Local groups unite to start climate conversations

People in Wharfedale and beyond are being offered the chance to learn how best to talk about climate change starting with a free online workshop at 19:30 on Tuesday 24 February 2026. 

Tickets are free and available to everyone here. Places are limited so early booking is advised.

Conversations are at the heart of big social change – for example with equal marriage in the UK, or abortion rights in Ireland. But surveys show that while 3 in 4 of us think climate is a serious threat, not just globally but here in the UK, more than half of us rarely or never talk about it. 

‘Let's Talk Climate’ is all about changing that through giving people the confidence, motivation and skills to have positive, hopeful conversations about climate - in the post office queue, over the garden fence, at the school gate, by the water cooler - and in doing so, make the 'invisible consensus' on climate visible and open up space for more ambition.

The climate and nature groups around Wharfedale - including Climate Action Ilkley, Otley 2030, Climate Action Menston, Menston Area Nature Trust, Climate Action Addingham, Climate Action Silsden – have been given the opportunity to offer this programme free of charge thanks to Larger Us with funding from the European Climate Foundation.

The programme is open to all and starts with a 2-hour online workshop that will help  people identify the reasons why they might find it difficult to have climate conversations and give practical tips on how to get them started and keep them going positively. Graduates of the workshop can then deepen their learning by joining ‘the Challenge’. As part of a small group they will set conversation goals each week, chat through experiences with their group and focus on key topics to supercharge their skills.

The Challenge will start in the week commencing 16 March and run until w/c Monday 27 April. Group meetings will probably be on Tuesdays or Thursdays in the evening - exact dates and times to be agreed with participants.

Notes

 Over the last two years the national charity Larger Us has run Let's Talk Climate with a range of partners - from big national membership organisations like the National Trust, Wildlife Trusts and Women's Institute and UNISON to local groups in places up and down the UK - involving hundreds of people and resulting in thousands of conversations. They are currently working with the European Climate Foundation in Yorkshire specifically.

Thursday 26 June 2025, from 18:30 at Ilkley Moor Vaults.

Summer Celebration - all welcome!

We’re seven years old and we’re holding a summer event to celebrate what we’ve achieved since 2018. The event will take place from 6.30pm, Thursday 26 June at Ilkley Moor Vaults, starting off in their very pleasant beer garden if fine. Optional food (which this place does very well!) is plant-based Asian eats at £15 per person, consisting of:

• Veggie aubergine & tomato toast, sriracha sauce, furikake

• Edamame bean, smoked sea salt

• Crispy tofu with pickled cucumber & Korean BBQ sauce

• Cauliflower leaf bhajis, mint & lime mayonnaise

• Salt & pepper chips

They call them nibbles but they’re pretty substantial. We need to know numbers for food by noon on Sunday 22 June. To book or for more details please email Steve Peel: steve.peel@climateactionilkley.org.uk. 

If you ask a climate scientist what’s the most important thing we can all do,they are likely to say ‘talk about it’. But many of us find having a conversation about climate change with friends, colleagues or acquaintances really difficult

So we are delighted to be able to offer this opportunity:

Thursday 7 November 2024, 19:30 to 21:00, Clarke Foley Centre

Learning how to have better Climate Conversations

with Alex Evans

Alex Evans is Founder and Exec Director of Larger Us which works to inspire and support change-makers to use psychology to bridge divides, build broader coalitions and bring people together. He has previously worked as an adviser to UK Secretaries of State and the UN Secretary-General’s office, Campaign Director at Avaaz and is Visiting Professor at Newcastle University. We are fortunate that he lives in Wharfedale and is keen to lead this live workshop for us:

The Big Idea – this session will demonstrate why conversations matter so much to the climate movement and how this training can help members to overcome the barriers they have to talking about it in their community.

For those that wish to take it further there may be more detailed sessions available.

This is a free event, coffee/ tea and maybe cake will be available. You can sign up on Eventbrite here.