Global site (in English)
Brazil (Português)
Deutschland (Deutsch)
España (Español)
Portugal (Português)
France (Français)
Suisse (Français)
A Gloucestershire village came together: Climate Fresk
- Standish Parish Council
At a glance
"A safe space to explore and gain knowledge about the climate in a friendly and non-pressured way."
— Workshop participant
The challenge: After declaring a climate emergency in 2019, this rural Gloucestershire parish lost momentum during Covid-19 and struggled to re-engage local residents on climate action.
The solution: A community Climate Fresk workshop brought 16 people together to collaboratively explore climate science and what they could do about it.
Partners: Standish Parish Council and Transition Stroud
Location: Standish, Gloucestershire
Date: June 2024
Interested in seeing how we can help your
organisation achieve similar results?
The Challenge
From declaration to action: re-engaging a rural community on climate emergency
Standish is a rural parish in Gloucestershire where residents care deeply about their landscape and environment. Like many communities, the Parish Council declared a climate emergency in 2019. But after losing momentum during the Covid-19 pandemic, they struggled to re-engage residents on climate action in a meaningful way.
The Solution
Local community network
In June 2024, the Parish Council partnered with Transition Stroud to bring Climate Fresk to their village. Transition Stroud is a network working across the wider district to help inspire action for a sustainable future for the communities, they are able to offer financial support through their Facilitation Fund.
Gathered at the village hall on a Saturday afternoon (with no no-shows!), participants collaboratively built their understanding of climate science through the Climate Fresk format. The mix of Standish residents and neighbours from nearby areas created valuable connections and sparked discussions that continue today.
Alison Widgery, Standish Parish Council:
The Climate Fresk information cards encouraged much discussion and thought about the positive contributions that we, as individuals, could make to lowering carbon emissions and enhancing biodiversity. It was a great workshop that left us with actions we could take and a feeling that we could continue to work together to make a difference.
Key Results
Building momentum for collective climate action
Participants particularly valued how the workshop helped them understand the interconnectedness of climate issues, leaving them feeling « challenged » in the best way – energised rather than overwhelmed, with clear ideas for action.
Jess Farr, Coordinator at Transition Stroud, took part in the workshop and thought it was « a great way to unpick the issues and learn more about the complex problem of climate change in a supportive group. »
The bigger impact:
After losing momentum during the pandemic, the Parish Council found an approach that successfully re-engaged the community on climate action. People didn’t just learn – they connected, and those connections continue to grow in different ways:
- Cross-parish collaboration – A follow-up biodiversity-focused workshop was organised in March 2026, again jointly by Standish Parish Council and Transition Stroud. It was a success with full attendance by neighbouring parish councils, local climate action groups and residents.
- Deeper rural connections – Standish Parish Council has been inviting local farmers to contribute to their newsletter, sharing their direct experiences with climate change and its impact on local agriculture.
- Ripple effect beyond Standish – Volunteer facilitators were motivated by the positive experience and have been offering more free community workshops further afield, in Gloucester, Bristol and Cardiff.
Jess Farr, Coordinator at Transition Stroud:
We were delighted to support a Climate Fresk in Standish, as we know there are a lot of people in this part of our District who would love to take more action on the climate and biodiversity crises, but who lack the right support, connections or confidence to make it happen. Supporting Standish Parish Council to run these thoughtful sessions is our way of helping local people to introduce themselves, connect with their neighbours, and take their first steps towards action together.