The Creative Climate Communication event at Gateway Hub in Fishguard, organised by Transition Bro Gwaun in partnership with us, was a great day of fun, laughing and sharing. Before even entering the building, the colourful, powerful mural painted by local school children and youth groups outside on the wall was impossible to avoid and so it proved the starting inspiration to a very encouraging day. The building was at capacity with attendees from Pembrokeshire and beyond eager to find out how to engage and communicate more creatively about climate change in their own communities.
So a Forum Theatre session, (run by Gill Dowsett and ‘friends’) was first up- which was a new style of drama to many and this helped us get involved in how the session panned out by suggestion different ways of acting, reacting and different dialogue. Then Jasmine Dale ran us through the various creative events that have taken place over the summer in the area- this ranged from mural and artwork, to ‘open mic’ sessions, wastebusters workshops, Play in a week outside theatre, to carnival appearances and more.
An open space session was on the agenda before lunch and we all participated by suggesting topics we wanted to discuss. After these were grouped- 5 themes emerged (education and young people, emotions about climate change, engaging the disengaged, social, economic, technological and political solutions and inclusion and diversity).
Lunch was provided by the Fishguard and Goodwick Community Fridge project (and cakes through the afternoon!). If we were suffering from an after- lunch-lull, then the group sing-song from Ben Ferguson, comedy mime sketch from Owain Roach and storyteller, Deb Winter certainly did the trick. Finally two workshop sessions took place with 5 topics to choose from.
The day ended with tired but inspired participants- many saying they hadn’t experienced and event like it before.
Jasmine Dale has produced a report/toolkit to share with other groups to learn how to engage more creatively.
Read it here – Creative Climate Communications