NailsworthCAN works with citizens, community groups, political representatives and businesses to support actions to reduce the town’s carbon footprint and to promote health & wellbeing, sustainability and a positive future for the town. As householders and active citizens, we can all make a difference. We celebrate and share positive experiences and meaningful action. We need your help, so please join us.
Meet the core team
Meet the current members of the NailsworthCAN Steering Group:
Richard Erskine is a scientist turned artist, longstanding resident of Nailsworth with 2 grandchildren, and co-founder of NailsworthCAN. He has given talks on climate change to Rotary and other groups. He is passionate about education for all ages, on practical solutions like retrofit and renewable heat, and bringing together all the talents in the town. Richard started Climate Corner in Nailsworth Library.
Sally Thorpe co-founded NailsworthCAN in 2017. She served on Nailsworth Town Council for 9 years till 2016 and has a background in local government specializing in policy implementation.
Matt Partridge is the Development Director of REG Power Management, an onshore wind and solar project development company. He is the treasurer of NailsworthCAN and is also leading on a project to install a solar roof at Minchinhampton Primary Academy.
Kat Parker is a GP and mother of four children living in Watledge. She is interested in integrative medicine and gardening. Within NailsworthCAN she is leading in Health and Wellbeing which cuts across all our interest areas.
Jennifer Adams is a family photographer and former teacher based in Theescombe. She is part of the communications team for NailsworthCAN and is passionate about vegan cooking.
Jenny Bowers is an illustrator and art director who lives in Horsley. She is part of the communications team for NailsworthCAN and loves trying to grow flowers and vegetables.
Rachael Emous-Austin is a Director of Austin Design Works, an architecture and landscape studio in Nailsworth. She uses her experience in planning and design to help frame NailsworthCAN’s climate actions. She is also a mother of two.
Emma Austin is part of the communications team and worked in magazine editorial for many years. She lives in Nailsworth and joined the group to get involved with the local community and learn more about climate change.
Kevin Hibbs a former civil engineer, senior project and design manager in the construction sector. He has a wide background in environment and sustainability management, including as a Board Member of Bristol Green Capital and delivery of leading edge projects, including the Welsh Assembly Senedd Building and Pinewood Film Studios. Kevin is a keen gardener and looks after NailsworthCAN's Food and Agriculture programme.
Our Members
We have over 100 members with different interests, experiences, and knowledge, as part of a wider team. We’d love to hear from you, so that you can be part of the NailsworthCAN team, working in community groups, businesses, churches and schools, to put words into actions, and to grow the network of action across the town.
As NailsworthCAN our approach is to encourage and support the efforts of community groups, businesses, schools, churches and the Nailsworth Town Council. Sometimes we will lead an initiative, while on other occasions provide practical support to projects led by other groups, offering expertise when needed. Sometime we see our role as simply getting the conversation going and providing the catalyst action.
We are inclusive and not affiliated to any political party.
Solution Themes
There are many ways that we can - as householders and as a community - reduce our carbon footprint and improve the health & well-being of the town. We have grouped these under 6 sub-headings or ‘themes’. You will see when you navigate to Practical Tips and at Solutions, the same visual prompts will appear to help make sense of the ideas we want to share.
Why is this important to the town?
Climate change can seem quite abstract, but the impacts are real enough and already being felt (the Arctic and Australia may seem far away, but everywhere will experience the impacts - directly or indirectly - of global warming in due course, and we are no exception). If there are crop failures in far off places, they can impact on us. If there are major dislocations in countries, with mass emigrations, they can impact us. With climate change, what happens abroad, doesn’t necessarily stay abroad. Action is needed on both moral grounds and self-interest grounds.
Acting on the climate emergency is sometimes framed as taking things away (stopping this or that activity), but we see the positive things that the transition to a low-carbon future can bring. There are endless possiblilities to enjoy those things that really matter to most to us: family, community and nature. The benefits will have a very real impact for the people of towns like ours.
Some people talk about ‘co-benefits’ and there are six types of co-benefit we can identify when we talk about solutions for the town. These will be referred to when we discuss potential Projects for the town.
A few examples of co-benefits:
If we work to reduce the pollution from vehicles, we can reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, but also the gases and particulates that are bad for our health, and encourage greater use of bikes and walking which will also be good for our health & wellbeing;
If we work to reduce the impact of extreme weather events on the town, such as the recent flooding Nailsworth experienced (which are projected to become more frequent in coming years), this will help create greater resilience for the town;
Supporting local food producers and outlets can reduce the emissions associated with our diets, and help the local economy;
As we move away from gas to heat our homes with ‘renewable heat’ (such as air-source heat pumps), we to will lobby for affordable solutions, and fairness for all.
What if we use our imagination to build a better future?
A lot of us were inspired by Rob Hopkins' book, ‘From What is to What If’: Unleashing the power of imagination to create the future we want’, after Rob came to Nailsworth to give a talk about his book in 2019. Rob Hopkins is an author, environmentalist and co-founder of the Transition Movement.
Rob Hopkins proposed an inspiring new approach to tackling the issues of our time. He posed a series of questions that urge us to start thinking more positively about the future and to use our imaginations to come up with creative solutions. He showed examples of communities across the world that have taken the ‘what if’ approach in areas such as education and agriculture and are thriving as a result. The talk left us feeling very inspired and we’d like to open up the conversation here in Nailsworth - what does a good future look like in our town and how can we collectively work towards it? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
The book encouraged us to ask, what if we could create a vibrant future for Nailsworth which was both more sustainable and fair to all? What if we did this in a way that was great for people’s health & wellbeing - physical & mental - and for our natural environment? What if we could avoid the worst impacts of global warming by reducing our carbon footprint? Instead of trying to solve the problems with old thinking, we need to inspire people to use their skills and imagination to think of innovative ways to create a fairer, greener future.
‘From What Is To What If’ is must read for anyone who wants to take positive action. You can order the book at Nailsworth’s Yellow Lighted Bookshop. (which can also recommend a range of literary and other books pertinent to climate change).
