Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth

On Saturday 26^th of April, Carol, Chris, Brenda and Françoise went to London for a day of training and sharing, organised by HQ for the South East FoE groups. These free regular gatherings, aimed at anyone interested, are a great way of building an understanding of what is at the forefront of our current and future campaigning, and get positive tips.

In the morning we heard short feedbacks from local groups actions on the current campaigns: mainly anti-fracking; the F word is a dirty word; the Bee Cause, and on more specific local issues such as pollution; use of land (Heathrow) and planning issues; networking for and with the clothes industry; the food we consume; involving young people.

We were also briefed about the campaigns FoE is developing, for instance on Marine, and Flooding, issues. The ongoing support for clean energy is underlying and merging with other budding campaigns. With the Bee Cause campaign having been so successful, it is soon to be transformed via the Run on Sun campaign. This is about solar panels on schools roofs, but not uniquely; it is about a whole school approach to the environment, to encompass a better understanding for all, including children, of how energy is produced, why dirty energy is so wrong, etc.

new volunteer groups venue by Camden canal

In the afternoon, we chose a workshop each to help us design activities, and publicising ideas around 4 main themes: Flooding, Pollution, the fracking is a dirty word campaign, Run on Sun. In other words, what FoE is doing is helping us transform negative actions and trains of thought into positive, achievable actions, and lobbying, for the coming year.

We would very much encourage anyone who is interested in the above to get in touch with us to share what they think they could do to help out. It takes all sorts of people to campaign – some talk, some read, some write, some prepare material and stunts, some are visionaries and some are detail people who remember what others have forgotten – we need you all.

And of course there is always a bit of time to enjoy life with like-minded friends. This time we had sandwiches together outside the new volunteer groups venue in Camden by the canal. Also, on the way we spotted a stunning London Wildlife Trust vertical plants wall, with bees enjoying their flowers. It’s good to know that FoE’s trailblazing messages, backed by serious consultations and research and which often go against current ideas or practice, can produce massive changes in time, because other organisations join us, working on similar causes and aims.

London Wildlife Trust vertical plants wall