Our wellbeing initiative

Published on: 17 August 2021

Joining up the “Forces for Good” Norfolk Association of Local Councils was formed in 1946 to help all 500 or so town and parish councils throughout Norfolk with their work as the first tier of local government.

Over time, more rules and regulations were imposed centrally, forcing Norfolk ALC to focus on ‘process’ and ‘procedure’. So, two years ago it launched its wellbeing initiative which aimed to concentrate on the two essential tasks of this most local arm of government, namely, to look after all their residents – especially those disadvantaged in any way – and to make sure the place in which they all lived was well looked after and could be enjoyed by our successors in perpetuity.

So, we have a wide spectrum of things to tackle – ranging from the pastoral care of people at one end to making sure that the effects of climate change are kept to a minimum at the other end.

From the outset we realised we could not do this alone and set about forging alliances with what we call ‘the forces for good’. We also realised that we should try to be enablers; encouraging every man, woman and child in Norfolk to do their bit.

We would love to work with every PCC in Norfolk because we share the same values and are very willing to share the work we have done and the expertise of the many partners who have joined up with us on this journey. Sadly, an unintended consequence of the 1894 Local Government Act was to place a divide between the PC and the PCC.

We believe we are all ‘stronger together’ and we can achieve much more if we work together; particularly when it comes to climate change, where we need not only to save the planet from the worst of the likely ravages brought on by human selfishness, but – as importantly – make sure the weak among us are protected.

Our Climate Action project is a huge part of the initiative, and we publish a monthly newsletter on Climate Change, various specialist articles each week on topics of interest, run open in-depth webinars on all sorts of issues and give advice to the many activists around the county, as well as maintaining national and international links with similar organisations.

If you would like to find out more about us, visit www.norfolkalc.gov.uk/norfolkassociation-of-local-cou.html or email us at Jryyorvat@AbesbyxNYP.tbi.hx where, inter alia, you can ask to be put on our mailing list for newsletters etc.

Please also join our Cut a Tonne in ’21 campaign where we are working closely with one of our Partners: GIKI ZERO – the best and most helpful CO2e calculator on the planet.