Mental Wellbeing Assembly - Join us!
Saturday, 10th of May
1:30pm - 5:00pm
The Swan Hotel
Tea & coffee provided FREE -
This event is FREE! Booking essential
please bring cake to share, if you can!
Please arrive at 1:30pm for a prompt start at 2:00pm - Our Assembly ends at 5:00pm
The Climate Crisis is here, and it shows no signs of easing. So, what can be done about it? Here in Hay-on-Wye we have a plan...
The Hay Community Resilience Initiative plans to support the people of Hay-on-Wye to reduce their carbon footprint as well as increase their resilience and mental wellbeing in the face of an unstable future.
Our model utilises the new public library service in Powys to run Community Assemblies that bring people together to participate in deliberative democracy.
By coming together, discussing issues and making collective decisions the Hay Community Resilience Initiative supports the people of Hay-on-Wye and surrounding villages to take agency over their future and builds a sense of hope, purpose and belonging through community cohesion.
Our approach empowers local people to work together to reduce our personal and collective carbon footprint upon the planet. We will navigate a just transition from a fossil fuel dependent economy to a fossil-fuel-free circular economy.
The model is a carefully considered joined-up approach based on three pillars: Food, Wellbeing and Energy.
Approaching the issues of Food, Energy and Wellbeing simultaneously is a holistic, big picture response to modern challenges. While each pillar will operate independently to address specific issues, the pillars also interlock and support each other cooperatively, making the project as a whole financially self-sustaining. Dealing with these three areas simultaneously is key to the success of the model.
Our key objectives are:
1. Achieve self-sufficiency in agroecological food by 2030
2. Achieve self-sufficiency in community-owned renewable energy by 2035
3. Foster a culture of support and wellbeing within the community, where neighbour looks out for neighbour, aiming to reduce the need for NHS support as the climate crisis intensifies
According to figures from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Management Plan 2023-2028 (p.131), with the successful delivery of the Hay Community Resilience Initiative we can achieve:
A 22% cut in carbon emissions arising from food production and consumption.
A 31% cut in non-CO2 emissions arising from land use as a result of habitat restoration, land use change, and sustainable farming practices.
A 51% cut in emissions arising from energy usage as a result of energy efficiency, with a shift away from fossil fuels to heat and power homes, services, and businesses.
As well as addressing climate issues, this model will weave citizen participation and deliberative democracy into the fabric of community life.
Hay Community Resilience Initiative
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Do you have ideas, skills, thoughts or anything else that could contribute to the success of this project?
If so we'd love to hear from you. Let's keep the conversation going.
Mental Wellbeing Assembly - Join us!