A screening of The People’s Emergency Briefing in Haslemere was a hard-hitting wake-up call about the impacts of climate change.

After the screening, speakers from local organisations highlighted some of the environmental challenges facing our communities, from food and biodiversity to waste, energy and climate change. The message from the speakers was clear: while the scale of the challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming, local action can make a real difference.

Growing food with nature in mind

Ed from Ed’s Veg in Liphook spoke about the role small farms can play in tackling both the climate and biodiversity crises.

The farm grows organically, without chemical inputs, using open-pollinated seeds and hundreds of different vegetable varieties. Soil health and biodiversity are at the heart of the approach, with cover crops and green manures helping to build organic matter, retain moisture and provide habitats and food for beneficial insects.

The farm also has an important community role. As well as supplying London restaurants, Ed’s Veg supports local food banks and a day care centre with fresh vegetables. Its local box scheme currently supplies around 60 families, with donated holiday-box payments helping to fund food for the community.

Ed highlighted the financial pressures faced by small farms, particularly when competing with cheaper imported produce. He also encouraged people to support local farms and get involved in future volunteer days.

Turning waste into a community resource

The work of Love Haslemere Hate Waste was also highlighted, with its founder, Victoria Page, explaining how a small community can take practical steps to reduce waste and encourage reuse.

Since launching in 2019, the group has established two repair cafés, where around 20 volunteer repairers have repaired approximately 1,200 items over five years.

In 2022, the Library of Things was launched at Haslemere Library, offering more than 70 items that people can borrow rather than buy. From garden equipment to party crockery and an ice-cream maker, the scheme aims to reduce unnecessary consumption while making useful items available to the community.

The Haslemere Community Fridge, launched in 2024, is another major part of the project. Around 60 volunteers collect surplus food from retailers and redistribute it through the fridge at Pathways.

In the eight months, the project had rescued and redistributed around 50 tonnes of food, reaching approximately 5,000 people.

The message was simple: good surplus food needs to be eaten rather than thrown away, and everyone can help by spreading the word and making use of the community fridge.

Protecting Haslemere’s wildlife

Haslemere Biodiversity spoke about the practical work being undertaken to protect and restore the town’s wildlife and habitats.

The volunteer-led group has been building an evidence base for nature recovery, including the mapping of the Haslemere Ecological Network. The network covers the parish and includes more than 40 designated nature conservation sites and public green spaces, linked by more than 140 wildlife corridors.

One of its most visible recent projects has been the Haslemere Swift Recovery Project, established in response to falling swift numbers and the loss of traditional nesting sites.

Three Swift Streets have been established in Beacon Hill, Shottermill and High Lane. Following an appeal to residents, more than 100 applications were received, with 46 boxes and 19 nest bricks already installed on 41 properties and more planned.

The group is also working on projects involving hazel dormice, hedgehogs, pollinators and water voles, as well as restoring wildlife corridors and recording ancient, veteran and notable trees.

Volunteers are welcome, whether they have specialist knowledge, practical skills or simply a few hours to spare.

Taking control of energy use

Cat Reeby, from the Surrey Home Energy Advice Team, focused on something that every household can influence: the energy used at home.

The community-run initiative provides free and impartial advice, including home visits and talks for local groups.

Cat emphasised that relatively simple measures can reduce household energy use. Draught-proofing, drawing curtains at night, avoiding unnecessary standby use and understanding which appliances consume the most energy can all make a difference.

She also encouraged people to look at their energy bills and smart meters to understand where their energy is being used.

For those wanting to go further, measures such as loft insulation, solar panels and heat pumps can also play a role. Surrey County Council's Solar Together scheme was highlighted as another initiative to watch out for.

The team is also looking for people who would like to become home energy champions, helping friends and neighbours with energy-saving advice. Home energy visits can include thermal imaging to show where heat is escaping from a property.

Small actions, big impact

The event organiser, Marta Zietkiewicz of Transition Haslemere, in her summing up speech stated, “Although these projects are very different, they share a common theme: practical action within the local community. Whether it is growing food sustainably, repairing rather than replacing, rescuing surplus food, providing homes for swifts or reducing energy use, the speakers demonstrated that there are many ways for local people to get involved. But climate action is complex, and no one can do it alone. Individuals, community groups, businesses and politicians each have a part to play, and we need to work together if we are to avoid the worst of what the film sets out.”

The afternoon's message was perhaps best summed up by the story of the girl returning stranded starfish to the sea one at a time: we may not be able to solve every problem, but we can take action and make small differences in Haslemere.