The Green Pledge @ Gloucestershire Archives

Pucklechurch Woodland in South Gloucestershire was previously farmland about 30 hectares/ 42 football pitches in size.  In the space of four months 18 000 new trees have been planted here, and a further 24 000 will be planted next year.   This site is the first major new woodland to be planted as part of the Western Forest – the first national forest in the UK for over 30 years. The aim is for 20...

The residents of Frampton Cotterell work hard to protect local nature, enhance the local environment and combat climate change. In this episode we’ll hear about all the incredible projects that the group are spearheading, including wildlife ponds, dead hedging, hibernacula, repair cafes, scything, clean air monitoring, wild life reserves, the climate and nature action plan ... and the list goes on...

In this episode Christina talks to Jojo Mehta, co-founder of Stop Ecocide. Jojo worked tirelessy with Polly Higgins to support the establishment of ecocide as a crime at the International Criminal Court.  Hear about Jojo’s early influences, how she met Polly in Stroud, their work together, and also the impact of losing Polly to cancer in April 2019.  Find out about what the law of ecocide is, why...

Ian Boyd is the third generation of farmers at Whittington Lodge Farm in the Cotswold Hills near Cheltenham.  The Farm looks after a herd of organic, pasture fed, Hereford Cattle. Ian works alongside his wife Cathy. Their daughter Steph has now taken over the farm.  The farm’s focus has dramatically changed over the years from concentrating on production for maximum yield to working in harmony wit...

Cate Cody lives in Tewkesbury and is a Green Party member. She's on the local town, borough, and county council. Cate has initiated an abundance of green projects, including Plastic Free Tewkesbury, Toads on the Road, and repair cafes. 

Empowering Futures is a care farm in Hambrook, South Gloucestershire. Their mission is to use horticulture and animal therapy to create positive meaningful changes to the lives of people living in the local community who are living with disabilities, who are vulnerable, isolated or disadvantaged. They are passionate about relieving social exclusion, increasing wellbeing and reducing the disparity...

In this episode, I talk to Claudia MacGregor. Claudia has a master's degree in environmental development and policy. Her work involves finding new and innovative ways to exist in harmony with the planet. Claudia also facilitates Climate Fresk workshops, which teach the fundamental science behind climate change and empowers you to take action. The workshop uses cards to guide you through the f...

Mollie Meager is a lifelong campaigner for social and environmental justice who lives in the Forest of Dean. In this episode we talk about her work with the Save the Wye campaign, her early influences, and her time with CND and the Greenham Common Peace Camp. 

In this episode, we hear from George Peterken, who lives in the lower Wye Valley in Gloucestershire, and has probably done more than any other living person to protect Britain's ancient woodlands. We talk about his time with Nature Conservancy, and his time as specialist woodland ecologist there. 

In the second part of my conversation with George Peterken, we talk about the importance of grassland ecology and why Peter set up the Parish Meadows Group, as well as hearing about his latest project about the ecology of churchyards.  

On Sunday, the 1st of September, the Youth Climate Group held a festival in the centre of Gloucester called What Can I Do? WCID for short.   For this episode of the Green Pledge Podcast we asked young people at the festival about their  feelings about the climate and ecological crisis, what they themselves do to address it, what they see as barriers to young people. What they'd like to say ab...

Gail Bradbrook lives in Stroud and is one of the founders of Extinction Rebellion. This global environmental movement uses non-violent civil disobedience to compel government action to avoid tipping point in the climate system, biodiversity loss and the risk of social and ecological collapse.  In this conversation, Christina asks Gail about her early influences and what it took for Gail to found a...

In this episode of the Green Pledge Podcast we listen to two dawn choruses, recorded in the month of May, in the same place, but 70 years apart.  In the 1950s on a couple of May mornings,  Harry Grimes took his reel to reel recorder to a view point on the Old London Road, just as you head out of Wotton Under Edge.   Harry’s son, Hugo, has turned the recordings into a beautiful CD. He tells the sto...

John Meadley has spent a lifetime working in agriculture and overseas development. He lives in the Stroud area and has spearheaded many local green projects. He is the co-founder of Pasture for Life, an organisation focussed on pasture fed livestock for the sake of the animal, the soil and biodiversity.  In 2012 John was voted an Environmental Hero by the Heart of Gloucestershire Community Awards....

Introducing our busy, brilliant project team, as well catching up with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust volunteer, Sara Kinsey, as she works with Heather Forbes, sorting documents  from the Trust's HQ, including beautiful nature journals and notebooks from the 1930s.