News from Shaftesbury

Dorset’s Local Plan distinguishes between ‘large built-up areas’ and ‘towns and other main settlements’ spread across our essentially rural landscape. Shaftesbury, perched on a hilltop to the north, falls into this latter category. Environmental activists here share many of the same challenges as arise in other settlements in this group as we encourage our local population (c.8000)  to respond to the climate & ecological emergencies. 
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Planet Shaftesbury comprises around 130 local people sharing a concern about climate breakdown.  Responding to diverse triggers for involvement, each of us feels driven to act in our own way. We connect through physical meetings (monthly when permitted/safe), informal weekly zoom meetings, a monthly email newsletter, a website, and some use of social media, as well as collaboration on those projects we choose to engage with.  Our combined aim is to seek changes that contribute to nature's recovery and enable us to live more sustainably. Coming together has led to more robust support for pre-existing groups and the emergence of new initiatives. It has also given us the capacity to mount public events that draw additional people in. (Visit the .Planet Shaftesbury website)

How do we communicate with our wider community?
When seeking publicity for a public event we’ve used:

• Posters … displayed at bus-stops; convenience stores; take-aways; telegraph poles by schools, along main walking routes and around town centre;
• Local press … a valuable and increasingly rare resource, for us now only the Blackmore Vale Magazine;
• Nextdoor … use of this ‘neighbourhood app’ has increased during the pandemic (nextdoor.co.uk);
• Other places people gather … no leisure centre here but the community choir can attract up to 100 people and is a useful forum;
• Local radio … Shaftesbury community activist, Keri Jones, had launched a periodic podcast prior to the pandemic and rapidly geared up to make this a daily (c. 1/2 hour) service for our area (The Alfred Daily). Keri and a group of volunteers have more recently been granted a broadcast radio license. (thisisalfred.com)

Any special happenings in February?
Karen Wimhurst's chamber opera about Plastics has been adapted for online presentation. Karen is an environmental activist and professional musician and composer, a co-leader of Shaftesbury’s Community Choir, and one of the founder members of Planet Shaftesbury. You can hear an interview with her on the Alfred Daily podcast for 5 February, book tickets for the premier, and find out about other ways to hear the opera here.