People's Emergency Briefing

People’s Emergency Briefing (PEB)– Frodsham October 3rd 2026

Approximately 110 people attended the event

On this page:

• You can find out what to do next if you attended the film showing 

• Useful information about the PEB and local organisations whether you have seen the film or not

• Read comments and ideas for possible actions from the screening and discussion

• Notes people posted on flip charts around the room after the discussion

Useful information about the PEB and local organisations whether you have seen the film or not

There will be a ‘Follow-up’ meeting to this PEB screening on Wednesday 21st October.

Please join us to discuss what else might be done locally about the climate and  nature crisis.

Venue: Frodsham Community Centre in the small hall.

Time: 7.30 pm start. 

Other Actions

1. You can investigate an organisation called “Real Zero” lists 7 Acts to Save the World which empower individuals to take simple yet impactful steps to combat climate change.

https://www.realzero.earth/7-acts-1 (information from the National Emergency Briefing) 

2. You might contact local councillors about the issues discussed on the film, the “People’s Emergency Briefing”. The local councillors for Chester West and Chester Council (CWaC) know that climate change is “real and serious”.

You can contact them by email or phone:

For Frodsham: Michael.Garvey@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk Mobile 07889921723

For Frodsham: Lucy.Sumner@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk Mobile 07872 382 699

For Helsby: Chris.Copeman@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk Mobile 07764 196340

Or contact

 Frodsham Town Council – see website: https://frodsham.gov.uk/ Email: council@frodsham.gov.uk or townclerk@frodsham.gov.uk Telephone: 01928 735150 Write to us: Frodsham Town Council, 44 Main Street, Frodsham WA6 7AU

Helsby Parish Council https://www.helsbyparishcouncil.gov.uk/ Telephone: 01928 726433 

3. Find out about local groups that are working towards a more sustainable way of life. You might like to contact one or more of these:

a) Climate Action Frodsham (CAF)

Sign up to receive the monthly e-newsletters from CAF (10 issues a year): do this by

 emailing newsletter@climateactionfrodsham.com and asked to be added to the email list.

A talk about ‘Warmer Homes/Cooler Homes’ is bookable & we have a thermal camera to lend.

Visit the CAF website for information on various topics: https://www.climateactionfrodsham.com/

Join the CAF ‘Voices’ online project – signing petitions for climate action in various ways

Use info@climateactionfrodsham.com for general enquiries. Telephone 01928 733930 (Ruth)

b) Local Churches 

 Three Frodsham churches are part of the national “Eco Church” scheme and other churches are also interested in Creation Care.

c) Repair Cafe Helsby

 Provides free, volunteer-led repairs of a variety of household items, with free refreshments while you wait. The cafe is open every third Saturday of the month (not August or December) at St Paul’s Church Hall, Helsby. 10 – 12 pm Email: helsbyrepaircafe@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Helsby-Repair-Cafe-61572891742301/?locale=en_GB

d) Hob Hey Wood Friends

 https://hobheywood.wixsite.com/friends

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/879397185602368

Email: rachel.drapeur@frodsham.gov.uk Tel: 01928 735150 (Town Council number)

e) Tauwind

Edd Smith is starting a new initiative around carbon reductions and is looking for some participants to join a free trial of it. The company is called Tauwind.

 Email: Edward.smith@tauwind.co.uk.

Mobile: 07815 569445

f) Frodsham Active Travel

 - is associated with Frodsham Town Council - https://frodsham.gov.uk/active-travel/ Pauline

Lowrie was the rep on October 3rd

- email: pauline.lowrie@frodsham.gov.uk Mobile: 07783 758233 

5. Watch 

Expert briefings from the full briefing https://www.nebriefing.org/expert – (10 minutes per expert) 

6. See 

What the UN report (Sept 2026) says about the need for urgent action + 1 minute video:

https://www.unep.org/resources/limiting-overshoot-navigating-exceedance

Notes people posted on the flip charts 

 after the film and discussion

Economics

• We need a mainstream political party to become a champion for the environment. I fear that a fringe party won’t be able to manage the economics of transition.

• Need to take away protection for wealthy business people, to stop vested influences and make it level playing field such as oil/ drilling

• Building 1000s or local homes is before the national buildings standards – these should have come first – all will need retro-fitting. Is going to impact on a)nature, b)fields for farming; food security.

• The persuasive argument for change is likely to be economic.

• Government needs to support farmers to plant more regeneratively and diversity

• Collective community funds/ initiatives for local benefit

• Who is willing to have £1.00 on their council tax specifically for local solar panels on city buildings

• Help people out of poverty, many are too worried about survival rather than global warming - and carbohydrates are cheap.

Nature / Gardens

• Increase green spaces or encourage people to make their own gardens more friendly to wildlife eg bees, butterflies etc.

• Get children out to play in nature so that they know it and care about it.

• Encourage more biodiversity in private gardens

• Encourage more home grown food

• More nature connection with young people through schools or other projects.

Protecting and reducing biodiversity loss

• Biodiversity loss is very serious

• Protect all woodland, especially ancient woodland

• Preserve green belt land

Food Security / Reducing food waste

• Does Frodsham do anything with food waste? = supermarkets? Restaurants?

• Do we have a community larder?

• Community food waste ‘savers’ like Elton larder

• Teach in schools – cookery, sustainable food, grow your own

• Local ‘social’ supermarket to reduce food wastage

Immediate Action

•  Reduce meat intake

• Change diets to more plant-based foods to influence farmers to change methods

• Buy British – stop supermarkets importing produce that local farmers can provide.

Grow your own

• Community gardens for local food

• Grow vegetables

• Educate others on growing food at home or allotment sites

• Building food security through local allotments

• Donating healthy food to those in need or with less access

• More community gardens growing fruit and veg

Farming

• Farmers being able to have reservoirs on their land

• Train or update farmers on diversity/ regenerative farming

• We should look at producing more healthy food not just via crops but using crop residue (broken down by enzymes to produce glucose) to grow protein rich food like Quorn using micro organisms.

• Encourage farmers with grants for ecological farming

• Government research to identify options for farmers

Energy Transition

• Does the Community Centre have solar panels?

• Re-instate solar panels at Helsby High School

• Put up solar panels

• Transition to carbon neutral

• Can local businesses get together to offer grants for such as EV chargers

•  Solar panels on roofs of public buildings

•  All public buildings in Frodsham should have solar panels

• Government grants to install heat pumps

• Legislate for heat pumps and solar panels in new builds

• Personally use EV and install solar panels

• Easy to access guidance on how to insulate your home

• EV charging points at community centres coupled with solar panels for those without drives

• Solar on all new homes and design for passive gain or south facing

• Local schemes to support people to upgrade their houses and switch to solar/renewable energy

• New build homes should have heat pumps/solar panels at time of build rather than later when adaptations are more expensive (but this would make new builds more expensive)

•  Solar panels on car parks, and all new builds

• Help from government to pay for solar panels or heat pumps

• Local help groups to ‘eco’ your house

• Making transition sustainable – how can this happen?

• Grid fit for purpose (current capacity is an issue)

• More community projects for energy generation

Weather Extremes

Keep drains and grids clear to help prevent flooding of roads

Car parks – Plant trees for shade and also to absorb fumes, put a roof on part of the car park with solar panels – provides shelter from the heat and be used to generate electricity.

Plant trees along the edges of the river, to provide shade etc for animals, birds and insects, and also help to protect the river bank from erosion.

Tipping points

Ask CWAC, what are the plans for when we reach the tipping point

• Societal resilience

• Communications

• Sources of food

• Sources of energy

• Medical care

• Societal cohesion – working together – law and order etc

Climate

• Resilience to heat waves by installing external shutters and awnings

National Security

• • What emergency planning is there locally? Can’t see anything on line

  • Time to act – spread the word and urgency of situation to all who can influence change.

  • Local resilience and emergency plan needed

  •  MP – write to her and say sorry that she missed the screening and ask her to support the call for National campaign not just TV as young people don’t watch TV

Health

• Community cooking classes to increase vegetarian meals in diet and for teenagers

• We all need to eat less meat and learn about plant based meals

• Try to cut down on meat and eat a more plant-based diet

• People need access to medication and medical support

General (1)

Influencing – spreading the word

• Celebrate what is being done locally – be positive

• Write to MPs and major parties

• How best to publicise this film – TV is one method, but many young people don’t watch TV, what other methods are there?

• Use WhatsApp groups

• This needs to be on YouTube and TikTok.

• Use ‘influencers’ and get young people involved

• Pressure on councils to enable greener activities

• Attend MP surgery to encourage screening publicity

• School workshops to engage kids to influence family to change

• Help and guide people to make small changes step by step so they don’t feel overwhelmed

• Earlier adopters to share on media platforms

• Local awareness of polluted places/cleanups – organise cleanups with food/drinks

• Early more focused education on it in schools

• Start at ground level and get commitment locally

• Out of a shocking message there were ways forward

• 3 words – we saw today Scepticism vs reality vs hysteria

• Talk about the future of people rather than ‘the planet’ to get more involvement

• Get rid of reform MP

Housing

• Be aware of greenbelt housing and take action

• Build on brownfield sites

• Local groups to be involved in planning application for building development - to influence not to fight.

Cycling

• Promote active travel

• Cycle paths – Kingsley to Frodsham?

General (2)

More screenings etc

• PEB shown in Kingsley, Helsby, Elton

• Show the film in schools

• Subject needs to be presented in social media to reach younger people

• Film didn’t emphasise the actions that individuals need to take

• Can we access statistics from the film

• Are links available for the full briefings

• A list of simple actions that people can adopt following the screening

• Press for all public buildings to have solar panels

• University students – proactive- they are the next bright generation

• Show film on TV - The film (or an adaptation) needs to be made available for all in education

• especially primary and university

• Show the film in schools and engage young people (high school) and help

• them build their own agency in contributing to solution driven change.

Other points

• We need a national structure to help people make decisions

• Use charity shops and groups like careuk to repurpose clothes

• Think of the young include other examples of Scandinavia leading like bringing back books and written homework in classrooms, taking individual computers away from high school students.

• Older generation is used to ‘make do and mend’ – next generation needs to somehow learn to do that too.