The Thame Green Living Plan’s development started in 2013, led by a group of volunteers under the aegis of the worldwide RSA – the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, founded in 1754. It is a registered charity committed to finding innovative, creative and practical solutions to today’s societal challenges.
Following years of work to create the plan , in 2020 it was adopted unanimously by Thame Town Council, and it was at this point the Thame contingent of the RSA transitioned to the new identity of ‘Thame Green Living’. The adoption of the plan immediately raised awareness of the need for Thame to become more proactive and more coordinated in taking action to mitigate climate change on a local level. Significantly, the plan also provided an incredible overview of the broad and deep community commitment needed to achieve the plan. It was, and remains, clear that it was only with the active support of all everyone in the community that the changes needed would be made.
Thame is a town of action, and so there were already lots happening, or planned for – much of which is featured in the content of the plan. So it is not just Thame Green Living who is delivering on the Actions in the plan. We hope this website will allow you to find out about everyone playing their part through the links below, and through the different projects you can find linked to from our main menu. If you aren’t featured on one of them, then please consider what part you could play – it is only together that we will achieve what we need to. Get involved today!
The authors and creators of the Thame Green Living Plan. Today working to drive forward the implementation of the plan locally – through lobbying for change, implementing projects and developing partnerships, whilst always keeping focus on broader national and international factors that have an influence on the plan
Adopted the plan in 2020. Appointed an ‘Environmental Project officer in 2022 whose remit is to coordinate the implementation of the Thame Green Living plan. Including supporting the administration of this website to showcase achievements against the actions of the plan.
Other Community Groups and organisations
The Thame Green Living Plan could not be achieved without the work of a huge number of other groups. Find out about everyone who is playing a part here.
Without sponsors and funders supporting project with time and money, the Thame Green Living Plan couldn’t happen. We are very thankful to the sponsors and funding bodies involved for their support . If you are a local company looking to support the Thame Green Living Plan get in contact.
The early years – a timeline
2013
Thame Neighbourhood Plan approved by Thame residents. In addition to allocating sites for the housing requirement by government and planning authorities, the Neighbourhood Plan recommended the creation of a Green Living Plan for Thame, to follow up on the issues of quality of life and sustainability raised during its creation.
In response, the Thame Town Council commissioned the RSA Thame Group, a local group of members of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce, to act as its honorary consultants and prepare the UK’s first Green Living Plan.
2018
In June 2018 an initial version of the Green Living Plan was presented to Thame Town Council, and a two month consultation period was approved to canvas the opinions of Thame residents.
Guided by the responses to the consultation, The RSA Thame Group, supported by a number of individuals and local community groups, then set out to create an updated version of the plan with specific recommendations and actions for Thame.
2020
On 14 July 2020 the Thame Green Living Plan was approved unanimously and adopted by Thame Town Council. The plan will be taken forward with the support of a new community organisation, proposed to be called Thame Green Living.
In early days the existence of a plan, where before there was nothing, had significant impacts, including:
- motivating changes within Thame Town Council,
- encouraging other community groups to take new action that would help to achieve actions within the plan,
- engaging local businesses in playing a part,
- raising the profile of the incredible work already happening through other environmental groups that had been operating in the town, some for many years.
In October Thame Green Living launched Thame Solar Streets, a project that provides discounted solar photovoltaic panels to Thame homeowners.
The year ended with the launch of Love Thame Hate Waste, a project that aims to help Thame residents and businesses reduce, re-use and recycle their waste.
2021
In February 2021 the first new waymarked Thame Walking Route was published, for the four mile Thame Inner Circuit walk.
The second Thame Solar Streets project began in May, hoping to repeat the success of the original promotion, which has so far saved four tonnes of CO2 production.
Thame Green Living were voted Local Carbon Hub’s Community Group of the Month in July.
The waymarked, 20 mile Thame Outer Circuit walking route was published in August.
In September, hundreds of local people attended the first Thame Drive Electric event to learn more about electric cars from electric car owners.
The regeneration of the Rycote Meadow began in November with volunteers braving the cold to plant 700 trees.
December saw more trees in the ground as the Howland Road verge restoration began, thanks to Thame Green Living, Lucy Electric and Thame Trees.
2022
In 2022, Thame Town Council approved and recruited a new post in the form of an ‘Environmental Project Officer’ whose primary focus was to support the implementation of the Thame Green Living plan. Included in this work was supporting the administration of this website to showcase achievements against the actions of the plan. Since then all further timeline actions have been reported through the sites posts and pages.