LAST week I attended an interesting seminar at the Barnwood Trust by Julia Unwin, who led the independent inquiry Civil Society Futures.

Their findings around the country highlighted how many communities and people feel divided and excluded.

What was positive though was how active civil society is everywhere, in that the space outside the public and private sectors – it’s about what people can do when they get together to make a difference.

People feel really strongly about the places where they live, and what’s important to them there, and there are ways to harness that, and we as councils can help enable that to happen.

A great example of this is Stroud District Action on Plastic, which launches on Monday, July 1 here at Ebley Mill.

The group is a community-led project, which is supported by the council.

The new project coordinator will be taking engagement work on recycling and reuse out into the community, helping to deliver this part of the District’s Corporate Delivery Plan.

The launch coincides with the start of Plastic-Free July and SDAP will be working to make it easier for people to reduce and remove single use plastic from their everyday lives.

Do encourage your workplace, school or any other place that can to get involved and to get in touch via sdap@transitionstroud.org if they’d like to find out more.

I have been out walking around my ward with our Neighbourhood Warden.

Our seven wardens do a fantastic job, working with all sorts of people, and as part of our work on reducing carbon emissions will be getting around from now on electric bikes and hybrid or electrical vehicles.

One of the tasks they fulfil is installing Careline - the service can be rented, go to

stroud.gov.uk/health-wellbeing/careline

or call 01453 754149.