Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales in association with Together for Change launch their autumn workshop and seminar series for anyone in a community or working with communities who would like to use research as a tool for action.
Building on the previous 11 sessions, the first two fully funded sessions of the autumn apply ‘hot of the press’ research to support real community action.
Please book onto each individual session you are interested in via the links below and remember to sign up to the seminar series news alerts online.
We will record every session that is appropriate to and make available on our Vimeo channel. If you have any questions or suggestions for a session theme that would be helpful, please email post@tfc.cymru.
Some anonymous quotes from people who attended previous sessions in answer to the question – ‘Has the workshop changed how you think about or plan to act on this topic or in your work? If so, how?’
“Will keep doing what I’m doing and spread the word – Reassuring to hear others share the vision and passion for this work”
“It does make it seem more feasible and helps us envision a path forward.”
“It will help me to adapt my way of working especially in terms of data for funding applications and project/service design”
“I think I’m finding a lot of negative opinions around community engagement when it comes to the conservation industry, so it’s really great to see some positive work around these communities and it’s given me a positive outlook going forward.”
“Yes, it gave good tips, and it was interesting to hear what others do”
“It has encouraged me to stay involved and not give up when times are so hard at present”
Perceptions of Growth and the benefits of Town Partnerships: Case Studies from across the UK
09 September 2026, 12:30 – 14:00 – Online
Join Dr Sophie Bennett-Gillison (Aberystwyth University), Dr Eifiona Thomas Lane (Bangor University) and Julie Gibbon (Chairman, Haltwhistle Partnership https://haltwhistle.org/) who will provide new insights into what ‘growth’ actually means from their latest research in Wales and Northumberland, and how growth can be achieved through community/town partnerships.
The Government is always talking about encouraging economic growth, but who’s idea of growth is that, and do different people see growth differently?
Julie will explain how the Haltwhistle Partnership, which aims to support and invest in community enterprises and activities in Haltwhistle, Northumberland, has benefitted the town. Sophie and Eifiona will talk about how the type of growth required to nurture enterprises in rural regions across the UK should not focus narrowly on jobs, turnover or productivity, but include local capacity for business start-ups, local service provision, and increased quality and survival among local businesses. Growth can be about constant improvement to avoid going ‘backwards’ as well as growth meaning ‘doing better’ not ‘doing more’.
This seminar will involve a ‘troubleshooting’ discussion where community members can bring examples of growth, or the potential for growth, from their own towns to discuss with panel members who can offer insights for how to cultivate alternative growth models and create or maintain town partnerships.
Seven types of growth were identified in the research:
- Growth as community-building
- Bottom-up growth coming from the community and combined with the survival of the place, including its culture, people and traditions.
- Growth as maintenance & survival encompassing Lifestyle businesses.
- Growth through Opportunity focused on the population and being able to retain or attract young people in these towns.
- Foundational Growth so people to feel pride, hope and belonging in relation to their places.
- Sustainable growth as long-term, maintained, sustainable, environmentally friendly and ‘future’ oriented.
Multi-solving for climate action – a practical workshop for communities
14 October 2026, 13:00 – 14:30 – Online
Join Dr Sophie Wynne-Jones and Dr Elen Bonner from Bangor University to understand how leading with co-benefits can build a foundation for deeper climate engagement in your area.
Some benefits of cutting greenhouse gas emissions are lower bills, healthier homes, better transport options, thriving nature and culture, and stronger local economies but are these talked about enough?
This workshop will explore how greenhouse gas emission reductions can occur as a consequence of meeting everyday needs, rather than as an upfront selling point, so that climate-friendly behaviours can be normalised by making them practical and attractive.
Our speakers will share examples of how working with communities to establish local priorities is key to how rural areas can exercise climate leadership in ways that are both effective and socially accepted. By starting from local experience, contexts, histories, and priorities, initiatives are able to design interventions that feel relevant and achievable.
Through practical activities, participants will:
- Re-examine existing projects to identify their hidden social, economic and environmental value, strengthening the case for action.
- Consider building stronger local partnerships.
- Identify where communicating differently could have a positive impact.
Participants will leave with practical tools, new perspectives, and clear next steps to incorporate multi-solution climate action into their daily work.