Entries by admin

Climate Health Check

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Why the ‘old story’ of climate change must remain the new story, not least in the context of human health which it profoundly threatens. Professor Hugh Montgomery makes a powerful case in his Climate Health Check, delivered at the 2014 CleanMed conference in Oxford. After his talk he spoke to Anuradha Vittachi about why he […]

We called it ‘ecoCasting’

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We were excited in the noughties about the power of livestreaming. We called our version of it ‘ecoCasting’ because it represented participation in events without the carbon cost of travel – particularly flying. Here’s a taste of some of the events we covered live.  

Mosaic Earth Backstory

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“It’s possible to develop a sustainable future for this planet, but it needs all of us to get involved” Kumi Naidoo, Director, Greenpeace  Mosaic Earth is coming of age. Mosaic Earth and her daughter Mosaics are en route to becoming a creative, empowering way to generate and empower individuals and communities everywhere to become visible, find […]

The Power of the Hut

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Psychotherapist Chris Robertson reflects on spaces of healing beyond the consulting room – based on a favourite story told by Carl Jung. How can this help address the issue of the tendency to deny the reality of climate change?

Walking to Boo

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Bluebell Wood, at the top of Hedgerley Wood, is where Boo Armstrong is buried. To ensure that it is protected for the future, the area has now been registered with a new Bluebell Wood Trust, ensuring that it can never be developed or sold.

A Blue Plaque for Boo Armstrong

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Friends and family gathered three years after Boo’s death, for the unveiling of a plaque in her memory at Women+ Health in Camden, where Boo worked from the age of 20 – first as receptionist, then as director and fundraiser. It was the occasion for so many memories and tributes. You can support their work […]

Oxford’s Refugee Welcome

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An amazing demo arranged at 3 days’ notice that brought more than 2,000 people into central Oxford to express passionate support for refugees. It really was empathy in action.

HWT Annual Report 2014-15

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In its second year – the twelve months from August 2014 to August 2015 – the Hedgerley Wood Trust has once more achieved all its learning objectives: enabling the public, and/or relevant professionals interfacing with the public, to deepen their knowledge, understanding and skills of topics outlined in our mission statement. HWT: • Gave a […]

British boxing champ takes on Anuradha – in the ring and on climate change

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Chris Fensom, who was crowned British Light Heavyweight (MMA) boxing champ this November, is very, very tall. Hence his nickname ‘The Giraffe’. Together with his follically-challenged friend Daren Headley, aka the Slaphead, he interviewed Anuradha Vittachi, founder of OneClimate, about climate change. The pair run a series of popular podcasts, The Slaphead and The Giraffe, usually bantering about lighter […]

TEDx Aylesbury

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Great speakers like Shappi Khorsandi grearing up for May 9th to explore the theme of ‘Misfits and Pioneers’.

How to make Mental Health services sustainable

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Dr. Daniel Maughan, the inspirational Sustainability Fellow at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, gives his take on how the NHS can make its mental health services truly sustainable. And it’s about much more than saving money.  

HWT Annual Report 2013-14

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In its first year – the twelve months from August 2013 to August 2014 – the Hedgerley Wood Trust has met all its objectives. More than a dozen videos have been produced in the fields of sustainable health and climate change for a number of non-profits. Multimedia support for conferences has included an interactive ‘exploratory’ […]

The One and Only

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To mark the second anniversary of her death, we’ve put together these fragments of film and photographs as a remembrance of a truly remarkable woman – Boo Armstrong.

‘Ferocious Tenderness’ – with Jay Griffiths

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In a powerful presentation the author of ‘Wild’ takes us to the Amazon to understand the human roots of culture and the ways it which it is threatened in the modern world. Are there nevertheless reasons for hope? Jay Griffiths was speaking at the 2015 meeting of the Climate Psychology Alliance on the theme of […]

Radical Hope and Cultural Tragedy

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Chris Johnstone was speaking at the 2015 meeting of the Climate Psychology Alliance on the theme of Radical Hope and Cultural Tragedy. For more information check climatepsychologyalliance.org.

High Octane Singers at Hedgerley Wood Trust event

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August 2014 saw an audience in the amphitheatre at Hedgerley Wood enjoy a programme of songs and flute music from the High Octane singers, and a presentation on the work of the Hedgerley Wood Trust. This is one of a series of meetings and events arranged as part of the mission of the trust.

Buying with a Conscience

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This live panel discussion brings together leading researchers and actors to debate whether we can buy Bangladesh garments with a conscience — and what can be done to improve conditions for workers in the industry. The keynote speaker was Prof. Richard Locke of Brown University, USA, and the session is introduced by Prof. Stephanie Barrientos […]

The Real Cost of Healthcare

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At the recent Cleanmed conference in Oxford, we were shocked to hear how surgical instruments used in the NHS are regularly made in terrible working conditions in Pakistan and other developing countries, including by children as young as seven. Mahmood Bhutta, an ENT Surgeon and co-founder of the BMA Medical Fair and Ethical Trade Group, […]

Only Through Community

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There are few stories of empathy in action more inspiring than that of a of a remarkable initiative in Kenya, its charismatic founder and team of volunteers. St Martins brings hope to street children, the disabled and those living with HIV/AIDS and does so, not through outside support and funds, but by the caring compassion […]

Empathy Gateway

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A chance to meet the playwright and activist Sarah Woods at the London performance of her one-woman ‘Empathy Roadshow’. Anuradha Vittachi talked to her after the show about her idea for the piece and how empathy can be relevant to issues as diverse as climate change and living with teenagers.

Climate Health Check

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Just how bad is the climate change crisis and its impact on human health and the health of the planet? And what is the best way to get the message out about what can be done? At the 2013 CleanMed Conference in Oxford Prof. Hugh Montgomery brings his wide experience in the health service to […]

Greening the NHS

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The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare in Oxford has been running a programme called NHS Forest. It promotes the planting of tens of thousands of trees around UK hospitals and clinics – showing how green spaces can promote wellbeing and shorter recovery times.

Saving the NHS £1 Billion?

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That’s the surprising claim made in a film we’ve just completed for the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare in Oxford to be shown at next week’s CleanMed conference. They’ve been pioneering new initiatives in sustainability, starting with kidney treatments and extending to other specialties like mental health.

Jo and Harry’s Story

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This week sees the launch of a powerful new feature film, Mary and Martha. The creation of Richard Curtis, best known for great comedies like Blackadder, it’s the story of two mothers brought together by the shared personal tragedy of malaria. It’s to be broadcast on BBC1 on Friday 1st March at 8.30 pm. But behind […]

Malaria No More!

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‘Malaria No More’ is not a dream, it’s the goal of a campaign highlighted this week by the launch of a powerful new feature film, Mary and Martha. The creation of Richard Curtis, best known for great comedies like Blackadder, it’s the story of two mothers brought together by the shared personal tragedy of malaria. […]

Malaria, Movies and the Passions of Richard Curtis

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This week saw the first UK showing of the powerful new movie – Mary and Martha. Written by Richard Curtis, it stars Brenda Blethyn and Hilary Swank as two mothers brought together by the personal tragedy of malaria who go on to fight an obscenity that still today kills more than half a million children every […]

Possible Breakthrough

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I went to a Solarsavers seminar yesterday in High Wycombe to discuss energy options with a number of suppliers. I had expected to be most interested in the solar water heating options. There were some good nuggets in the presentations: “the 19th was the century of coal, the 20th of oil and the 21st will […]