Climate engagement activities hailed a success!

In Spring 2024, In-Situ was invited by Pendle Borough Council to develop and deliver a community engagement programme around climate change that linked into Pendle at 50.

The emphasis was on events and informal engagement across the borough, with a focus on Bradley Ward in Nelson – with funding from Bradley Big Local - and schools and young people, with a steer around single-use plastics, recycling and green transport.

During last year, events were held in Brierfield and Nelson for young people, community, culture and youth workers, Pendle councillors and business leaders using a Climate Fresk - a globally adopted climate engagement tool to help people look at the complex challenges of the climate crisis.

There were also training events; street-based quizzes and conversations in Nelson and Barnoldswick town centres; Talkaoke conversations on themes of food, housing, transport and consumption and an all-day event titled ‘Inside Out’ held at The Muni Theatre in Colne.

Councillor Asjad Mahmood, Leader of Pendle Borough Council, said: “In-Situ opted to take an experimental and collaborative approach, based on education, listening and dialogue and combining proven tools and methods to get the message of the current climate crisis across to the various audiences.

“They found this worked in engaging people over a long period, building relationships, deepening knowledge and moving people from scepticism or not being engaged with climate change to feeling heard.”

The results from the events held:

• Total number of individuals engaged: 129

• Number of Bradley residents engaged: 72

• Total number of young people engaged (age 14-25): 77 / 60% of total

• Estimated direct engagements as part of street-based work: 100

• Schools and Colleges engaged: Park High, Nelson & Colne College, Marsden Heights,

Pendle Vale

• Total number in Pendle now qualified as Climate Fresk facilitators: 10

• Total attendees at Inside Out Pendle: 102

• Proportion who live and work in Nelson at Inside-Out Pendle: 76%

Councillor Sarah Cockburn-Price, Chair of the Climate Change Working Group, added: “We hosted a number of interactive and thought-provoking sessions to delve into climate change, how it affects us all as a direct result of human activities and the opportunities for positive, long-term change.

“This approach empowered participants to take action and knowledgeably share the urgency of the climate crisis with others.

“We also saw the benefit of bringing different generations and cultures together to engage with the complexity of these issues, including the conflicts that arise.”

Councillor Zafar Ali, Pendle Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change, added: “It’s important that people understand what climate change is and what it is doing to our environment.

“These events educated those who attended and proved to be a great success with some very positive feedback received. We now need to build on this and keep people aware of our changing world.”