The first Imagining Hope: the Future of our Communities public event took place in St John’s Church on Wednesday 14 January, organised by Father Gary Collins and West Berkshire Councillor and member of St John’s congregation, Carolyne Culver. About sixty people attended the event and the engagement was very positive.
On the night, Carolyne explained how many people feel fearful for the future – because of climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, poverty and inequality, isolation, and the forces in society that stoke division, among other issues. And that this fear can result in people staying at home, not wanting to volunteer and get involved in the community because the issues we face today can be so depressing.
The event featured short presentations by local groups (see list below) to acknowledge what has already been achieved, and be inspired by it.
The second half of the evening involved one to one conversations about a) the concerns we have as individuals and local community leaders about the current social and political climate we find ourselves in, b) what is our hopeful vision for the future of our communities, and c) how can we work together to achieve this vision.
Carolyne is going to collate all the comments and suggestions to feed back to the participants. If you missed the event you can watch the recording here but would like to find out more, or join the Imagining Hope whatsapp group, please contact Carolyne on 07976 374146 or carolyneculver@hotmail.com.
Presentations given by the following speakers:
Berks Bucks Oxon Wildlife Trust – Clare Hegarty
website: bbowt.org.uk
facebook page: bbowildlifetrust
Newbury Friends of the Earth/Nature Corridors – Susan Millington
website: Newbury Friends of the Earth
facebook group: Friends of the Earth Newbury
Nature & Climate Network (formerly West Berkshire Green Exchange) – Pat Glover
website: wbge.org.uk
facebook page: WestBerkshireGreenExchange
Berkshire Youth – Kerrie Hiscock
website: berkshireyouth.co.uk
facebook page: berkshireyouth
Community Cafes – David Willetts
Myrtle Cafe website: Myrtle Café – Shaw Church
Speen Cafe website and facebook: Speen Community Cafe
Community United – Alice Kunjappy-Clifton
website: Community United – Culturally Better Together
facebook: Facebook
Howard Grace – filmmaker: The Hardest Bridge (about conflict resolution)
Muslim Centre – Leigh Polding
website: West Berkshire Muslim Centre
facebook page: ourWBMC
Newbury Pride – Andrea Brookes
website: newburypride.org.uk
facebook page: NewburyPride
Rank and File drama group – Jude Haste
website: Rank & File Theatre
facebook: Facebook
St Bart’s School – Anna Barrett, Sustainability Lead
website: St Bart’s School
facebook: Facebook
Wash Common ward councillor – David Marsh on the saving of Wash Common Library
Winchcombe Care UK’s Generations of Change project – Vicki Lambourne and Ally Davenport
website: Care UK Generations of Change
facebook page: Winchombe Place
