IT needs only one observant person to create a transformation in a small community.

For Langford Budville, this happened when someone saw the Somerset Climate Emergency Fund had £1million to distribute.

He asked a few people to help draft the Greener Langford Budville application and in March 2021, the village received a grant of £11,300 to cover surveys on energy use, low carbon travel and biodiversity.

New groups were formed to run a pop-up café and shop, carry out conservation tasks, refurbish signposts, monitor plants and wildlife, discuss greener gardening and establish a wildflower area.

Café Plus operates once a month in the village hall, with local produce and coffee on the menu.

The Conservation Group tackles hand-tool tasks, clearing footpaths, planting trees and bashing bracken on the local Wildlife Trust reserve. The local signposts now gleam black and white instead of mouldy green. WhatsApp groups share records of birds, insects, plants, mammals and fungi. The Greener Gardening Group invite speakers to advise on what their name suggests. In an area below the football pitch, money was saved on grass-cutting by establishing a wildflower area of more than 50 native species.

There was talk of planting a Jubilee Wood. Reg Hendy of Langford Lakes offered the use of a small field. Nick Hendy supervised the contract with The Woodland Trust which offered 75 per cent of the cost, plus professional advice to plant 800 trees and shrubs on a half hectare site. Grants from the National Lottery, Asda and The Somerset Fund came through.

Langford Budville rose to the challenge of planting with locals and others from London, Exeter, Bridport, Tiverton, Milverton and Wiveliscombe joining in.

By the end of the first day, 56 people had planted well over half the trees and by Sunday lunchtime all 600 were in the ground thanks to 77 volunteers.

The following Thursday, every child in the village school helped plant a perimeter hedge, representing what the planting was intended to achieve – a whole-village project.

It will be years before this develops as a flourishing oak wood, but the momentum is clear.

A grant from the county, a response from one person, support from the parish council, a growth in group action - all these should make unstoppable the move towards a sustainable, low-carbon community aware of the emergencies of climate and nature.

Contributed by Ian Loudon.