Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 15 hours ago
I was delighted to be interviewed by Martin Webber of Southborough News at the Tunbridge Wells Climate & Nature Fair on 3rd May, held in the beautiful Calverley Grounds Park in the centre of town, an event organised by Mark Wood Bennett that brought together so many people and initiatives working for a better future. Martin asked me what I'll be speaking about at the fair, and I explained that my keynote is focused on the kind of preparedness we need to be building together in the face of the challenging times ahead. People in the Tunbridge Wells area already have a taste of what that means, the region has become nationally known for the scandalous breakdown in water supply, which is partly a result of poor management by water companies, but is also a sign of the kind of disruptions we'll increasingly face as a result of climate breakdown.
I talked about the importance of acting collectively rather than just as isolated individuals. Drawing on my own experience in rural Norfolk, where I'm part of a local resilience network called the Five Mile Network, I described how communities can come together to trade produce and seeds, plant community orchards, and build real local food security. I also spoke honestly about practical steps including stockpiling food and water in a pro-social way, meaning storing enough to share with neighbours, not just to hoard for yourself. And with global supply chains increasingly fragile, this kind of community-level preparedness has never been more important.
But I also wanted to address the question of how we make all this feel positive rather than just frightening, and that is really the heart of my work. When people start to feel their collective power, when they look around at events like this fair and see how many others share their concerns and are already taking action, they stop feeling powerless and are far less likely to bury their heads in the sand. That's what I try to do through the Climate Majority Project, which I run to help people understand that those of us who care about climate and nature are not a small embattled minority. We are a growing majority. To find out more, visit https://ClimateMajorityProject.com.
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Edited excerpt courtesy of Martin Webber & Southborough News youtu.be/Wxz-N5A8LmI
I was delighted to be interviewed by Martin Webber of Southborough News at the Tunbridge Wells Climate & Nature Fair on 3rd May, held in the beautiful Calverley Grounds Park in the centre of town, an event organised by Mark Wood Bennett that brought together so many people and initiatives working for a better future. Martin asked me what I'll be speaking about at the fair, and I explained that my keynote is focused on the kind of preparedness we need to be building together in the face of the challenging times ahead. People in the Tunbridge Wells area already have a taste of what that means, the region has become nationally known for the scandalous breakdown in water supply, which is partly a result of poor management by water companies, but is also a sign of the kind of disruptions we'll increasingly face as a result of climate breakdown.
I talked about the importance of acting collectively rather than just as isolated individuals. Drawing on my own experience in rural Norfolk, where I'm part of a local resilience network called the Five Mile Network, I described how communities can come together to trade produce and seeds, plant community orchards, and build real local food security. I also spoke honestly about practical steps including stockpiling food and water in a pro-social way, meaning storing enough to share with neighbours, not just to hoard for yourself. And with global supply chains increasingly fragile, this kind of community-level preparedness has never been more important.
But I also wanted to address the question of how we make all this feel positive rather than just frightening, and that is really the heart of my work. When people start to feel their collective power, when they look around at events like this fair and see how many others share their concerns and are already taking action, they stop feeling powerless and are far less likely to bury their heads in the sand. That's what I try to do through the Climate Majority Project, which I run to help people understand that those of us who care about climate and nature are not a small embattled minority. We are a growing majority. To find out more, visit https://ClimateMajorityProject.com.
RupertRead.net
RupertRead.substack.com
twitter.com/GreenRupertRead
https://bsky.app/profile/rupertread.bsky.social
instagram.com/RupertRead
tiktok.com/@GreenRupertRead
facebook.com/GreenRupertRead
Edited excerpt courtesy of Martin Webber & Southborough News youtu.be/Wxz-N5A8LmI
