What's coming up

Ask the Climate Question

Very soon we will be having a General Election.  As Swindon has two marginal seats, this means that we will soon be getting much more attention than normal from national politicians of all political parties.  This gives us, ordinary members of the public, the opportunity to influence national politics in a way that does not normally happen, because at election time they will listen to the issues raised if enough people happen to mention them.  Door-step canvassers, opinion pollsters, political agents as well as the politicians themselves will be out in force to get an idea of public opinion and to identifiy any bandwagon they can jump on if they think they can get support.
 
With this in mind, a group of non-government organisations (which includes Oxfam, Greenpeace and RSPB) have got together to campaign in the 50 most marginal constituencies (that includes Swindon South) to get the subject of climate change onto the political agenda at the election.  The campaign is called 'Ask the Climate Question' and is being lead in Swindon South by WWF, supported by SCAN.  A 'Climate Change Question Time' event has been organised on Thursday 29th April, 7.30-9.30pm at The Pilgrim Centre, Regent Circus, Swindon, SN1 1PX  to which anyone will be welcome to question the prospective candidates. (This is in addition to a more general political election question time at the Wyvern Theatre on Monday 26th April at 7pm)
 
Climate change is seen as the biggest single threat to human life by all environmental charities and development agencies, but it is highly likely that politicians will try to ignore it at the election as it requires too many difficult decisions.  So this campaign is trying to change this and is calling on individuals to raise the issue with politicians, in person, in letters to the press, in emails and by writing letters.  The challenge is for us to 'Ask the Climate Question'.
Download a poster to advertise this event.
Download a leaflet to advertise this event.

 

 

 

 

What you missed

SCAN members will be attended the Wiltshire World Changers networking event at Wroughton on January 23rd

 

Tuesday 22nd December,  Swindon South MP, Anne Snelgrove, had a meeting about the Copenhagen Summit.  Several SCAN members attended and feedback forms submitted for Ed Miliband.

 

Copenhagen - UN Climate Emergency Conference - Andy and Gina from SCAN travelled by coach (24hrs there, 24hrs back!) to spend the weekend of 12 - 13 December in Denmark.  Andy was interviewed on Heart radio news in the Swindon area.

 

He was also on BBC Wiltshire radio talking against Swindon council's plans to remove cycle lanes in favour of increasing car parking spaces....

 

Saturday 12th December -  a candlelit vigil in Swindon town centre as part of the Avaaz campaign to focus on the Copenhagen summit. See the photos.

 

Saturday 5th December:  A coach load from the Swindon area joined The Wave in London ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. SCAN regulars marched alongside others from Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, church groups, Green Party and others. Wiltshire Wildlife also laid on coaches from elsewhere in the county, Marlborough Climate Pledge were there too, as was Climate Friendly Bradford on Avon.  

 

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From further afield, we bumped onto SCAN founder Ruth Baker (as was) who had come up by train from Exeter, with very young daughter in tow.  Other marchers had left Liverpool at 5am, Penzance at 4.30am and Holyhead at 4am!!  And coaches were waiting from all across the country - Aberystwyth, Stockport, all over the place! 

 

Somehow, four from SCAN got priority passes and after the march went to a Q&A session with Ed Miliband, Minister for Energy & Climate Change.  Poppy from SCAN even got to ask a question!  

 

 

 

BBC & ITV news gave good coverage to the march on their main evening news.

 

 See more photos and videos.

 

 

 

Tuesday 24th November SCAN and Swindon Film Society presented a showing of the film 'The Yes Men Fix the World' at The Victoria, Old Town.  About 40 people came along on what was a cold and wet evening.

 

Described as funny and satirical with a broadly environmental theme and the blurb says “a screwball story that follows a couple of gonzo political activists as they infiltrate the world of big business and pull off a couple of pranks that expose how corporate greed is destroying the planet”.

 

There is a trailer on their distributor’s website: www.dogwoof.com

 

17th October: The Great Persuasion. Climate change campaigners and faith groups gathered for a lobby of Anne Snelgrove MP ahead of the climate change summit in Copenhagen this December. See the photos.

 

15th March: Age of Stupid people's premiere.

 

 

 

 

14th February 2009: SPARK (Save the Park And Ride Campaign) held a photo call at the threatened Groundwell park & ride site and were interviewed along with Michael Wills MP, by ITV News. See some photos and a video.

 

22nd December 2008: The Beehive's Charity Christmas night was held in aid of Swindon Climate Action Network. See some video clips from the night here.

 

6th December 2008: Campaign against Climate Change march and rally in London - read about it, see the photos and watch the videos here.

 

You've missed the SCAN TALK on October 15 2008: Lead Councillor for Highways, Peter Greenhalgh, on transport policy for Swindon: read about it here and watch the video here!

 

Read what the SCAN transport group had to say in the community vision for sustainable public transport

 

 

Transition Town Swindon

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