This is a list of local organisations relevant to some aspect of climate change and its impacts, complied by volunteers. If you’d like your organisation added, or if you think any of this information is incorrect, contact us on bridportclimateresponseoffice@gmail.com.
This Directory is available in two forms: click here for an alphabetical list of all organisations. Or search by topic, using the list below.
Emergency Resilience
Food
Habitat Conservation/Restoration
Home Energy
Sustainability
Travel
Volunteering
Waste
Wellbeing
Young People
Emergency Resilience
Local to Bridport
Bridport Town Council: Their Emergency Resilience Plan details a range of risks, some of them climate related, and also preparatory measures by organisations, and some which can be taken by households. See here.
Volunteering: You can help local resilience capacity by volunteering with a relevant local organisation. See more here.
County and national organisations
| Organisation/Project: | Dorset Local Resilience Forum |
| What we do: | This is the responsible agency for assessing potential emergencies from climate and other causes, and liaising with relevant agencies (e.g. Fire, NHS) and communities to prepare to deal with them. Their website gives a risk review for various emergency events, and has resources for communities. |
| Online info: | www.dorsetprepared.org.uk |
| Contact info: | ccuadmin@dwfire.org.uk |
| Organisation/Project: | St John Ambulance |
| What we do: | Provides First Aid services, training and supplies to supplement statutory emergency services. Much of their work involves volunteering, and training with them would enable you to help the local community in an emergency. |
| Online info: | www.sja.org.uk |
| Contact info: | General enquiries: 0370 010 4950. Training enquiries: 0344 770 4800. |
| Organisation/Project: | British Red Cross |
| What we do: | Operates a community reserve volunteer scheme which provides training to enable people to help their local community in an emergency. |
| Online info: | www.reserves.redcross.org.uk |
| Contact info: | reserves@redcross.org.uk |
Food
There are many food-related projects and organisations in Bridport. This list covers only a few. For info on local food suppliers, grow your own, and community initiatives, see the Bridport Food Matters website.
Food access/food banks
| Organisation/Project: | Community Fridge |
| What we do: | We use our fridge to combat food waste and share surplus food: open to all. |
| When and where: |
Tuesdays and Saturdays 10am-12pm at the Chapel in the Garden, 49 East Street.
Thursdays 9.30-12.30 at St Swithun’s.
Please check current opening hours, as they can vary.
|
| Online info: | www.facebook.com/bridportcommunityfridge/ |
| Contact info: | events@bridportunitarians.co.uk |
| Help needed: | More volunteers needed, gifts of food always welcome. |
| Organisation/Project: | Cupboard Love, The Bridport Food Bank |
| What we do: | We provide emergency food supplies to anyone in the Bridport area who needs them, including homeless people. |
| When and where: | Wednesdays 11.00am-1pm at St Mary’s Church, South Street, Bridport. Free cafe from 10.30am. |
| Online info: | www.facebook.com/bridportfoodbank/ |
| Contact info: | cupboardlove.bridport@gmail.com or 07443 596096. |
| Help needed: | More volunteers needed, particularly drivers and those able to lift groceries. |
| Organisation/Project: | The Garden Glut & Food Stall |
| What we do: | Jointly run by the Bridport Local Food Group, Transition Town Bridport and the Community Fridge. We supply for free (or donation) surplus food plus fresh produce from local growers including ready meals. |
| When and where: | St Swithun’s Church car park in North Allington every Thursday from 10am -1 pm |
| Online info: | www.bridportfoodfestival.co.uk/ |
| Contact info: | Contact Peter on pjwilson8@btinternet.com or 07778 159826. |
| Organisation/Project: | Hopeful Hampers |
| What we do: | We provide emergency hampers of tinned/dried and fresh food to families in urgent need of food. We have a small stock of food kept at Good Books and shop for fresh food if required, usually after talking to the recipient about their needs/preferences. In addition, we also supply organisations such as CAB, primary schools, housing associations, nurseries with bags of dried and tinned food which they can give out to anyone in need. |
| Where: | United Church on East Street, Bridport |
| Contact info: | To access, please email with details of family composition, ages of children, address and contact details: bridporthh@gmail.com |
| Organisation/Project | Bridport Food Matters |
| What we do: | We're a communication and information network, aiming to encourage positive change, on local food matters. We operate a website, run a newsletter and events, and work to encourage more production and buying of locally grown, climate-friendly food. |
| Online info: | www.bridportfoodmatters.net/ |
| Contact info: | bridportfoodmatters@gmail.com |
| Help needed: | Volunteers very welcome. |
Food: general topics
| Organisation/Project | Bridport Local Food Group |
| What we do: | We organise the Bridport Food Festival, also awards and a suppliers' guide, with the overall aim of promoting local food producers, retailers and catering outlets. |
| When and where: | Food Festival in June each year. See website for details of this and other activities. |
| Online info: | www.bridportfoodfestival.co.uk |
Habitat Conservation/Restoration
Some private experts believe that habitat loss, i.e. the destruction or degradation of ecosystems, is one of the most serious aspects of the climate crisis. One reason is that this is causing very large population loss for species of many kinds, including animals, fish, birds, insects and plants, including many extinctions. These losses are important for many reasons: not only to maintain diversity and respect non-human life, but also because of the impact they are already having on food production and other human needs. To read more about this issue, and antidotes such as regenerative agriculture, see this blog on the book by Charles Eisenstein, Climate – A New Story. There are a number of local projects involved in habitat renewal and conservation. Here are some of them:
| Organisation/Project: | Bridport Tree Planting |
| What we do: | This is a volunteer project which plants trees in both public and private spaces, and can provide trees at little or no cost in small numbers for people to plant in their own gardens. It is coordinated by Joe Hackett in conjunction with West Dorset Friends of the Earth. |
| Online info: | www.westdorsetfriendsoftheearth.org.uk/index.php/more-trees-please/ |
| Organisation/Project: | Dorset Wildlife Trust |
| What we do: | DWT runs a range of conservation sites across the county, and relies heavily on volunteers to help maintain them, as well as carrying out wildlife surveys and other tasks. |
| Online info: | www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/ |
| Organisation/Project: | Allington Hillbillies |
| What we do: | This is a voluntary group which maintains the area around Allington Hill on the north-west edge of Bridport, and has frequent groups for conservation volunteers. |
| Online info: | www.allingtonhillbillies.org.uk/community/the-allington-hillbillies-14834/home/ |
Home Energy
For general advice and a number of contacts about home energy, see our topic section here.
| Organisation/Project: | Bridport Energy Champions |
| What we do: | We train individuals and provide information and support to help households to reduce their energy costs and emissions. |
| Online info: | www.bridport-tc.gov.uk/energy-champions-initiative |
| Contact: | David.dixon@bridport-tc.gov.uk |
| Help needed: | Volunteers always welcome. |
Sustainability
| Organisation/Project: | Transition Town Bridport |
| What we do: | We run or assist with a range of local sustainability projects, including Greener Homes and the Edible Gardens at two Bridport primary schools. |
| Online info: | www.transitiontownbridport.co.uk |
| Contact: | admin@transitiontownbridport.co.uk |
| Help needed: | Volunteers and ideas for new projects or collaborations always welcome. Help needed for Bridport Energy Champions initiative. |
| Organisation/Project: | West Dorset Friends of the Earth |
| What we do: | We support campaigns on a range of sustainability issues, including Bridport Tree Planting and Plastic Free Bridport, and organise awareness-raising events such as Great Big Green Week. |
| Online info: | www.westdorsetfriendsoftheearth.org.uk |
| Contact | info@westdorsetfriendsoftheearth.org.uk |
| Help needed: | Volunteers and ideas for new projects or collaborations always welcome. |
Travel
| Organisation/Project: | WATAG: West Dorset Area Transport Action Group |
| What we do: | Share information, gather concerns, and represent public transport needs to local authorities in our area. Also publishes an occasional newsletter. |
| Online info: | www.watag.org.uk |
| Contact: | watag@hotmail.co.uk |
| Help needed: | Volunteers and ideas for new projects or collaborations always welcome. |
Volunteering
Many of the organisations in all sections of this directory need volunteers. You can find current opportunities via:
| Organisation/Project: | Bridport Volunteering Projects |
| What we do: | This is a website facility run by Bridport Town Council to put volunteers in touch with organisations seeking help. |
| Online info: | https://bridportandwestbay.co.uk/volunteering-opportunity/ |
| Organisation/Project: | Bridport Community Support |
| What we do: | Provide online info about sources of support, including volunteering. You can post offers of help via their website. |
| Online info: |
General Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/413504675760119
Covid Volunteer Network: www.facebook.com/groups/BridportCCS |
| Organisation/Project: | Volunteer Centre Dorset |
| What we do: | Helps to connect volunteers with relevant projects across the county. |
| Online info: | www.volunteeringdorset.org.uk |
| Contact info: | Email: info@volunteeringdorset.org.uk or call 01305 269214. |
Waste
| Organisation/Project: | Plastic Free Bridport |
| What we do: | Our main focus is to work with businesses and community groups to eliminate single-use plastics, which are a major waste problem and consume fossil fuels. |
| Online info: | www.facebook.com/Plastic-Free-Bridport-101334955110189 |
| Contact: | info@scottstudio.co.uk |
| Help needed: | Volunteers always welcome. |
Wellbeing
| Organisation/Project: | Harmony DropIn Centre |
| What we do: | We offer a friendly, welcoming, informal service offering peer support, information, signposting and a variety of enjoyable activities to local people who are living with a mental health problem. This can include distress around climate change and its impacts. Our services are for adults only and self referral. |
| When and where: |
Check on website, see below.
Indoors at the Assembly Rooms, Gundry Lane, DT6 3RL, Mondays 10-1, 2-4, Wednesdays 10-1, Fridays 10-1.
Outdoors, weather permitting: Allotment group Tuesdays 11-1 at the community allotment next to the Community Orchard behind St Mary's Church.
Meet and chat, Wednesdays 10.30-12.30 in the Community Orchard. |
| Online info: | www.harmonydropin.org.uk/ |
| Contact: | Call 07597 379290 or email harmonyinfo@harmonydropin.org.uk |
| Help needed: | Money donations always needed to cover our running costs, see website. Volunteer helpers always welcome. |
Young People
Our research indicates that there are no local organisations or networks specifically for young people around aspects of climate change, including climate distress. If this is wrong, please contact us and we will be happy to update this section.
For young people with climate distress, there are various resources which could help. These support mental health generally, not just about climate change:
www.kooth.com: offers online resources and phone support.
www.youngminds.org.uk: offers tools and support to help young people care for their own mental health.
www.relate.org.uk: can offer family counselling for difficulties with family members.
Young Voices Challenge Fund: Seeding our Future is organising a £1300 challenge fund to help local young people to share their views on climate change with the community. See more here.
| Organisation/Project: | Bridport Youth and Community Centre |
| What we do: | We offer a wide range of social, sports and other activities, mostly at our Centre in Gundry Lane. |
| Online info: | Website: www.bridportycc.com and Facebook: www.facebook.com/bridportycc. |
| Contact: | Email: bridportycc@gmail.com and phone: 01308 422009. |
| Help needed: | Volunteers always very welcome. |
| Organisation/Project: | Youth Matters |
| What we do: | Peer support group for 11-18 age group. |
| Contact: | Contact Heather on youth.matters@mindinsomerset.org.uk or bridport.youth@gmail.com |
Alphabetical List
| Organisation/Project: | Allington Hillbillies |
| What we do: | This is a voluntary group which maintains the area around Allington Hill on the north-west edge of Bridport, and has frequent groups for conservation volunteers. |
| Online info: | https://sites.google.com/view/bridportcommunity/home |
| Organisation/Project: | Bridport Community Support |
| What we do: | Provide online info about sources of support, including volunteering. You can post offers of help via their website. |
| Online info: |
General Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/413504675760119 Covid Volunteer Network: www.facebook.com/groups/BridportCCS |
| Organisation/Project: | Bridport Energy Champions |
| What we do: | We train individuals and provide information and support to help households to reduce their energy costs and emissions. |
| Online info: | www.bridport-tc.gov.uk/energy-champions-initiative |
| Contact: | David.dixon@bridport-tc.gov.uk |
| Organisation/Project | Bridport Food Matters |
| What we do: | We're a communication and information network, aiming to encourage positive change, on local food matters. We operate a website, run a newsletter and events, and work to encourage more production and buying of locally grown, climate-friendly food. |
| Online info: | www.bridportfoodmatters.net/ |
| Contact info: | bridportfoodmatters@gmail.com |
| Help needed: | Volunteers very welcome. |
| Organisation/Project | Bridport Local Food Group |
| What we do: | We organise the Bridport Food Festival, also awards and a suppliers' guide, with the overall aim of promoting local food producers, retailers and catering outlets. |
| When and where: | Food Festival in June each year. See website for details of this and other activities. |
| Online info: | www.bridportfoodfestival.co.uk |
| Organisation/Project: | Bridport Tree Planting |
| What we do: | This is a volunteer project which plants trees in both public and private spaces, and can provide trees at little or no cost in small numbers for people to plant in their own gardens. It is coordinated by Joe Hackett in conjunction with West Dorset Friends of the Earth. |
| Online info: | www.westdorsetfriendsoftheearth.org.uk/index.php/more-trees-please/ |
| Organisation/Project: | Bridport Volunteering Projects |
| What we do: | This is a website facility run by Bridport Town Council to put volunteers in touch with organisations seeking help. |
| Online info: | https://bridportandwestbay.co.uk/volunteering-opportunity/ |
| Organisation/Project: | Bridport Youth and Community Centre |
| What we do: | We offer a wide range of social, sports and other activities, mostly at our Centre in Gundry Lane. |
| Online info: | Website: www.bridportycc.com and Facebook: www.facebook.com/bridportycc. |
| Contact: | Email: bridportycc@gmail.com and phone: 01308 422009. |
| Help needed: | Volunteers always very welcome. |
| Organisation/Project: | British Red Cross |
| What we do: | Operates a community reserve volunteer scheme which provides training to enable people to help their local community in an emergency. |
| Online info: | www.reserves.redcross.org.uk |
| Contact info: | reserves@redcross.org.uk |
| Organisation/Project: | Community Fridge |
| What we do: | We use our fridge to combat food waste and share surplus food: open to all. |
| When and where: |
Tuesdays and Saturdays 10am-12pm at the Chapel in the Garden, 49 East Street.
Thursdays 9.30-12.30 at St Swithun’s.
Please check current opening hours, as they can vary.
|
| Online info: | https://www.facebook.com/bridportcommunityfridge/ |
| Contact info: | events@bridportunitarians.co.uk |
| Help needed: | More volunteers needed, gifts of food always welcome. |
| Organisation/Project: | Cupboard Love, The Bridport Food Bank |
| What we do: | We provide emergency food supplies to anyone in the Bridport area who needs them, including homeless people. |
| When and where: | Wednesdays 11.00am-1pm at St Mary’s Church, South Street, Bridport. Free cafe from 10.30am. |
| Online info: | www.facebook.com/bridportfoodbank/ |
| Contact info: | cupboardlove.bridport@gmail.com or tel: 07443 596096. |
| Help needed: | More volunteers needed, particularly drivers and those able to lift groceries. |
| Organisation/Project: | Dorset Local Resilience Forum |
| What we do: | This is the responsible agency for assessing potential emergencies from climate and other causes, and liaising with relevant agencies (e.g. Fire, NHS) and communities to prepare to deal with them. Their website gives a risk review for various emergency events, and has resources for communities. |
| Online info: | www.dorsetprepared.org.uk |
| Contact info: | ccuadmin@dwfire.org.uk |
| Organisation/Project: | Dorset Wildlife Trust |
| What we do: | DWT runs a range of conservation sites across the county, and relies heavily on volunteers to help maintain them, as well as carrying out wildlife surveys and other tasks. |
| Online info: | www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/ |
| Organisation/Project: | Harmony DropIn Centre |
| What we do: | We offer a friendly, welcoming, informal service offering peer support, information, signposting and a variety of enjoyable activities to local people who are living with a mental health problem. This can include distress around climate change and its impacts. Our services are for adults only and self referral. |
| When and where: |
Check on website, see below.
Indoors at the Assembly Rooms, Gundry Lane, DT6 3RL, Mondays 10-1, 2-4, Wednesdays 10-1, Fridays 10-1. Outdoors, weather permitting: Allotment group Tuesdays 11-1 at the community allotment next to the Community Orchard behind St Mary's Church. Meet and chat, Wednesdays 10.30-12.30 in the Community Orchard. |
| Online info: | www.harmonydropin.org.uk/ |
| Contact: | Call 07597 379290 or email harmonyinfo@harmonydropin.org.uk |
| Help needed: | Money donations always needed to cover our running costs, see website. Volunteer helpers always welcome. |
| Organisation/Project: | Hopeful Hampers |
| What we do: | We provide emergency hampers of tinned/dried and fresh food to families in urgent need of food. We have a small stock of food kept at Good Books and shop for fresh food if required, usually after talking to the recipient about their needs/preferences. In addition, we also supply organisations such as CAB, primary schools, housing associations, nurseries with bags of dried and tinned food which they can give out to anyone in need. |
| Where: | United Church on East Street, Bridport |
| Contact info: | To access, please email with details of family composition, ages of children, address and contact details: bridporthh@gmail.com |
| Organisation/Project: | St John Ambulance |
| What we do: | Provides First Aid services, training and supplies to supplement statutory emergency services. Much of their work involves volunteering, and training with them would enable you to help the local community in an emergency. |
| Online info: | www.sja.org.uk |
| Contact info: | General enquiries: 0370 010 4950. Training enquiries: 0344 770 4800. |
| Organisation/Project: | The Garden Glut & Food Stall |
| What we do: | Jointly run by the Bridport Local Food Group, Transition Town Bridport and the Community Fridge. We supply for free (or donation) surplus food plus fresh produce from local growers including ready meals. |
| When and where: | St Swithun’s Church car park in North Allington every Thursday from 10am -1 pm |
| Online info: | www.bridportfoodfestival.co.uk/ |
| Contact info: | Contact Peter on pjwilson8@btinternet.com or tel: 07778 159826. |
| Organisation/Project: | Volunteer Centre Dorset |
| What we do: | Helps to connect volunteers with relevant projects across the county. |
| Online info: | www.volunteeringdorset.org.uk |
| Contact info: | Email: info@volunteeringdorset.org.uk or call 01305 269214. |
| Organisation/Project: | Youth Matters |
| What we do: | Peer support group for 11-18 age group. |
| Contact: | Contact Heather on youth.matters@mindinsomerset.org.uk or bridport.youth@gmail.com |