Wiltshire community action
The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism for climate, environment and many other sustainability topics across Wiltshire.
Limpley Stoke pub saved by the community sets reopening date, BBC News (Jan 01, 2025) - ‘Enormously exciting’: farm to create biggest natural grassland in southern England, theguardian.com (Mar 29, 2024)
- Why we need to change direction on building homes, sustrans.org.uk (Mar 10, 2024) — "Our report shows how better design and investment decisions – based on ‘gentle density’ and sustainable transport – can deliver the same number of homes on just 40% of the land."
- ‘People feel a sense of ownership’: the growth of community composting, theguardian.com (Jan 23, 2025) — residents of an English village build their own composting site
- Warm spaces event giving out advice and goods, BBC News (Jan 22, 2025)
- The UK’s international commitments on climate and nature could soon become law – and better protect our environment, theconversation.com (Jan 22, 2025) — Climate and Nature Bill (CAN Bill), includes a climate and nature citizens’ assembly
- Indigenous communities in the Philippines restore a mountain forest to prevent urban flooding, news.mongabay.com (Jan 20, 2025)
- The challenge now is deciding how to rebuild safely in areas destroyed by fire, Editorial, Los Angeles Times (Jan 19, 2025)
- Green Microgrids Are Powering a More Resilient Future, reasonstobecheerful.world (Jan 17, 2025)
Communities online[edit | edit source]
Food activism[edit | edit source]
- Fruitful Malmesbury, community orchard project for Malmesbury. Website includes a food map. added 19:29, 27 March 2021 (UTC)
- BIG Community Grow, project based in the Trowbridge Area
Community energy[edit | edit source]
Wiltshire Clean Energy Alliance
Community resources[edit | edit source]
- Swindon Hub, "Our vision: To build a strong, cohesive and sustainable community with wellbeing for all at its heart." added 16:56, 10 May 2021 (UTC)
Visions[edit | edit source]
- Malmesbury 2040, project of Malmesbury CAN (Climate Action Network), added 09:01, 31 March 2021 (UTC)
- Make Malmesbury Even Better Open, public group on facebook
- Make Malmesbury "Even" Better, private group on facebook
Climate action[edit | edit source]
- Malmesbury Climate Action Network, supported by a formal partnership with the Town Council, added 19:39, 27 March 2021 (UTC)
- Climate Friendly Bradford on Avon
- Swindon Climate Action Network, checked 17:04, 10 May 2021 (UTC)
- Wiltshire Climate Alliance, checked 17:04, 10 May 2021 (UTC)
Ethical consumerism[edit | edit source]
- Renew Malmesbury, "Everyday Eco Living", volunteer-run Community-Interest Company aiming to support the community in being environmentally and economically sustainable. Project includes a shop, located on Malmesbury High Street, and community services. added 14:14, 10 October 2022 (UTC)
- Malmesbury Against Plastic, on facebook.com
Sustainable transport activism[edit | edit source]
The Kennet and Avon Canal is a waterway in southern England with an overall length of 87 miles (140 km), made up of two lengths of navigable river linked by a canal. The name is used to refer to the entire length of the navigation rather than solely to the central canal section. From Bristol to Bath the waterway follows the natural course of the River Avon before the canal links it to the River Kennet at Newbury, and from there to Reading on the River Thames. In all, the waterway incorporates 105 locks.
The two river stretches were made navigable in the early 18th century, and the 57-mile (92 km) canal section was constructed between 1794 and 1810. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the canal gradually fell into disuse after the opening of the Great Western Railway. In the latter half of the 20th century the canal was restored in stages, largely by volunteers. After decades of dereliction and much restoration work, it was fully reopened in 1990. The Kennet and Avon Canal has been developed as a popular heritage tourism destination for boating, canoeing, fishing, walking and cycling, and is also important for wildlife conservation.
Footpaths in Wiltshire W
Cycling activism[edit | edit source]
The Reading to Bath section of National Cycle Route 4 follows the Kennet and Avon Canal. Some sections use the canal towpath, while others are on low-traffic roads. Approaching Bath, Route 24 and the Two Tunnels Greenway provide an alternative route, rejoining Route 4 to the west of the city centre. W
Biodiversity[edit | edit source]
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is a charity based in Devizes, England which owns and manages 40 nature reserves in Wiltshire and Swindon. It is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts across the United Kingdom.
The trust works to encourage Wiltshire's communities to live sustainable lifestyles that protect the environment, engaging the public on issues such as recycling. It is active in schools and community projects and it works with people experiencing mental health issues, using the environment as a tool to mental and physical well-being. W
Cotswold Water Park
The Cotswold Water Park is the United Kingdom's largest marl lake system, straddling the Wiltshire–Gloucestershire border, north-west of Cricklade and south of Cirencester. There are 180 lakes, spread over 42 square miles (110 km2).
The park is a mix of nature conservation activities, including nature reserves; recreation, including sailing, fishing, a country park and beach with water sports and play areas; rural villages; and holiday accommodation. It is a significant area for wildlife and particularly for wintering and breeding birds. The local wildlife trusts (Gloucestershire and Wiltshire) are involved in partnership with the Cotswold Lakes Trust charity in working with local communities and organisations in the area.
Other organisations
- Whale and Dolphin Conservation is a wildlife charity that is dedicated solely to the worldwide conservation and welfare of all whales, dolphins and porpoises, with headquarters in Chippenham.
Open spaces[edit | edit source]
The county has a green belt mainly along its western fringes as a part of the extensive Avon Green Belt. It reaches as far as the outskirts of Rudloe/Corsham and Trowbridge, preventing urban sprawl particularly from the latter in the direction of Bradford-on-Avon, and affording further protection to surrounding villages and towns from Bath in Somerset.
About Wiltshire[edit | edit source]
News archive 2014-2016
- Swindon Borough Council has used the UK's first green energy ISA to raise over £700k for a community solar farm! Nov 15, 2016...solarpowerportal.co.uk
- Local action on climate change, December 8, 2015...Good Energy
- Wiltshire's solar boom so big now more than half the homes can be powered by the sun, January 24, 2015...Western Daily Press
- Swindon council votes to relax solar planning rules, March 12, 2014...Solar Power Portal
Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to the west. The largest settlement is Swindon, and Trowbridge is the county town.
The county has an area of 3,485 km2 (1,346 square miles) and a population of 720,060. The county is mostly rural, and the centre and south-west are sparsely populated. After Swindon (183,638), the largest settlements are the city of Salisbury (41,820) and the towns of Chippenham (37,548) and Trowbridge (37,169). For local government purposes, the county comprises two unitary authority areas: Swindon and Wiltshire.
