Working towards a more sustainable Staffordshire

A guide to organisations & projects in the county

The organisation 'Sustainable Staffordshire' provides a county-wide forum to meet and discuss problems and celebrate successes. Participants include members of the LA21 teams from the Districts within the county, academics seeking to teach sustainable development, campaigners concerned about local and global environmental impact and those who take action at home or in business. Currently there are three projects underway within the county to develop respectively: action at home, rural sustainability and business interest in supplying the renewable energy market.

For two years from June 2002, the Rural Sustainability Project, sponsored by the Community Council of Staffordshire, built up a network of local contacts in parishes across the county and identified services and organisations supporting and encouraging sustainable practises. A Christmas card recycling competition for Village Halls plus presentations and meetings with groups across Staffordshire also helped to spread the message. Another outcome from this project was a template designed to help Parish Councils devise a sustainable development strategy, which was use by Swynnerton Parish Council to create the first such document in the West Midlands. Those interested in the project should contact the Community Council of Staffordshire (01785 242525).

The principle objective of the Renewable Energy Business Support Project, managed by Stafford Chamber of Commerce working with partners such as Staffordshire University, is to encourage the development of a viable cluster of businesses capable of supplying components and services to Renewable Energy projects of all types (e.g. wind, solar or using fuel cells) locally, nationally and even, internationally. A programme of activities to raise awareness of the growing market for Renewable Energy and the potential business in supplying new projects began in November 2002. The project is being managed by Diane Brown.

For several years an Action at Home group has met in Stafford Town centre about once a month to swap ideas and experience and ways to help others get started. In 2002 Stafford Borough's LA21 team recruited a new member Sam Pickles specifically to assist this group and encourage wider interest. With the backing of the Borough Council, they have created 5 'tip sheets', each one suggesting practical options, such as ideas for those wanting to get started (in sheet No 1) and working in logical steps up to being able to encourage others. Many members of the Group also act as 'street wardens' offering guidance and support to their neighbours. Global Action Plan, the charity that leads the project across the UK, produces a quarterly lifestyle magazine called 'Ergo'. Trewin Restorick, Director of Global Action Plan, commended the pioneering work done in Stafford at Sustainable Staffordshire's Annual Forum in October 2003.

Paul Newman

(Updated October 04)

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