Author: Malcolm Peacock

“Transform Not Reform” conference

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Over 50 people came to this trade union sponsored event in Preston on 20th September. Climate Action Preston were invited to speak on “Make Polluters Pay” and climate reparations. Climate campaigners and anti-fracking activists were among the speakers and attenders.

Climate change was a theme running through both morning and afternoon sessions, in terms of –

  • the threat from Reform and the far right in general to any climate-friendly policies (including Reform’s links with the fossil fuel industry)
  • how we counter that threat and climate denial
  • what strategies and visions we can offer, compared with mainstream parties and the far right
  • the impact of climate change on ordinary people here and round the world
  • the different kinds of responses possible to that impact


There was a discussion about a campaign to counterpose green jobs to BAE and similar jobs. Preliminary work would gather information about climate jobs – what is needed locally, how many can be sustained – alongside spotlighting the human and environmental cost of the arms trade. A “swords to ploughshares” proposal like the Lucas Plan would be a great medium term goal.

CAP had a small stall with some demand for leaflets and stickers. Helen Rimmer the NW FoE regional organiser was there, and we spoke to Green Party members as well as a range of supportive trade unionists. These included Clara Paillard from Tipping Point, also founder of the UNITE Climate Caucus which has been fighting the fossil fuel supporters within that union, and Chris Baugh former PCS leader and cofounder of the original Climate Jobs report. A special mention also to Toby McKenzie-Barnes a young but experienced member of the Workers’ Climate Project.

And finally big thanks to Andy Cunningham (Secretary of Chorley Trades Council) for calling the event, and to all those who helped to make it useful informative and welcoming. We understand that further events and actions under this banner will be called.

Warm Homes Event

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Living-future accredited Architect Ann Vanner gave a presentation about home energy efficiency at the recent CAP ‘Warm Homes’ event. She stressed the need for adequate ventilation for indoor health.
The model house at the Climate Emergency Centre is being ‘retrofitted’ to show many actions that can be taken to reduce money and carbon emissions leaking from homes.
Ann’s presentation is now on the ‘Warmer Homes’ project page.

Lush raises money for CAP

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CAP is very grateful to Lush Fishergate for the invite to take part in their ‘Charity Pot’ event. CAP promotional materials were handed to customers, They were asked to sign the ‘United for Warm Homes’ petition and the campaign quilt was on display. Revenue for all the shop’s weekend’s sales of the ‘Charity Pot’ product which amounted to £274.65 was donated to CAP! What a fabulous result!

Celebrating Earth Day

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Volunteers at the Dobcroft Urban Nature Reserve in Ingol were treated to an expert ‘birding’ session for ‘Earth Day’. Lancs Wildlife Trust’s Joel Micklethwaite pinpointed blackcaps, great tits and goldfinch by their calls. Robins also sang loudly but they stayed in plain sight! The volunteer ‘land management team’ conserve nature and wildlife on the five-acre site specifically for Great Crested Newts but diverse native flora and fauna are also increasing in the ponds, meadows and woods. 150+ local people visited for the recent Spring Open Day.

Warm homes petition

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Sheets of signatures on the ‘United for warm homes’ Friends of the Earth petition collected at CAP events have been sent to Mark Hendrick as he returned as Preston MP to Westminster.
In the debate after the Kings speech, Sir Mark spoke in favour of community energy projects and the benefits to come from Great British Energy.
FoE estimates that £6 billion a year is needed nationally to properly fund insulation schemes to curb heat loss from homes. In Preston 53% of homes are rated EPC D or below, that’s 22,765 households with unnecessarily high energy bills. There are 25 ‘hotspots’ in the Preston constituency where incomes are below average but bills are above average.