doughnut Economics in Devon, added 09:55, 8 October 2021 (UTC)
- New Prosperity Devon, Towards secure livelihoods and wellbeing for all, added 16:58, 7 May 2020 (UTC)
Social inclusion
[edit | edit source]- Be Buckfastleigh, make good things happen. Community project aiming to address health, social and economic inequalities. added 16:28, 23 July 2021 (UTC)
- Exeter Community Initiatives, charity working in Exeter and across Devon, helping people facing poverty, inequality and homelessness to get their lives back on track by involving them in community projects to improve their mental, emotional and physical wellbeing, increase their sense of belonging and provide skills to help them succeed in life. added 13:29, 12 November 2021 (UTC)
Community resources
[edit | edit source]Citizens data inititiative
- Devon Doughnut, Collective asking, "Could a dashboard of some kind help to provide a picture of how Devon is faring ecologically and economically? Would this be useful to people living and working here? If so, how, and to do what?". added 09:39, 8 October 2021 (UTC)
Community currencies activism
Visions
[edit | edit source]Health and wellbeing
[edit | edit source]Neighbourhood Health Watch, connecting trusted community support for health
Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle
[edit | edit source]Devon Community Composting Network - Devon Community Recycling Network - Proper Job, Chagford - Recycle Devon
About Devon
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Devon ( DEV-ən; historically also known as Devonshire -sheer, -shər) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west. The city of Plymouth is the largest settlement.
The county has an area of 2,590 mi2 (6,700 km2) and had an estimated population of 1,254,506 in 2024. The south of the county is more densely populated than the north, with Plymouth in the south-west and the city of Exeter in the south-east. The seaside resorts of Torquay and Paignton are adjacent to each other in the south. The largest town in the north is Barnstaple. For local government purposes, Devon comprises a non-metropolitan county, with eight districts, and the unitary authority areas of Plymouth and Torbay. Devon County Council and Torbay Council collaborate through a combined county authority.
Devon archive
[edit | edit source]Video archive
- Off Grid Festival 2016: Switch Off, Turn On, Off Grid Festival, 1.29 mins. 2016-05-17 on youtube.com
- Devon Convergence: Forum for New Local Economies, REconomy Centre, 5.27 mins. 2015-02-25 on youtube.com
- Exeter Pound Design Competition, Exeter Pound, 1.15 mins. 2015-01-31 on youtube.com
Past events
- August 11 - 14, 2016, Off Grid Festival
- February 23 - April 3, 2016, Save Stewart Wood, Wray Valley
Near you
[edit | edit source]| Authors | Phil Green |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Cite as | Phil Green (2014–2026). "Community action/Devon". Appropedia. Retrieved October 21, 2026. |