Month: November 2020

  • CAfS helps create new Ashden Award for citizen engagement on climate

    CAfS helps create new Ashden Award for citizen engagement on climate

    The Ashden Awards are nationally acknowledged as THE awards for meaningful climate change activity in the UK. As communication on climate change becomes ever more important, Ashden is launching a new category for citizen engagement. CAfS was delighted to be invited to help the awards team to develop the criteria and assessment for this new category, with Phil Davies taking up the challenge.

    “If our 20 years of experience in tackling the causes of climate change has shown us anything, it’s that different people get involved in climate actions for different reasons and in different ways,” Phil said. “We certainly don’t have all the answers, but it was exciting to be able to share our insights to help develop the award. We’ve seen first hand how vital it is to approach any individual or community from their starting point and perspective, trying to understand their hopes and fears, and the problem they’re trying to solve. We know that being positive counts, that addressing the present is important, relating to the local and giving people ownership of their decisions.”

    We hope the award goes on to inspire and motivate even better engagement on climate change with communities across the UK, sharing successes to help us all improve by learning from each other. (Perhaps we’ll even enter it ourselves in the future!) The new award goes live on 6 January 2021.

    Find out more about the awards on the Ashden website >

  • Support offered amidst ‘bleak winter’ forecast

    Support offered amidst ‘bleak winter’ forecast

    Many families are facing a difficult winter ahead with increased hardship, a new report shows. Higher energy use resulting from having to stay at home for longer and a huge reduction in income have produced a toxic combination, researchers at Sheffield Hallam University have found.

    In Cumbria, adding our already problematic leaky housing stock to the equation, the evidence is that the risk will be heightened for vulnerable groups who will have to make a heat or eat choice this winter. This combines to produce a bleak forecast of the next few months for many residents.

    The report Stuck at home in a cold home: the implications of Covid-19 for the fuel poor states that the risks to health associated with a cold home are well known but adding in the threat of Covid-19 (which also attacks the respiratory system) could prove lethal to many and cause a surge in hospital admissions. This, in turn, puts more strain on an already over stretched NHS.

    The charity Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS), which offers a free energy advice scheme called Cold to Cosy Homes Cumbria, is expecting a higher-than-normal demand this winter, as more people than ever feel the squeeze and struggle to afford measures to keep their home warm on their income.

    Kim Kimberlee-Smith from Cold to Cosy Homes Cumbria said: “We’re heading into a worrying time for a lot of people who are struggling with cold homes and high energy bills, but we can help. Now is the time to get in touch with us, so we can help before the winter really bites.”

    The service offers free, clear advice and practical help from a qualified energy advisor and is available across the whole of Cumbria to anyone who meets the broad criteria, but capacity is limited and people are encouraged to apply now.

    This includes guidance on heating, damp and ventilation, energy tariffs, adopting energy-saving behaviours and equipment, such as LED bulbs, radiator reflectors and draught excluders, which can be provided at no extra cost. The service also offers referrals for professionally installed draught proofing, smart meters, thermostats, boiler repairs, replacement white goods and other local services that could help save energy.

    There’s also help available for the wider schemes in the county, such as installing insulation or first-time central heating. Along with keeping homes greener, these services save Cumbrian households money and could help to alleviate some of the stress of the wintery months.

    This year, due to the Covid-19 restrictions, Cold to Cosy Homes advice is being given over the telephone rather than through home visits, so anyone that feels they could use the support to warm up their home and free it from draughts should get in touch. Draughtproofing installations may be going ahead soon using a strict risk assessment.

    Households can find out more and apply at www.cosyhomes.org.uk or call 01768 216500 to talk to one of the team.

  • Two new EV chargepoints go live in Cumbria

    Two new EV chargepoints go live in Cumbria

    This month marked the completion of two more installations of electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints which are now live and fully operational. Just in time for Cumbria to drop down into Tier 2 as well. Don’t ever say we don’t time things well.

    The first is our collaboration with Dalston Parish council for a chargepoint and lighting installation in the Kingsway car park near the village centre. The site consists of two charging sockets along with a lamppost to make sure that night-time travellers can find it quickly and easily. Not bad for partnership in which no money changed hands.

    Electric Car charging in Dalston

    It’s a fantastic location for the Charge My Street project as, with the number of amenities available in Dalston, EV drivers are unlikely to be stuck for something to do while they charge.

    Whether they pick up some groceries at the Co-op, a takeaway from Crumbs or the Fryery or even pop into the pub for a cordial, the location offers plenty of decent alternatives to sitting in the drivers seat and staring at Facebook on a smartphone.

    The second location that can expect EV drivers to begin to visit is Aspatria where Charge My Street has fixed two charging sockets to the exterior wall of the masonic lodge. Located just off the main road and round the corner from the school and a supermarket, this provides options for people heading out shopping or on the school run (activities that a recent survey found make up around 20% and 6% respectively of all car journeys in the North West).

    Both of these new locations in Charge My Street’s portfolio represent further steps driving Cumbria forward to the EV future. After the government announced it was, yet again, bringing forward its ban on petrol and diesel cars (this time to to 2030), it’s all the more important that this happens sharpish.

    If you think you know of a location that would make a good site for another install, get in touch at www.chargemystreet.co.uk/host and you could see your own community treated to a cost-neutral chargepoint.

  • Job: Communications Manager – Zero Carbon Cumbria

    Job: Communications Manager – Zero Carbon Cumbria

    Date posted: Wed 25 Nov 2020
    Closing date: 9am, Tue 5 Jan 2021

    We are looking for a highly skilled and experienced communications professional to lead and deliver communications to support the five-year Zero Carbon Cumbria project, funded by the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund. This forms part of the most extensive programme of action on climate change ever seen in the county, led by the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership.

    You’ll work at a highly strategic level, setting the communications strategy for the programme, advising and influencing people from the 70 diverse organisations that are part of the Partnership, and coordinating their communications activities. You’ll be equally skilled at a tactical level, producing communications collateral tailored to specific audiences and uses, as well as creative communications activities. You’ll draw on all your communications talents to engage Cumbrians in achieving the goal of a zero-carbon county, inspiring and motivating them to play their full part.

    Application & Interview Process

    Please apply by completing the application form below. We do not accept CVs. Guidance for submitting your application is included in the form.

    Application Form – Communications Manager ZCCP

    Closing date for return of applications is 9am on Tuesday 5 January 2021.

    Candidates shortlisted for interview will be informed by 5pm on Wednesday 6 January 2021.

    Interviews will be held via Zoom on Wednesday 13 January 2021.

    Job description

    If you prefer to download the job description and person specification, please use the link below:

    CAfS Job Description – Communications Manager Zero Carbon Cumbria

    EMPLOYER:  Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS).

    LOCATION: Eden Rural Foyer, Old London Road, Penrith, CA11 8ET with travel to meetings and events in other Cumbria locations, when Covid-19 restrictions allow. Homeworking beyond Covid-19 is possible by agreement.

    REPORTS TO: Project Manager Zero Carbon Cumbria.

    HOURS: 22.5 hours a week (3 days) for first 4 years, reducing to 15 hours a week (2 days) for year 5, with potential to extend or increase hours subject to additional funding. Flexible working hours.

    SALARY RANGE: £24,000 – £29,000 per annum full-time equivalent depending on skills and experience.

    DURATION: Fixed-term contract starting as soon as possible, to end of December 2025.

    ABOUT CAFS:

    Our vision is a zero-carbon Cumbria and we strive to bring about a better way of life, in balance with our environment.

    Our mission is to empower and enable people, communities and businesses to live and work more sustainably by sharing our knowledge, practice, skills, networks and practical experience. We manage and deliver events, advice, training and practical projects across the county as well as providing specialist consultancy services to enable individuals, communities, businesses and local authorities to drive a shift towards a zero-carbon Cumbria.

    CAfS is an award-winning charity with a team of seventeen highly skilled staff, working with a pool of specialist contractors and volunteers to deliver around 20 major, transformational low-carbon projects each year. CAfS is the leading organisation in Cumbria showcasing low-carbon living, energy-efficiency improvements, renewable technology and reduced use of fossil fuels, both on a domestic scale and in the community. Now in our 22nd year, CAfS is the first point of reference in the county for information on sustainability. CAfS is a dynamic, pro-active and responsive organisation, continually striving to deliver effective projects that make an impact and drive real change towards a low-carbon future. As such, we continually initiate, scrutinise, refine and launch new projects, accessing funding from a variety of sources or earning income from delivering specialist services.

    BACKGROUND TO THE ZERO CARBON CUMBRIA PROJECT:

    Cumbria Action for Sustainability is co-chair of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership (ZCCP), which involves nearly 70 organisations spanning the public, private and third sectors with the aim of delivering a coordinated partnership emission reduction programme to bring about a zero-carbon Cumbria.

    CAfS has been awarded £2.5 million from the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund, on behalf of the wider partnership, for the five-year Zero Carbon Cumbria project. Eleven of the organisations in the ZCCP will be involved in directly delivering elements of the Lottery-funded project and the whole partnership will be involved in wider decarbonisation programmes in order to reach the county’s zero-carbon goal. People who live, work and study in Cumbria will be able to take advantage of a whole range of opportunities to cut their own carbon footprint and that of their communities, playing their part in global actions to stop climate change.

    The project, which sits within the wider Zero Carbon Cumbria programme, will tackle some of the main sources of carbon emissions in Cumbria, with a particular focus on food, energy generation and the goods we buy. The sub projects have been devised by a range of community organisations and chosen because of their wide benefits to local communities. More information about the project is available here: https://cafs.org.uk/our-projects/zero-carbon-cumbria-programme.

    MAIN PURPOSE OF ROLE:

    The postholder will be responsible for developing, leading and delivering the communications strategy for the Zero Carbon Cumbria programme, and managing communications for the projects that CAfS will deliver as part of the programme. The postholder will work at a strategic level, advising and influencing senior decision-makers and representatives from the diverse organisations in the Partnership, to gain buy-in for and participation in effective communications approaches. The postholder will also work at a tactical level, planning and delivering communications activities and collateral, working closely with the Zero Carbon Cumbria staff team based across several organisations.

    KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

    • Develop and implement the communications strategy to support the delivery of the Zero Carbon Cumbria programme. Ensure this complements the CAfS organisational and communications strategies, factoring in the continued legacy of these communications beyond the five years of the programme.
    • Deliver communications that engage, inspire and motivate people and organisations from all walks of life in Cumbria to play their full part in achieving the vision of a zero-carbon county, using communications to drive action, participation and behaviour change.
    • Develop and manage a brand for Zero Carbon Cumbria.
    • Manage the programme communications budget.
    • Advise the Partnership (including delivery partners) on best practice across the full range of communications disciplines – from media relations and social media to advertising, branding and planning. Disseminate good practice by partners throughout the Partnership.
    • Develop and implement communications strategies to support the delivery of projects run by CAfS as part of the Zero Carbon Cumbria programme.
    • Support the 11 delivery partners who are undertaking projects as part of the Zero Carbon Cumbria programme to develop effective marketing plans that align with the communications strategies for the programme and their own organisation, ensuring compatibility and consistency throughout all programme communications.
    • Support community sustainability groups to develop communications skills.
    • Ensure that communications across the Zero Carbon Cumbria programme as a whole increase reach, broaden and deepen engagement, communicate learning and maximise impact, ensuring that project communications add up to more than the sum of their parts and helping to create a lasting legacy for the programme.
    • Contribute to the development and implementation of effective internal communications mechanisms between partners, working alongside other members of the ZCC staff team.
    • Develop and maximise impact from offers of in-kind support from comms teams within partner organisations.
    • Establish strong working relationships with key media partners and influencers to secure positive coverage of the Partnership’s work towards a zero-carbon Cumbria.
    • Contribute to building effective working relationships within the new project staff team, who are based across several organisations, including the Partnership Manager, Zero Carbon Cumbria Project Manager , Local Authority Climate Officer and Carbon Monitoring Officer, in order to support delivery of the communications strategy.
    • Monitor and evaluate communications impacts and outcomes, reporting quarterly to the Zero Carbon Cumbria Project Manager, including periodic reviews of programme communications by delivery partners, and actively use learning outcomes to continuously improve communications.
    • Ensure all communications are compliant with relevant regulations such as GDPR and other data protection and security rules, media law and advertising regulations.

    MAIN TASKS:

    • Develop a creative and engaging communications strategy to support the delivery of the five-year Zero Carbon Cumbria programme, in consultation with key partners.
    • Work in partnership with the CAfS Marketing & Communications Manager to ensure the Zero Carbon Cumbria communications strategy complements the CAfS communications strategy.
    • Carry out audience research as needed to inform the overall communications strategy for the programme as well as individual action plans within it.
    • Develop a Zero Carbon Cumbria brand, working with graphic designers and others as needed. Create brand guidelines for others to follow and a suite of associated resources such as logos and other text and graphical elements to be used by the partners, ensuring it is understood and consistently applied in programme communications by all partners.
    • Ensure that use of partner branding complies with their guidelines.
    • Ensure all communications associated with the aspects of the Zero Carbon Cumbria programme that are funded by the National Lottery Climate Action Fund are in line with the Lottery’s guidelines for acknowledgement of funding.
    • Agree and implement with partners an effective process for sign-off of communications approaches and materials.
    • Profile and manage the communications budgets across the five years of the programme, including communications budgets for individual projects by CAfS.
    • Create and implement communications strategies and action plans for individual projects by CAfS as part of the Zero Carbon Cumbria programme, liaising with project managers.
    • Build an effective communications network within the Partnership, identifying communications leads for each organisation, and expand communications capacity and resources by seeking support from comms teams within partner organisations.
    • Coordinate communications on the overall Zero Carbon Cumbria programme by Partnership members, including creating and providing messaging and collateral for their use when needed.
    • Develop a social media plan as part of the overall Zero Carbon Cumbria communications strategy and manage social media channels for the programme. Liaise with the CAfS Marketing & Communications Manager to ensure content on the ZCC and CAfS channels are complementary. Provide content to partners for use on their social media channels.
    • Create and manage new communications mechanisms and channels as needed.
    • Attend project meetings to provide communications advice, updates and guidance.
    • Write, produce, source and distribute content for media use and digital channels, including press releases, case studies and photography.
    • Manage requests for media interviews, coordinating with interviewees from partner organisations.
    • Respond to National Lottery media and communications requests relating to Climate Action Fund projects.
    • Develop and manage a website or other suitable online presence(s) for the Zero Carbon Cumbria programme and the wider work of the Partnership.
    • Produce and supply content tailored for the websites and newsletters of partners and other organisations.
    • Create communications collateral as needed for online, print and in-person use, liaising with designers or other contractors as required, such as written content, presentations, promotional flyers, ads, posters, fact sheets, case studies, display materials, graphics, video and audio resources. Ensure all communications materials meet relevant accessibility standards.
    • Arrange and manage advertising across online and print channels.
    • Assist in the organisation, administration, promotion and delivery of events and other engagement activities, both online and in person.
    • Establish mechanisms for regularly evaluating the success and impact of communications activities and the communications strategy overall, in conjunction with partners, using this information to improve communications in an ongoing way. Collate data and other evidence required to achieve this.
    • Keep up to date with developments in communication best practice, and in particular trends in climate change communication, sharing this learning and using it to continually improve communications by Partnership members.
    • Work with the whole staff team to carry out any other task or project required from time to time, as directed by the manager, CEO or trustees.
    • As an employee of CAfS, participate with colleagues in the wider operation of the organisation.

    Person Specification

    Essential skills and attributes:

    • Experience of developing and implementing effective communications strategies to support the delivery of multi-partner programmes, including budget management.
    • Proven ability to advise and influence senior staff in diverse organisations on communications approaches.
    • Experience of managing public relations, with the ability to plan for, create and react to media opportunities and attract free and influential coverage.
    • Proven ability to develop and implement a new brand.
    • Experience of social media management, including tools for monitoring channels, scheduling posts and analysing performance data.
    • Experience of managing online and print advertisement.
    • Strong analysis and evaluation skills including and experience of evaluating and monitoring communications, carrying out audience research and applying the lessons learnt.
    • Experience of managing website development, production of online content, monitoring and analytics. Working knowledge of laws and regulations relating to communications, including GDPR, data protection/security, advertising and media law.
    • Experience of producing a wide range of communications collateral for diverse uses and audiences, with a proven ability to develop effective content tailored to specific audiences and communicate complex technical information in a clear, engaging way.
    • High standard of written and verbal communication, grammar, spelling, proofreading and attention to detail.
    • Basic knowledge of sustainability issues and an interest in the objectives that CAfS seeks to deliver.
    • Ability to work independently and manage delivery of own workload, working cooperatively as part of a remote team.

    Desirable criteria

    The following attributes are desirable but not essential:

    • Experience of working on climate change or carbon reduction communications.
    • Experience of developing and implementing behaviour change communications strategies.
    • Experience of sharing learning and building communications skills in others.
    • Experience of running online and in-person events and activities, including the use of video conferencing/meeting/webinar tools such as Zoom.
    • Experience of using WordPress and the Microsoft Office 365 environment, including Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams and Sharepoint.
    • Experience of working with a diverse range of organisations – from community and youth groups to local authorities.
    • Knowledge of Cumbrian / North of England geography.
    • Experience of basic video editing.
    • An active network of Cumbria or national media contacts.

    If you would like more information about the role, please email: [email protected].