June 2024

Reading West and Mid Berkshire candidate Carolyne Culver attended her first hustings of this general election campaign on 6 June 2024. Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust hosted the hustings at Burghfield Village Hall.

Candidates were asked about what they would do to tackle climate change, protect and restore the natural world, ensure more sustainable development, and encourage nature friendly farming.

Carolyne talked about her lifelong passion for wildlife, going back to her membership of the Young Ornithologists’ Club when she was a child, and including her current membership of many environmental charities including BBOWT, RSPB, Badger Trust, Woodland Trust, Greenpeace, Plantlife and Surfers Against Sewage. She talked about her actions including planting trees with the Lockdown Woods project, helping to plant a new hedge in Compton earlier this year, and securing funds for community orchards in East Ilsley and Frilsham.

The Wildlife Trusts are opposed to HS2 and Carolyne talked about the action she and Steve Masters, Green Party parliamentary candidate for Newbury, had taken to try to protect woodland from being destroyed by HS2, including the camp at Jones Hill Wood.

Carolyne talked about the need for sustainable developement with solar PV and heat pumps for all new houses, community energy projects, subsidies for retrofits, and more connected green spaces on developments.

Carolyne concluded by urging attendees to vote for someone who has taken action to protect and restore the natural world, and who has proved that love of nature is central to their values.