Over 100 people gathered at Hitchin Boys School in Hitchin on 2nd July for our screening of The People’s Emergency Briefing (PEB), followed by a public discussion about what the issues raised in the film mean locally.
This screening formed part of a wider UK programme of events designed to help communities engage with the climate and nature crisis. Launched in April, over 1000 PEB screenings have now taken place across the UK with over 1000 more planned.
Five screenings have already been held in North Herts, including one at Letchworth Broadway Cinema’s big screen on 9th July. More are planned for August/September.
“This is fast becoming a viral national phenomenon, with ordinary people like us hosting community and workplace screenings up and down the country”. said Triangle Garden’s Chair of Trustees Vicky Wyer. “If you missed this one I’d urge you to look on the online screening map and go along to your nearest one with friends and family (over 16)”
The initiative is supported by naturalist Chris Packham, who has said ”I’d encourage people everywhere to attend a screening of The People’s Emergency Briefing. This new film creates exactly the kind of honest local conversation we now urgently need, both about the threat from climate and nature breakdown, but also about what we can do, together with our politicians, to build a better future.”
Discussion afterwards ranged from the impact of the recent heatwave on our community and people’s shock at local supermarket chiller failures, with participants also exploring how local communities can continue the conversation and engage elected representatives.
Rhys Waterman of Hitchin Boys School who helped organise the event said: “I think one of the strongest feelings in the room was relief — that issues many people have silently worried about for a long time were finally being spoken about openly, clearly and together. People also said they were encouraged to hear that we already have the solutions in front of us; we just need the political courage to change the rules to make them happen”
A show of hands indicated that for over half the audience, this was the first environmental event they’d ever attended. The age range in the room was also significant with elders matched by young people in numbers, and the majority of the audience somewhere inbetween.
Hitchin MP Alistair Strathern attended and committed to back the Parliamentary Call for a televised emergency briefing on the climate and nature crisis – one of the event’s major asks. Local Councillors also attended, among them Keith Hoskins, Vijaiya Poopalasingham, Sandy Walkington and Ian Albert, and local businesses and community groups were also represented including Willmott Dixon, Bowles & Wyer, Hitchin Boys School Leadership team, NH&SCVS (North Herts and Stevenage Council for Voluntary Services), North Herts and East Beds Sailing Club, Hitchin Scouting, North Herts Riding for the Disabled, Hitchin Forum, and many more.
Several audience members are keen to host their own community screenings off the back of the Hitchin event, and many who attended said they will be urging friends and family to attend the next showing of the film in their area.
People showed strong interest in continued local engagement, including discussion of how community support might be built around encouraging MPs and Councillors to move faster and stronger to halt the harm being wreaked by fossil fuels and help communities adapt to extreme heat and flood risk. There was overwhelming audience support for a further local meeting and follow-up discussion which is now being planned.
To hear the views on the event from a selection of the audience including some local Councillors, please click on the images below. To find out about the local groups and organisations already acting to mitigate and adapt to climate and nature breakdown please visit our new webpage Take Action!
