elcan

How is ELCAN membership changing for groups and individuals?

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ELCAN membership is changing. We are opening membership to individuals.  Our new status as a registered charity (SCIO) is an exciting opportunity to grow the network, increase representation, and enable involvement at an individual level. It is part of giving more power to the individuals engaged with climate action in East Lothian – within the […]

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Hub Update: Another year of Climate and Nature action in East Lothian

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ELCAN and East Lothian Climate Hub: Year 2 in Review The East Lothian Climate Hub is now two years old. To misquote AA Milne, we’re “almost new.”  Our second year was more than an opportunity to build on still fresh foundations. We were able to keep hold of our beginner’s mindset and the knowledge there’s

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‘What do the area partnership level support organisations of East Lothian Climate Action need’ Ingredients Clear collective vision Like minded people Friendship / trust Keeping people motivated Spreading the load Recruitment People with expertise and commitment Knowledge and understanding of the issues Good facilitation Convening expertise One or more key people who will commit to make it happen and drive it A space Energetic, enthusiastic founder volunteers Quick win project / campaign A understanding with and connection to the local area Learning People need to be continuously motivated An action plan is good as it allows you to achieve and celebrate little steps Celebration of accomplishments is important Networking with other groups in other sectors is important and you learn a lot from getting in a speaker from another group It is important to match the right people to the right projects, including a good leader for projects Organic growth by personal contacts is most effective long term Professional expertise in a project area is helpful You have to be careful of a small number of the same people doing too much Getting the word out for projects is important, and can create positive feedback loops It is important to go to where people are. If someone is enthusiastic and skilled, but doesn’t get matched to the right project, they may lose enthusiasm Communities are the experts on what is needed and going on in their own places Once an idea is started an early communication and scene setting message is important to encourage and maintain momentum Future Need Ways to learn from other groups In the future we should be focused on legacy, ensuring that groups don’t fold as their core members age We need funding to cover the core costs of running the organisation We need to be well organised Funding may come to communities via East Lothian Community Benefits from renewables and this needs strong links to grassroots projects Each area needs its own physical, visible Hub that the community can see and interact with to get involved with community climate action This physical hub should be accessible to a wide range of people and receive ongoing and regular funding We should be better about tapping into expertise and networking with orgs like DTAS CES CWA CLS etc We should have our climate action cafes We must keep people motivated in these hard times Evolution should be organic The Climate Hub and the groups it supports need long term funding Our conversations should move on to community resilience for the climate changes to come We could provide something like a funding application mentoring service We should budget in for volunteers time Community climate action including community resilience and adaptation simply needs more funding

What are the ingredients for a successful community climate action ‘umbrella’ organisation, and what’s next?

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In January, as part of Building Sustainable Action in East Lothian, a day within the wider Green Futures Festival 2026 in East Lothian, a group of leading community climate action organisers and volunteers convened to explore: What does it take to build and sustain area-wide organisations that successfully enable community climate action projects to begin

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Scottish Elections 2026: What the parties promise on Climate, Nature & Cost of Living

Climate and Nature: What are the pledges for the Scottish Election 2026?

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Party Manifesto Comparison 2026: Climate, Nature & Cost of Living The 2026 Scottish Elections are coming up on 7th May 2026. The East Lothian Climate Hub has produced a Election Manifesto Comparison on the six main political parties, setting out the key pledges around climate, nature and cost of living. These were created to be

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The Tranent Reuse Fair welcomed ver 80 attendees to the Fraser Centre and helped save 70kg of items from landfills. Photo / The Fraser Centre

First Tranent Reuse Fair saves 71kgs of clothing from landfill

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On Wednesday 11th March the Fraser Centre hosted it’s first Reuse Fair with community partner organisations. The event saw 82 individuals attending, who were able to benefit from the wide range of second hand items available from the Kit Stop, Lil CIC, the Library, the new music loan library, Carefree Kids and Recycling First. The Fraser Centre is

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