About Us

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Our Purpose

A network of community groups and individuals working together for a shared vision of a clean, green, sustainable Dorset - taking action together.

Our Story

We make connections!

Dorset CAN works to inform, help and encourage families, businesses and individuals across the county to 'do their bit' to reduce their carbon footprint and minimise our contribution to the climate and nature crisis. We also work to engage with and encourage Dorset Council and BCP Council to 'do their bit' to make this happen.

We act as an umbrella organisation to all the many affiliated climate and eco orientated groups across Dorset, providing support where needed. Linking likeminded groups together our Network is always growing and getting stronger.

Find out about our current campaigns, events across Dorset, Action Teams, recent newsletters, updates, ideas, case studies, examples and contacts.

Above all, please join us - it's free and you don't have to take an active part. The more members we have, the louder our voice is and the more we can achieve. Stronger together!

Our Focus

Mission

Our mission is to build and sustain an open, accessible and flexible network and alliance which puts climate and ecological awareness at the heart of all decision-making.

We hope to provide a voice for all who care about these issues; inform, educate and support people throughout the county; and serve as a hub for information, engagement and action.

We act as a positive partner and critical friend of Dorset and BCP Councils.

Our Core Values

Solution-Focused - we will have a positive, practical approach.

Leading by example - to create a mass movement we need to lead by example individually and collectively.

Openness, Humility and Respect - to be open, welcoming and respectful of others; be flexible enough to change; be enquiring, always learning and open to debate; and to listen to one another with respect and humility.

Community

Our community of groups, families and individuals aims to share ideas, expertise and practical action to support communities to reduce their impact on the environment and develop resilience.

We aim to encourage and support town and parish councils, wider community networks and the business sector to work together to develop better community collaboration and resilience as we promote our vision for Dorset.

Meet Us

Dorset CAN

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Belinda Bawden

One of the original four co-founders of Dorset CAN, my professional background was in transport policy, marketing in transnational business and then in education. I have travelled widely and lived overseas before moving to the South West to bring up my daughters. As a geographer, I have always been interested in how we interact with our natural environment but became so concerned about the lack of political will to tackle the climate and ecological crises that I joined my local town council in 2019 then was elected to Dorset Council in a by-election in 2022. I have the IEMA Foundation Certificate in Environmental Management, am a member of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals and an accredited Carbon Literacy facilitator. DCAN achieved a Silver level Carbon Literate Organisation award in 2025 in recognition of our work training town and parish councils and community groups with the help of Carbon Literacy Community Pot funding.

dorsetcan@gmail.com

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John Calder

John has led the Great Big Dorset Hedge since its inception, working with farmers, teams of volunteers and CPRE. He continues to grow the project and works tirelessly to ensure its success.

greatbigdorsethedge@gmail.com

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Tracee Cossey

I have a background of press and public relations work starting off in environment and transport. I am also a teacher and a complementary therapist. I have a passion for environmental projects and social media. Motivated to always be amid the action and particularly keen on climatic justice.

dorsetcan@gmail.com

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Emma Grant

I have a mixed background across many sectors mainly working in an administrative capacity. I am Dorset CANs Admin Assistant working with the Coordinators to ensure smooth everyday running of the charity. With a keen interest in protecting our environment, nature recovery and wildlife, I am a Dorset Wildlife Trust volunteer, as well as a keen litter picker and very interested in protecting local green spaces in the BCP area. I am also photographer, devoted dog parent and community choir singer!

DorsetCAN@gmail.com

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Vicki Elcoate

Dedicated to action for the love of nature. I'm a journalist by training and have worked in the environmental voluntary sector at a senior level for over 30 years. Taking care of our environment is about taking care of ourselves - if we don't we are sawing off the branch we're sitting on. We are literally on the brink of environmental chaos and we must do everything we can to stop that from happening.

dorsetcan@gmail.com

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Julie Leah

I've had a lifelong interest in wildlife and my work as a gardener allows me to be in contact with nature daily. I am particularly keen to help link and connect others to understanding the importance of why and how they can help to protect and restore the environment. I feel this is one of the key roles of Dorset CAN.

dorsetcan@gmail.com

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Henry Lovegrove

I’ve been a long term eco activist, as the writing has been on the wall for a very long time. For the sake of future and current human and animal life we need action to address the ongoing climate and ecological catastrophe now. Professionally I was an accountant for 40 years, retiring in 2014, and simultaneously ran a smallholding most of this time. I maintain accounts or perform external examinations for numerous charitable bodies.

dorsetcan@gmail.com

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Jenny Morisetti

With a keen interest in traditional buildings and after several years as an interior designer I moved on to project manage the retrofitting and renovating of old buildings and qualified as an Energy Efficiency Retrofit Adviser. Passionate about fashion of the sustainable variety, I save garments from landfill by re-designing and repairing them and passing on my skills at Hawkers Re-Creatives, Stour Provost.

info@creatinghealthyhomes.com

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Sandra Reeve

I am a movement teacher, therapist and supervisor. I joined DorsetCAN because I wanted to learn more about the effects of climate change and to find out how I could lobby and take action to protect and support my community and our beautiful environment. Determined to make a difference in a climate and nature emergency.

imoveintolife@gmail.com

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Jen Richardson

Jen is a Chartered Accountant who started her career with Deloitte and has specialised in charity finance and governance for nearly thirty years. She lives in Wimborne in Dorset and is also a Trustee of Surfers Against Sewage, Dorset Community Foundation and Dorset Equality Group. Jen swims with East Dorset Open Water Swimming Club at Shore Road Beach in Poole and is passionate about protecting our blue and green spaces. She represents small charities on the ICAEW Charity Committee and chairs the South West Charities Insight group.

dorsetcan@gmail.com

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Alexandra Stephen

I have a keen interest in protecting our county having grown up here, I hold a deep love for the countryside, the nature and wildlife in it and our wonderful coastline. My background is in Operation and Resources Management along with Project Management experience. A born organiser and systems person I am DorsetCANS Coordinator working behind the scenes helping our Network grow, keeping us organised and focused. My love is walking and exploring our beautiful county.

dorsetcan@gmail.com

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Helen Sumbler

I have a keen interest in transport, being a 4th generation railway worker, and I have spent my professional career as a Railway Signal Engineer. I believe that changing the way we move around is key to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions - did you know that transport accounts for around a third of UK / Dorset Council carbon emissions? I am keen to do what I can to help reduce this, while improving access to public transport and safe active travel not just for recreation and tourism but as a viable alternative to private cars for travel to work and education. Travelling to our future destinations in a sustainable way! Co-ordinating, motivating and inspiring expertise, collaboration and community energy.

helensplanetpurbeck@gmail.com

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Richard Thomas

Motivated in helping Dorset CAN very much for the same reasons as Rob Waitt, I bring a fairly varied range of experiences to the cause - from teacher, soldier, Fleet Street journalist, editor, author, politician adviser and local politician - as well as lifelong environmentalist sympathies and now want to put whatever time I have left at this advanced age to the most effective actions for real change I can under the 'Think Global, Act Local' banner as chair of Sustainable Shaftesbury Advisory Committee to Shaftesbury Town Council. In a functioning democracy effective action means persuading local as well as national government to do what must be done before it's too late. Urgent political action is now paramount.

dorsetcan@gmail.com

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Colin Tracy

I love and am endlessly curious about the natural world and have been for as long as l remember. I see, and feel acutely, the destruction we humans have caused and recognise that l have a responsibility and duty to leave the planet in a better state for the next generation. I am a photographer, painter and gardener always wanting to see and express the beauty of our interconnected world.

dorsetcan@gmail.com

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Giles Watts

I came to eco-activism late in my career having worked for may years as a geophysicist in the Energy Industry. The science is clear that global warming is taking place but I guess I thought that a bit more CO2 in the atmosphere would help plants to grow and that a bit of extra warmth would not do too much harm. I now know how wrong I was. The loss of the biodiversity is shocking and the speed at which changes are happening is having a brutal impact on the whole world. It is now up to all of us to do something, however small, to address the issues and to try to protect the planet from the worst impacts of human expansion and climate change. Each one of us really can all make a difference - especially at a local level.

wattsgft@gmail.com

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John West

I have long been passionate about environmental issues. In 1986, together with my wife Sarah, I helped to form South Dorset Friends of the Earth. Since moving to Bridport in 2014, I have been actively involved with Sustainable Bridport and West Dorset Friends of the Earth. I am also a long-standing member of Dorset Wildlife Trust and a shareholder in several community energy schemes. I believe in combining practical local action with efforts to influence policy and decision-making at both local and national government level. My particular interests are tackling climate change, reversing nature loss and finding ways to engage local communities in positive environmental action.

johnandsarahwest@hotmail.co.uk

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Sam Wilberforce

I have been interested and concerned about the environment for many years,. After I retired as a Physics schoolteacher, I did an MSc in Green Economy at Bournemouth. I am an active member of Sustainable Bridport (formerly Transition Town Bridport) and am particularly interested in renewable energy. I have helped organise Open Greener Homes for nine years and I have learnt much about making buildings sustainable. We were lucky enough to build a near-passive house in Bridport using the learnings from other eco-homes, with timber frame and mostly sustainable materials. As a keen if lazy walker I really appreciate the natural world and consider it central to our continued existence.

dorsetgreenerhomes@gmail.com

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