Winchester Action on Climate Change are a local charity set up to tackle the climate crisis and a key partner in combatting the climate emergency. WinACC work with organisations and communities across the Winchester district to create positive, sustainable change and offer a range of information on topics including renewable energy, retrofitting and sustainable transport.

One of WinACC’s key successes is to have set up the Winchester Climate Action Network. It is made up of several resident climate action groups representing communities across the Winchester district. WeCAN groups organise a range of activities in their communities to raise awareness and understanding of the climate crisis and encourage the reduction of carbon emissions. These activities include thermal imaging surveys, eco fairs and nature conservation events. Here is a list of the resident climate action groups in the Winchester district:

Alresford New Leaf	Sustainable Olivers Battery
Sustainable Bishops Waltham	Otterbourne
Colden Common Climate Action	Green Owslebury
Sustainable Droxford	Climate Action for Newtown and Soberton
Greening Denmead	Sustainable Waltham Chase and Swanmore
Greening Hambledon	South Wonston Sustainability
Itchen Valley Parish Council	Upham Action on the Climate Crisis
Littleton and Harestock Parish Action on the Climate Emergency	Highcliffe

If you would like to get involved with one of these groups, or if your area isn’t covered in the list and you would like help setting up a WeCAN group for your community, please contact WinACC at contactus@winacc.org.uk or visit the WeCAN webpage.

Winchester City Council sits on the steering group of the Winchester Food Partnership. WFP is a network of organisations from across the district who work around five key themes:

1. Good food for all
2. Strengthen the local economy
3. Environmental sustainability
4. Strong and resilient communities
5. Fairness in the food chain

The Winchester Food Partnership have produced some handy toolkits which explain how communities can create and get involved with sustainable food projects. The toolkits cover topics such as community composting, sharing surplus food and reducing food waste. They are available to read on this link - Good Food Winchester – Winchester Food Partnership

As part of our work with the WFP, Winchester City Council signed the Good Food Charter in March 2023. We have committed to serving vegetarian food when catering is required at events or meetings and sourcing local and ethically produced food where possible.

If you would like to find out more information about the Winchester Food Partnership, please visit their website Winchester Food Partnership.

We have supported some great community initiatives through our Go Greener Faster Grant scheme.

Examples include:

• Future Energy Landscape Workshops, facilitated by Energise South Downs

• A Solar Irrigation Scheme at Hampshire Market Garden
• Independent energy review of the Day Centre at Trinity, Winchester
• A solar PV array on the Gratton Trust Pavillion in Sutton Scotney

The current round of Go Greener Faster grants is now closed but you can find more information and case studies here.

The Community Solar Support Scheme is a WinACC initiative, supported by Winchester City Council. It is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is designed to assist with getting solar panels installed on community buildings. Switching to solar power helps decrease carbon emissions and can reduce energy costs, allowing more funds to be available for other projects.

The Community Solar Support Scheme has engaged with 26 community buildings overall.  Five of these buildings now have a solar panel system installed (including the Gratton Trust Pavilion featured above) and another five have recently received funding.

This scheme will run until the end of March 2025. If you would like to get in contact about a community building in your local area, please email stuart.mills@winacc.org.uk.

These events are for residents to bring along broken household items and connect with a volunteer who can help them repair them. There are currently Repair Cafes in these areas:

• Badger Farm
• Owslebury
• South Wonston
• Denmead and Hambledon
• Meon Valley
• Wickham Men’s Shed

A bike bus is an organised group cycle on a set route, with timetabled stops along the way.  Being surrounded by others on bikes helps to increase people’s confidence and experience of travelling on roads amongst traffic.

There are now five school bike buses running in the Winchester district, set up by parents and supported by Cycle Winchester and Winchester City Council. They aim to encourage more children to cycle to school and include:

• Abbotts Barton to St.Bede’s
• Abbotts Barton to Barton Farm
• Twyford to Westgate & Kings
• Badger Farm to Olivers Battery
• Kennels Lane to Olivers Battery

If you are interested in joining one of these bike buses, please email hello@cyclewinchester.org.uk.

If you would like to share an idea or get in contact with the sustainability team, please email climateemergency@winchester.gov.uk.