Climate and nature emergency film coming to Welshpool

Organisers of a screening in Welshpool for a film highlighting the ‘urgency of the climate and nature crises’ will say this week’s scorcher is a timely reminder of its importance.

Steve Witherden MP, Elwyn Vaughn MS, and County Councillors Richard Church (Cabinet Member for Legal and Regulatory Services), Adam Kennerley and Jeremy Thorp will be at the Welshpool Town Hall screening to hear constituent views.

Communities across Montgomeryshire are organising screenings as part of a nationwide effort to raise awareness of the need for a national emergency plan to deal with potential food shortages and widespread flooding.

After Llanfyllin’s screening in May, Steve Witherden MP pledged to urge Prime Minister Keir Starmer to support giving a televised address across broadcast media.

After a screening in Brecon in early June, Jane Dodds MS agreed to press the Welsh Government to support a televised briefing in Wales.

The Brecon group has started a petition for a debate in the Senedd which people can sign here: www.petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/246951.  

The Welshpool screening will take place in the Town Hall Assembly Room on Friday, July 3, 6.15pm for a pre-film questionnaire ready for a 6.45pm start.

The film runs for 50 minutes and is followed by group discussion led by facilitators for the audience to consider the implications of what they have seen and what actions they expect to take.

Organiser Alison Alexander said: “There is so much misinformation about the climate and ecological problems we face and there are real solutions available now that we’re not taking up as fast as we could. Time and again, whether during world wars or the Covid pandemic, when faced with difficult situations, people have knuckled down and worked to get through them. If people don’t know about a problem, they can’t fix it.

“I’d like to thank Welshpool Town Councillors Alison Davies, David France and Richard Church (also County Councillor) for offering to spread the word about the screening and particularly Richard who has personally donated to help fund the room hire.”

Full details of the People’s Emergency Briefing are available at https://www.nebriefing.org/peb . The website has a map showing locations, dates of screenings and links to free seat bookings.

PICTURE: Steve Witherden in the audience at the Llanfyllin screening