Our Story
Rights. Power. Stories. Communities. Action.
We are a collaboration of campaigners, lawyers, planners, facilitators, writers and scientists, united by a shared commitment to tackle the Climate Emergency – with people and for people, and the environment.
Our projects inspire local creativity and action to show what communities want their future to look like – and our experts work to change the rules and laws that hold them back
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Right to Wellbeing
No one should live in an environment that is harmful to their health and wellbeing. Enshrining the Right to Wellbeing in law would allow all of us to hold authorities responsible and make them take action for a safe, healthy environment for all of us
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Right to Be Heard
The Government is gunning for our precious planning system which, since 1947, has enshrined local democratic decision making and our right to have a say on what happens in our local community. We are working to defend the planning system and to ensure we all keep our right to be heard
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Right to Grow
We are using our legal knowledge to support the Incredible Edible movement in asking for a ‘right to grow’, using unloved public land and turning them into vegetable gardens and orchards.
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The Shorelines Project
A major new art and activism project for Hull. Our vibrant murals will bring the risks of a flooded future to life, and send a clear message to local leaders and national government that those most at risk from the climate crisis demand action and hope for the future
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Law for the Climate Emergency
We are working with communities to develop proposals for a ‘Climate Emergency Act’ which would force all Government decision-makers to act on reducing emissions.
Our aim is to show the way; to make the necessary changes both inarguable and ultimately achievable. We work to empower communities at the front line of the climate crisis to take the action that they need, and with local and national government to deliver change.
Our vision is of the UK doing what is needed to secure a safe and just climate, nationally and internationally – driven by a movement owned and led by empowered communities on the frontlines of its impacts.
Meet the Team
Directors
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Naomi Luhde-Thompson
Naomi leads Rights Community Action. She is a creative and dedicated change-maker, who works to empower communities.
Naomi heads up a programme for training communities on their right to be involved in environmental decision-making and is also Senior Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, teaching on Sustainable Futures. She has led transformative campaigns on land use planning to prevent fossil fuel extraction and on legislative change to enshrine procedural rights and climate protections at UK level. -
Hugh Ellis
Hugh is an experienced planning campaigner and expert planner, with extensive experience of local government training.
He is also Director of Policy at the Town & Country Planning Association (TCPA). -
Julie Dixon
Julie worked originally in community arts and theatre and now writes television drama. She aims to support our vision to make campaigning accessible to all.
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Helen Rimmer
Helen is a community environmental campaigner with experience supporting grassroots organising for environmental justice and climate action.
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Jenny Lopez
Jenny is an adviser on land governance and international development, with a focus on community tenure rights.
Associates
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Laura Gyte
Laura is a lawyer with extensive experience of working with communities and on climate legislation.
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Alex Goodman
Alex is barrister with extensive experience of advocating on behalf of communities and taking environmental cases.
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Mairi Clare Rodgers
MC has extensive experience of strategic communications and campaigning across a range of sectors and issues