We bring people together to turn community ideas & energy into action, so that both people & nature can thrive in Swanage
The National Emergency Briefing set out the threats that climate change poses to our way of life. These include more extreme weather (droughts, floods and storms), disruption to our food systems (causing scarcity and rising prices), the loss of species and threats to our national security.
Sustainable Swanage is a community group committed to making Swanage more resilient to these threats.
What do we do?
In practice, we're three things:
An umbrella group. We meet regularly with local groups and the Town Council to coordinate activities and make sure initiatives get the support they need.
A voice. We amplify the community's concerns to the organisations that can make change happen, like the Council and Wessex Water.
A helping hand. We get new volunteer groups started and help them grow.
Our core activities
We bring people together
We run public meetings, film screenings and stalls where anyone can share an idea or a worry. More than 180 people came to our National Emergency Briefing screening in 2026.
Give the town a voice
We work closely with Swanage Town Council, so it hears what residents care about. We also help it put its environmental plans together and implement them effectively.
Bring in the experts
Many of our members know their subject well, and we connect local groups with specialists who can help. Good evidence makes a stronger case for change.
Help community groups start & grow
When people care about something, we help them turn it into a volunteer group. Once established, groups like the Repair Café, the Purbeck Energy Group and the Purbeck Transport Action Group run their own activities in their own way. We help them work together, avoid duplication and step in with support when needed.
Find the right volunteers
We match people with the groups and projects that suit their time and interests, from counting butterflies to fixing toasters.
Keep everyone informed
Our website and monthly newsletter bring together local news, events and practical things you can do, all in one place.
What we focus on
We've had lots of feedback from residents, most recently at the National Emergency Briefing workshops in June 2026. It has shaped what we prioritise.
Energy
Warmer homes, lower bills and cleaner energy, with the Purbeck Energy Group.
Sustainable Swanage is made up of representatives from local volunteer groups and the Town Council.
Our co-chairs
The group is co-chaired by Jan Owens and Jonathan Griffin.
Jonathan is a Swanage resident who works as an independent sustainability consultant. He was previously Chair of Bioregional, an award-winning sustainability charity. He's also a trustee of Dorset Climate Action Network, and its representative on Dorset Council's Climate Adaptation Strategy Steering Committee.
Jan Owens: “I am a late developer in environment & sustainability & now a wild enthusiast – I think it’s the Swanage effect – living for past 30 years in our beautiful space between land & sea. Sustainable Swanage complements my Dorset career in Children’s Services (Sure Start, Homestart), plus 12 years in Dorset NHS.”
Our delivery partners
We work very closely with Planet Purbeck, whose full-time staff put on events for us, provide expert input and give general support. We're very grateful for all they do.
