Once your Imaginarium has stirred up all that good stuff, you’ll need to consider how to harness it! As an Imaginarium organiser it’s likely you’ll be wanting to capture participant’s hopes and ideas and share them with decision makers and the wider public.
Collective imagining and ideas are key to progress, but equally important are the energy and enthusiasm that will move them ‘off the page’ into action and change. Our Planning Checklist shares tips on how you might pull visitors through from imagining to action. See below a case study below on how Haslingfield and Harlton have done this.
For more resources on supporting community climate and environment action see CCF’s online Net Zero Now Community Resource Hub.
‘Events like ‘Reimagining Community Energy Together’ are really effective at bringing different stakeholders together to listen and learn from one another.’ Michelle Golder
We’ve chosen Haslingfield and Harlton Eco Group as a case study around moving from imagination to action as they’ve been very thoughtful about planning their events and each has built on the former. Michelle Golder from the group volunteered at Cambridge’s first Imaginarium and came away inspired to use the Imaginarium format to rally her local community to imagine and then act on working towards a fairer and greener community. Over the next 18 months, in partnership with others their group has organised 4 events – all have been successful, receiving great feedback and were well attended, with at least 60 attendees at each.
This family event brought together 65 individuals, green group members, council officers and councillors from South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City to reimagine their future together. There was making, short films, led-discussions and shared food. Community energy emerged as a popular theme.
The in-person gathering aimed to connect like-minded individuals who shared a passion for sustainable energy solutions. The day included:
In person talks, films, stalls and discussions. The online Community Energy Handbook was compiled as a resource moving forward. Organised in partnership with Cambridge Carbon Footprint.
This was an online talk exploring the potential of smart local energy systems in empowering communities. It looked into how microgrids can revolutionise the way energy is generated, stored and distributed in a way that leads to a more sustainable and resilient future.
Haslingfield Parish Council’s Neighbourhood Plan Committee and Haslingfield and Harlton Eco Group used the Imaginarium model and resources in June 2024 to engage the community around their Neighbourhood Plan. They employed Hilary and borrowed the free Imaginarium Toolkit. They themed the marquee into 6 key areas they wanted to explore and used imagining techniques, art and facilitated discussion groups and inspiration cards to spark engagement around the following:
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