Community Led Planning - Oxfordshire Thermal Imaging Project
SERCC is the Regional organisation for the eight Rural Community Action Charities in the SE. We support Rural Communities to address sustainability issues by offering advice on cutting CO2 emissions, Energy Audits for Community Buildings, the set up of Community Shops and Farmers Markets selling local produce, Community Transport and ECO friendly Affordable Housing.
One of the key vehicles for addressing the sustainability agenda is the Community Led Plan. This process underpins a community’s vision for itself across all aspects of social, environmental and economic life. It celebrates positive features and activities in the community, highlights needs and contains a detailed action plan to help the community meet those needs.
Community Led Plans are produced by and for communities, based on a detailed survey and consultation which is widely inclusive, prompts action and influences others. Good plans, use the Community Led Planning Toolkit framework, are supported by external facilitators from the Rural Community Action Network and include a robust evaluation process that ensures their quality. Every Community Led Plan has an Environmental Steering Group and to date 807 Community Led Plans have been delivered in the SE. Many of the Environmental Groups within the SE are extremely proactive in delivering the "Green Agenda" within their communities.
Oxfordshire Rural Community Council supported Brightwell-cum-Sotwell in the delivery of their Plan. Volunteers from the Environment Group organised a workshop on “Sustainable Energy for the Home” in spring of 2007 which showcased the benefits of using a Thermal Imaging Camera, to identify heat loss areas in housing and community buildings. The group supported by the Parish Council, submitted a proposal to South Oxfordshire District Council who funded the purchase of a camera to loan out to communities and also financed the training of six members of the group.
The following spring 60 properties, including the School and Community Hall were surveyed using the camera and the results were disseminated to the community who also received a copy of a “Brief Guide to Energy Saving”. This publication highlights practical steps to save energy and was prepared by the Environmental Group in consultation with the Energy Efficiency Advice Centre. The Study won a £500 award in the Oxfordshire Climate Change Communities Competition, organised by the Oxfordshire Climate Xchange Project. A follow up event will take place in November 2008, when the 60 properties will be surveyed once more, to ascertain what action has been taken and the benefits that have been delivered.
Links with the local primary school have been improved since the plan and the Environmental Group worked with the school to organise an "Eco Day". The aim of the day was to discuss with the children the changes we can all make to help save our planet and cut CO2. The children discussed the results from the Thermal Imaging Study. This event was supported by partnership organisations including ORCC, the Energy Efficiency Advice Centre and TV Energy.
The Environmental Group have also worked with Conservation Officers to develop and promote community use of the Millennium Wood and Wellsprings Pond.
Contact Email:
Organisation:
SERCC - South East Rural Community Councils
Funding Details:
Thermal Imaging Camera and Training of Volunteers funded by South Oxfordshire District Council.
Community Led Plan Process supported by Oxfordshire Rural Community Council a member of the National Rural Community Action Network. Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Community Led Plan Case Study funded by SERCC - The South East Rural Community Councils.
Time expertise and resources volunteered by the Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Environmental Group.
Website relating to case study:
http://www.brightwellcumsotwell.co.uk
Organisation’s website:
http://www.sercc.org.uk, http://www.oxonrcc.org.uk
Keywords relating to this case study:
EDUCATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, STRATEGY, BRIGHTWELL-CUM-SOTWELL THERMAL IMAGING PROJECT
South East groups case study relates to:
Communities
