Lincoln UK Global Doughnut Days

Members of Climate Hope Lincoln were inspired by the enthusiasm and community commitment they witnessed at the Civic Square in Birmingham.  During a visit this Summer Byng from Civic Square explained that the roots of their project had begun about ten years ago, when they took a deeper dive into Doughnut Economics. 
The members of Climate Hope Lincoln took this inspiration and so much learning from the day back home with them but 'what next?'
That question was soon answered in the Grass Roots Community group when Rob Shorter introduced Global Doughnut Days 2025, and Debbie decided to apply for funding for on behalf of the group.  Thank You DEAL for all your support in making our Lincoln Global Doughnut Days 2025 come to life!

In 2023 Climate Hope Lincoln hosted a Doughnut Day at the University and Rob joined us to share DE with the eighty five people there from local business, education and climate initiatives.   During the day a portrait of Lincoln grew from those who had gathered, made up of themes for change and transformation.  These became 4 cluster groups which were 1. Access to Nature, 2. Marginalised Voices, 3. Better Business and Social Enterprise, 4. Communication & Engagement.  We chose to take these forward in GDD 2025 to see where they might take us.
In 2023 everyone at the event had been encouraged to make 'Doughnut Deals' to take forward.  However, feedback from these has identified that although there had been a lot of enthusiasm in the larger group to take action, for a variety of reasons people experienced restrictions in progressing their Doughnut Deals after the event.   Climate Hope therefore made the decision to hold smaller focused events this year and continue promoting DE within our place during 2026 in the hope that new Doughnut Deals can be forged and taken forward with more time and a wider network of potential.

So the clusters identified as Access to Nature, Communication & Engagement, Better Business and Social Enterprise had the most interest initially.  It may take time to engage with our Marginalised Voices locally.  This is a journey that has been travelled already within the Grass Roots Community and Debbie feels confident that with time, and the use of proven strategies from within this community Lincoln can hear the voices of our marginalised communities, and time is always a good investment to make with people.

Members of Lincolns local business community are interested in taking this forward in 2026, which includes our University Business School.  We will be adding 'B Corp' to the cluster identified in 2023 as Business and Social Enterprise.  This month we will be joining a celebration of 10 Years of B Corps in Lincoln.  This event has been organised by the local business community and offers an ideal opportunity to take this forward following GDD and see how this cluster can unfold in our place now.

During GDD 2025 Lincoln held two in person events.  The first was intended to reintroduce DE or act as a refresher for people following on from 2023.  The second, focused on Access to Nature and Communication & Engagement, while the remaining clusters will be explored in 2026.
 
When Debbie applied for funding a few weeks before GDD 2025 she shared the idea within her local network of regenerative initiatives.  She was thrilled to have so many inspirational speakers offer to share the GDD journey and be involved.   Kerry Gibson from Fashion Fixed, Hannah Dale from Wilder Wrendale Rewilding,  Associate Professor Georgiana Els (Ciuchete) our Inner Development Goals (IDGs) Ambassador for Lincolnshire, and Rebekah Gibbins shared her BioBlitz story and inspired us all with our Citizen Science potential both individually and within organised projects. 

Debbie began each event with an interactive group activity using scarves, ribbons and people to create the inner and outer circles of the Doughnut.  Rob introduced this activity in 2023 and it worked well to share two important points with those unfamiliar with DE.  1) the concept of DE and 2) the interconnection of Social & Climate justice within planetary boundaries.  This is often missed and people think of these justices in isolation when we know they are interwoven as DE illustrates.

Debbie followed this with an introduction to the Wayapa Wuurrk (Earth Connection) narrative of Nature Connectedness.  This uses fourteen Natural elements to illustrate the interconnectedness of our Biosphere.  Debbie is the first Wayapa Wuurrk practitioner and conduit for this accredited First Nation Australian wellbeing modality here on our soil.  Everyone was encouraged to share their Nature stories through the narrative and explore the interconnections of the 'Web of Life.'  Sharing this conversation helped us to reflect on the interconnectedness of our Biosphere, remembering that We Are Nature too,  and also introduce the concept of 'Generational Wellness,' as custodians of our Earth for at least seven generations to come.   
The Earth Apple activity provided a visual reminder of our relationship with our soil that nourishes us (search 'earth apple activity' for various versions which the author believes originated in First Nation American wisdom).
Hannah closed the morning with her family story of rewilding their farm in North Lincolnshire.  She shared some of the challenges and triumphs they've faced, all of which were inspiring to hear and ended with their highlight and reintroducing beavers to Lincolnshire after four hundred years!
 
Later on in the day Kerry and Georgiana were able to weave the relevance of the Sustainable Development Goals and the IDGs into DE and beyond, encouraging everyone to think of themselves as Earth Citizens.   
Kerry shares her empowering message of 'fixing fashion' one person at a time, and Georgiana shared how we can all be involved 'developing our inner goals' and awareness, to co-cerate the change we wish to be and see.   IDGs are for everyone, all of us.  As individuals, groups and communities, alongside larger organisations and globally.  Everything connects!   

Both our Lincoln in person events were small, friendly and interactive sessions.  As mentioned earlier this intention has been to create space for DE to grow and flourish here, just as it has in Civic Square.  
Climate Hope were able to showcase and celebrate some of the great DE initiatives we have in our place already and inspire people.  Approaching GDD 2025 we spoke of 'sowing purposeful seeds of Hope.'  The stories that were shared here have truly inspired and the feed back we've received from participants and facilitators has been truly heart warming.  We hope the facilitators that joined us for GDD 2025 will continue on this journey with us now.  There's so much enthusiasm for DE in Lincoln, and people are asking for more events going forward now.  

The following week Debbie and Matti (our Communication and Media lead) were interviewed by Imogen and Holly, two enthusiastic students from the University Newspaper eager to learn more about our Lincoln GDD 2025 and help us take it forward into 2026.
 
We're looking forward to completing our review with the four clusters from 2023, the feedback from 2025 and other DE projects in 2026 and beyond.   

If you'd like to find out more about our journey and how it unfolds, or if you have ideas for collaboration and co-creation please visit https://climatehopelincoln.org