Circular Dorking Working Group

Monica

she/her

I think it is as a community that we will tackle the struggles we face now as well as those as yet unseen. Volunteering with Circular Dorking lets me take small (or slightly bigger) steps in my ongoing journey to be both more sustainable and more local community minded myself while also signposting and/or encouraging anyone looking to do the same – on both individual or even wider levels.

Things I like:
Growing plants at my allotment, walking around outside, trying new things (next is sewing), bees, bread, ginger beer and hypothetical questions and the conversations that follow.

Things I don’t like:
Broad beans, spicy food, the destruction of the natural world in the pursuit of limitless profits and beer.

Things I’m trying to be better at:
Sewing, wasting less, shopping local, travelling by bike and legs, sleeping enough.

Andy

he/him

After reaching a senior position in a global multi-national company he took earlier retirement to study for an MA in Environment Politics and Globalisation at King’s in London. Since then he has worked on a range of local community and environmental projects. He led the Dorking Town Health Check (DNA-Dorking Needs Action), was a founder member of Transition Dorking, has been chair of Mole Valley Cycling Forum, has been extensively involved in his local residents’ association and Dorking Rotary Club. He is a Director of Food Float CIC.

Paul

he/him

Paul is a director of FoodFloat community interest company in Dorking, a co-founder of Dorking Climate Emergency, and steering committee member for Surrey Climate Commission. He has lived in the Dorking area for 25 years. Married with 2 grown up children. A chartered engineer with years of consultancy experience in the field of utilities and energy industries.

Pat

she/her

Pat spent several years working with A Voice for Leith Hill, a group who successfully opposed  oil drilling.  She helped start Dorking Climate Emergency with Paul Steet and is also involved with Surrey Climate Commission, XR, South East Climate Alliance and other climate groups. 

In her spare time she’s Chair of Pixham Residents’ Association – and known as Granny Pat to her 6 grandchildren. Pat hasn’t owned a car for 7 years and can often be seen cycling around town.  

Wendy

she/her

A few years ago I wrote on a piece of paper the Ghandi quote: ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’ About the same time I was invited to a yoga centre in Dorking to listen to the quiet and lovely Satish Kumar. I was mesmerised. What resonated for me was something he said; ‘You cannot have Economy without Ecology”. How true those words are. A year afterwards I attended a talk by Kate Raworth. Wow! I was totally hooked.

During a coffee with the fabulous Pat I heard that she and Paul were setting up Circular Dorking. I just had to join them whether they liked it or not!.

I have recently retired from a long and wonderful career as a creative director. A large part of the last 20 years has been spent on local tourism and countryside projects. Previous to that I was working on software innovation in the graphics industry.

Locally I have also been a director of the Friends of Dorking and Dorking Town Partnership BID. I am still involved in their activities in a much lesser capacity.

Things I like:
Dorking; I love living here! Meeting people, reading, working collaboratively, walking, gardening, Tai Chi. Oh, and maps, I love maps!

Things I’m trying to be better at:
Walking quietly on this precious earth and not talking too much. My friends will laugh at this one, as I have far to go!