About Us

Winterbourne and Frome Valley Environmental Group (WEG) is a community action group in South Gloucestershire (UK). We aim to think globally and act locally to fight climate breakdown.

The group was formed in April 2019 in response to the IPCC report on global warming of 1.5C (IPCC Special Report on Global Warming). A small group of local residents were involved in urging South Gloucestershire Council to declare a Climate and Ecological Emergency – this went through and now all our local councils are working towards Net Zero 2030.

WEG became officially constituted in November 2019, with a committee of local residents. We now have over 300 group members and several active projects in the community.

We form part of South Gloucestershire Council’s Climate Emergency Community Engagement Forum.

We are also an affiliated Friends of the Earth Local Action Group.

We are a Transition Town project as Climate Action Winterbourne.

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About Winterbourne

Winterbourne is a large village in South Gloucestershire, England, situated on the north fringe of Bristol. The village had a population of 8,965 according to the 2011 census. The Civil Parish of Winterbourne is centred on the village and includes the neighbouring communities of Winterbourne Down, Frenchay. To the north-east is the village of Frampton Cotterell and to the west lies the new town of Bradley Stoke.

The River Frome passes through the area on its journey from Doddington to the centre of Bristol with Folly Brook feeding in at Damson Bridge and Bradley Brook joining the Frome in Hambrook. The Frome Valley walkway accompanies the Frome with walks joining from many areas of local countryside.

Winterbourne Parish also includes the Huckford rail viaduct with it’s eleven stone arches, a large ex-flax pit duckpond, a grade II* listed 14th century tithe barn and the National Trust managed land in Frenchay at Tuckett’s Field.

Committee

Laura Fogg-Rogers is a Winterbourne Down resident and mother of two children. She is Associate Professor in science communication at UWE Bristol and researches sustainability communications. She is passionate about taking action to prevent climate breakdown to protect her children’s future. She loves the local countryside around Winterbourne and enjoys exploring the Frome Valley with her children!  Laura is also a Councillor on Winterbourne Parish Council.  

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Mum to four amazing kids who are all huge nature lovers. She is really keen to protect the area around us to help in any way we can to support the local wildlife, bugs and bees and help protect against climate change. As a family we are involved in the local permaculture community farm Frome Valley Growing Project and are trialling veganism. Sharon is also a Councillor on Winterbourne Parish Council.  

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Penny Sykes

Treasurer

Penny is a Winterbourne resident and sustainability professional. She is also a Councillor on Winterbourne Parish Council.

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Duncan lives in Winterbourne Down and grew up in South Glos. He is a father of two children and a software developer. He is doing everything he can to tackle the climate emergency including funding international tree projects, helping local tree planting, clearing litter, campaigning for better active travel and safer roads and against single use packaging. 

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Kate has lived in Winterbourne since 2015 with her two children. Kate founded the Frome Valley Growing Project in 2019, developed on permaculture principles to provide food and seeds, increased biodiversity and learning opportunities. Kate has 2 decades of working with marginalised young people as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and Yoga Teacher. Kate’s vision is to facilitate meaningful connection to land for all.