Welcome to the first Together for Mission Zero Isle of Wight newsletter!
Together For Mission Zero Isle of Wight is a platform to connect, share, discuss and build a community of action around the Isle of Wight Council’s 2040 Mission Zero strategy. Read on to hear about what has been going on in the community over the past months.
Community Meets
Seeding a Vision of a thriving Isle of Wight- March
At Building 41 in Cowes in March, fifty-one members of the community came together to discuss and share where we are at on our individual journeys of making change happen, what it took to be on that journey and how those stories inform us about how we grow this movement. During that meet, the community voted overwhelmingly in favour of creating a vision of a net zero, nature positive, thriving Isle of Wight. For those who missed it, check out our resources page of the TFMZ website here. Join us on 6 Nov in Browns Sandown to continue on this journey of visioning together.
East and West Wight Climate Change Hustings- June
In the run up to the general election, the community organised and moderated both a West and East Wight Climate Change Hustings. The hustings were held in Newport and Ventnor with all electoral candidates present. The events, combined, attracted approximately 120 members of the public. In carrying out these hustings, we saw first hand how the quality of the political debate on the climate crisis can be improved with deeper civic engagement. Congratulations to Richard Quigley (Labour MP for West Wight) and Joe Roberston (Conservative MP for East Wight) on their electoral wins. We look forward to staying closely connected on the island’s critical Net Zero and Biosphere agendas. You can read more here.
Isle of Wight Doughnut Economics Group Launch- June
The IOW Doughnut Economics working group launched work to date at the Biosphere festival in June. Over the last year we have gathered a growing group of Doughnut Economic enthusiasts and have had a series of monthly workshops exploring the Island’s existing social and ecological fabric. As we begin building an island portrait of this fabric, we aim to continue sharing and co-creating our findings, in order to inform better decision-making within any action projects that may take place on the island. As part of our journey we have put together a video that tells the story of the Isle of Wight through the Doughnut lens. In order to facilitate communication of our story we have created a character called Isley. Isley represents the spirit of our island and will continue to help expand and communicate our Isle of Wight Doughnut journey. Check out Isley’s story and the group’s work here.
Update from the Mission Zero Hubs
The Mission Zero Hubs are voluntary action groups for the delivery of the Isle of Wight Mission Zero 2040 strategy. There are currently six sector specific hubs up and running and one more in planning. The hubs are voluntarily run and made up of local, on-island experts. The aim of the hubs is to take practical actions on the journey to mission zero for that sector. In each TFMZ newsletter we will look at the work of two hubs.
Mission Zero Education hub
The Mission Zero Education Hub formed approximately six months ago and is being led by Joe Redston and Alex Sabine. The hub has met three times since inception and has agreed on/ initiated the following three actions:
- The hub has ensured that the draft education strategy of the island has the Biosphere and Mission Zero principles embedded within it. Suggested amendments by the hub were accepted by Jonathan Bacon (Isle of Wight’s education cabinet member).
- The hub aims to build a set of teaching resources linking the Biosphere and Mission Zero agenda with the curriculum. These resources will be piloted at Niton Primary School under the eco schools plus programme.
- The hub aims to work with Gurnard Primary School to integrate new content and talks as part of the school assemblies. The Grow Gurnard community farm will attend the school to a series of food and local horticulture talks.
Mission Zero Business Hub
The island’s Mission Zero Business Hub, under the leadership of Matt Greg of Nosy Marketing, has set a mission: “To inspire Isle of Wight businesses to achieve net zero by 2040. Through raising awareness, collaboration, resources and support. Ensuring this is achieved ethically, without harming biodiversity or exploiting people.” To support this mission, the hub’s committee has created a 12-month strategy document and begun engaging with various stakeholders to build awareness and establish partnerships.
During the summer, the hub exhibited at the IW Chamber Business Expo, securing commitments from 41 businesses to work towards net zero by 2040. Additionally, the hub has contributed to every issue of Island Business magazine for over a year, further raising awareness of the net zero goal. The hub is also developing its online presence, which will feature a business directory, resource library, event listings, and success stories to provide ongoing support to the community.
A key future objective is to secure funding for a full-time advisor based on the Isle of Wight. This advisor will visit businesses, assist them in creating net zero plans, and support their implementation.
Spotlight On
The Beacon Initiative
Beacon is a newly formed island initiative to support and integrate projects connected to the island’s amazing UNESCO Biosphere status and working on the basis of a nature-based economic regeneration.
Organisations involved in the initiative include the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the island’s Youth Trust- with an initial focus on farming for nature. Please join the Together for Mission Zero Community on 6 November in Sandown to find out more about this initiative.
Lets get together – 6 Nov
The next Together for Mission Zero Isle of Wight meet will take place on 6 November 7- 9.30pm in Browns Sandown. It will be a fun ‘Open Space’ Meeting, where alongside moving forward with the visioning of a net zero, nature positive, thriving Isle of Wight, we will be inviting you to form your own discussions with the community about your ideas for change and/ or projects you are working on.
– If you would like to pitch a discussion theme at the TFMZ Open Space on 6 Nov, please tell us here.
– To join us on 6 November, please reserve your place though Eventbrite here*
Please note that tickets for the event will cost £4 in order to cover TFMZ web and event costs. If purchasing a ticket stops you from attending, please reach out to let us know as this is never the intention info@togetherformissionzero.co.uk
That’s all from us, we hope to see you in Sandown on 6 November!
