WHAT WE WANT TO DO:
01
Help our communities to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030
02
Develop together a community action plan to face climate change
03
Help people to understand what to do to address their own carbon footprint
HERE'S HOW WE'RE DOING IT:
Our community hubs offer advice & information, projects to get involved in, and a dynamic meeting place.
COMMUNITY HUB
We deliver unbiased, honest, science-based
information to help us adapt to climate change,
using films, talks and field trips.
COMMUNITY EDUCATION
Grow your own food in company. We’ll address
food shortage issues in our own back yard.
COMMUNITY FOOD FARM
We know the reality of climate change is
frightening. We offer support to help people
cope with climate anxiety.
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
MEET THE TEAM
Eamonn O'Nolan
Eamonn spent his working life in the technology and financial services industries, starting and selling several companies. Since his retirement, he has spent the majority of his time campaigning for more awareness of the climate crisis and against the inexorable growth in fossil fuel emissions. He has been involved in Suffolk local politics for ten years, and has served as a Woodbridge Town Councillor since 2014, with two stints as the town’s mayor. Eamonn has four sons and as many grandchildren: he is passionate about changing the way in which Suffolk tackles Climate Change and Biodiversity loss. The Deben Climate Centre is, he believes, in a unique position to influence the community, and to create active projects which allow people to genuinely contribute to lowering their carbon footprint, and, more importantly, to spread the word that we can not continue to exploit the world we live in without dire consequences.
Professor Peter Hobson BSc, MSc, PhD, FHEA
Peter is a Professor in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainability at Writtle University College, and also an honorary senior lecturer at Lisbon University, Portugal and Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Germany. As well as his academic roles, Peter is an Executive Commissioner for Essex Climate Action Commission; IUCN Commissioner for CEM – Global Forest Ecosystems; trustee for the UK Wilderness Foundation; board member for European Beech Forest Network; and for the European Society for Conservation Biology Policy Group. He is on the Journal editorial team for Annals of Forest Ecology, and his area of research includes ecosystem thermodynamics and measures of ecosystem function in managed landscapes. Peter has over 15 years international experience in community-based adaptive management planning for nature recovery.
Wendy Herniman
Skipping over my careers in healthcare and education, I found my true calling about 15 years ago when I discovered a community of scientists and naturalists at Pepperwood Preserve, where I was living in Northern California. As a steward there, I was involved in many research, education and restoration projects, but my most transformative experiences there simply involved immersing myself in nature and the landscape. This led me to a study of the astonishing range of oak species across the preserve and then to a master's degree with Edinburgh University on biodiversity, wildlife and ecosystems. Unfortunately, the urgency of tackling the climate crisis became apparent with repeated catastrophic wildfires crossing the preserve and my home city, and so I've returned to Suffolk to focus on community resilience here.
Jane Healey
Jane Healey is a founder member of Deben Climate Cente, Co-Secretary of Transition Woodbridge, Chair at East Suffolk Council Greenrpint Forum and Member of Woodbridge Town Council Climate and Ecological Emergency Committee. She was also recently appointed as an Honoarary Freewoman of Woodbridge. Jane is a passionate environmentalist and an activist for climate solutions.
Gerry Curren
In the last few years, Gerry has fallen in love with nature. He is passionate about living in a more life-centric and reciprocal way within the whole Earth community. He has been inspired by his time spent at Schumacher College in Devon, an alternative learning organisation teaching soil-soul-society living. He completed a course in 'sustainable growing' and now loves to grow his own food using permaculture techniques and listening to the wisdom of nature. He joined the Deben Climate Centre to be part of community adaptions to the rapidly changing climate. Gerry is currently working in the financial services industry and studying for a CFA certificate in sustainable investments.
Jane Ryan
Pam Watson
Hi! I’m Pam, one of the founder members of Deben Climate Centre. I’m passionate about the benefits of feeling part of the wild world around us. I use it for meditative inspiration and writing. My wilded garden is very important to me. I’m also passionate about our connection to the river here, the Deben. I’m proud of the achievements of the DCC in investigating pollution and protecting our right to clean, effectively regulated water. I love walking and running along it, and cycling. I believe if we work together we are very powerful. We can develop a strong voice here in our community to improve choices for ourselves, and influence future government policy to take account of our needs.I’m a member of Woodbridge Town Council Climate and Ecological Emergency Committee, and of Transition Woodbridge.
Mel Menhams
I've lived in Woodbridge for 10 years, nearly half that time was spent teaching at Woodbridge Primary School. Before moving to Suffolk, I taught in a purpose-built eco-school in Hatfield, Hertfordshire where our unique curriculum was designed around the principles of Education for Sustainable Development - bringing the wider issues of sustainability into our day-to-day teaching. Since 2018, I have owned and run Suffolk's first mobile zero waste shop Cupboard Love - bringing refills and plastic-free shopping to Woodbridge and the surrounding area in my trusty van Boudicca! I have been involved with DCC for about 8 months and I’m really passionate about engaging with the wider community in a way that is accessible, purposeful and sustainable; community action for a healthier Planet Earth!