We’re holding this year’s SECA Annual Gathering on 28 March, with the theme “Facing the Future!” and you can book your spot here!
We’re very proud that last year’s event sparked the devolution campaign that has gained support from climate groups across England. We’ll keep up the discussion on this theme, looking at how we can influence our new Mayors (in Sussex and Hampshire) and Unitary Authorities (in Surrey) to keep climate and nature high on their agenda. While Mayoral elections in Sussex and Hampshire have been postponed, we mustn’t let the campaign lose momentum! This blog by Chris Holloway of Winchester Action on the Climate Crisis summarises some of the issues.
And we’ll have a second vital and timely theme, Climate Adaptation and Resilience. With data showing 2025 was the third hottest year on record and news headlines full of storms and bushfires, how can we help our communities adjust to the impacts of climate change? We will explore how we can prepare and create resilient communities with the help of Ed Jarvis from the Climate Majority Project.
The plan for the day is:
- From 11.30am: Check in at Holy Trinity Church Guildford, network, eat lunch, visit stalls with displays by member groups
- 1pm: Plenary session with inspiring speakers introducing the day’s twin themes of Local Government Reorganisation, and Climate Adaptation and Resilience
- 2pm: Parallel workshops exploring the topics more deeply. The local government workshop will hold an initial session on devolution and the radical restructuring of our councils, and then split into groups for Surrey, Hampshire and Sussex to look at the local pictures. How do we ensure that climate and nature remain centre stage during this complex and confusing process?
The adaptation and resilience speakers will discuss how we can help our communities to prepare for and adapt to the dramatic climate changes that we know are coming our way. - 3.30pm: Open Space. This is an opportunity for member groups to engage participants in a range of other topics they’d like to raise awareness of
- 4.30pm: Report back and discuss our next steps
- 5pm: Close of day