South Warwickshire Unites for Climate and Nature

Communities, councils, and sustainability partners came together at the Royal Leamington Spa Town Hall for the inaugural South Warwickshire Local Climate Engagement Programme (LCEP) event - a collaborative day focused on accelerating locally-led climate and nature action across the region and helping to build a cleaner, greener, fairer future for all. The LCEP is a partnership programme run by climate officers from Stratford and Warwick District Councils, as well as the Warwickshire Association of Local Councils (WALC).

In the morning, climate officers and community partners led workshops on biodiversity and pollinator projects, flood prevention and adaptation, and energy efficiency and retrofit schemes. In the afternoon, delegates took part in networking, exhibitions, and sessions with a wide range of organisations operating across South Warwickshire, and the climate and sustainability teams from Stratford-on-Avon, Warwick District Council, and Warwickshire County Council.

Morning Workshops

• Biodiversity - With harm to nature and wildlife a top concern among the UK population, positive initiatives such as Bee Friendly Leamington and Sustainable Wellesbourne's Open Gardens for Wildlife were showcased as inspiring and replicable examples of community-led biodiversity action. The Wilder Communities Project is funded by Stratford and Warwick District Councils and works to improve education grounds, community green spaces and other publicly accessible areas for nature.
• Adaptation - Local projections for Warwickshire indicate warmer, wetter winters; hotter, drier summers; and more frequent extreme weather events. Vulnerable residents, infrastructure, and ecosystems face increased risks from flooding, heatwaves, and storm damage. The workshop encouraged delegates to explore practical local responses such as tree planting, sustainable landscaping, community cool spaces, and other nature-based solutions. Great Alne Parish Council presented their innovative Drain Guardians Programme - an effective example of council and community-led flood alleviation. The working group now aims to strengthen partnerships with farmers and landowners to "slow the flow" through natural flood management, combining large-scale interventions like leaky dams with practical household-level actions. Their Lengthsman scheme also supports essential maintenance and provides "local eyes on the ground" for ongoing monitoring.
• Energy Efficiency & Retrofit - Delegates explored practical strategies to tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions within their communities. The session, led by Act-on Energy, covered key funding schemes such as the Warm Homes Local Grant and Warwickshire Household Support Fund, and offered insights into low-carbon technologies like solar panels and heat pumps. Participants engaged in discussions around historic housing challenges, energy efficiency upgrades, and how to better support vulnerable households. Visit their website here. 

Building Local Networks for Climate and Nature

After a plant-based lunch, delegates also enjoyed networking opportunities, exhibition stalls, and drop-in sessions with organisations Act on Energy, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, and Midlands Net Zero Hub. Both Warwick District Council and Stratford-on-Avon District Council were represented by their Climate Change Officers, alongside the Warwickshire County Council Sustainable Futures Team and Local Nature Partnership. Together, they shared guidance, funding updates, and examples of partnership working that are helping to align local priorities with regional climate and nature ambitions.

The event also saw representation from the region's growing environmental networks. Members of the Low Carbon Warwickshire Network (LCWN) and the South Warwickshire Area Network for Wildlife (SWAN) joined local partners to showcase community-led initiatives tackling energy, biodiversity, and resilience challenges.

Next Steps and Ongoing Collaboration

The Local Climate Engagement Programme will build on the success of this event through future webinars, shared learning opportunities, and collaborative projects designed to strengthen local capacity for action.

Moving forward, the programme will look to work directly with local councils, charities and community groups to create climate action plans, and help to deliver green projects. The programme also aims to build up an invaluable pool of resources for these groups to access on our LCE website, which will go live soon.

The offer to collaborate with local councils, charities and community groups is now open. For more information or to explore collaboration opportunities, future events, or partnership working, please contact the LCEP team:

Stratford-on-Avon District: localclimateengagement@stratford-dc.gov.uk 

Warwick District: swclimate.engagement@warwickdc.gov.uk