About Us
Sustainable Bude
Sustainable Bude is part of the Transition Network which was created by a group in Totnes in 2012 with the aim of trying to help communities prepare for a time when fossil fuels are no longer freely available, due to their impact on climate change. The word Transition was used in this context to describe the transition from fossil fuels to a non-fossil fuel powered economy.
The main difference between the transition groups and some other environmental activist groups is that Transition is all about taking practical steps to prepare ourselves for a future without fossil fuels – a future where we could have clean air, less dependence on global companies and supply chains, and most importantly a reduced chance of catastrophic climate breakdown.
There are now thousands of transition groups across the country, including Sustainable Bude which was set up as Transition Bude in 2019. We have now changed the name to Sustainable Bude in line with many other groups in the Transition network. The world has changed a lot since 2012 and we felt it was probably the right time to make our mission and our name match more closely, but our ethos remains the same:
We are a community-led group of volunteers that exists to strengthen the local economy, reduce our environmental impact and build resilience for a future with a changing climate, one project at a time.
Our team
Robbie Pearce
Robbie Pearce has worked on conventional and organic farms in the UK and Asia for the past 30 years. He is considered an innovator in experimental growing and has run a number of award winning landscaping businesses. Most recently he was co-founder of a highly successful Urban Farming and Social Enterprise in Singapore. Moving back to the UK started Re-gowth and is a Founder member of The Atlantic Fungi Co-operative.
Philippa Purchase
Prior to moving to Bude in 2018 I was an IT manager for Dorset Council. I'm a mother and grandmother, and since 2021 have been a Bude-Stratton Town Councillor. I'm joint lead councillor for Climate Change and the Environment and Deputy Mayor.
I’ve been interested in environmental activity for many, many years and had my eyes opened about the extent of the climate crisis when I watched “An Inconvenient Truth” in 2006. Since I moved to Bude I’ve become involved in climate action, volunteering with Friends of the Earth and encouraging the town council to declare a climate emergency in September 2019. I'm now working hard to ensure the council achieves its net zero objective by 2030.
I love the concept of the Transition movement because it offers solutions, community and hope and those are things I feel we are all in need of in these difficult times.
Jackie Diffey
Jackie Diffey has been involved in community groups for many years but it was becoming a founder member and Director of ReFILL Shop Bude that made her realise the true power of ordinary people working together at community level. She was elected a town councillor in 2021 with an interest in local events, community support and the environment.
Miranda Clarke
Neetside Manager who loves a good spreadsheet, making lists, thinking strategically, listening to great ideas and helping to make them happen.
She’s worked in community development, the arts, higher education and the public sector, all with one thing in common – seeing people learn, develop and grow. When she’s not at Neetside she can be found feeding pigs and running a campsite at her smallholding, aided by her young daughter, husband and a band of incredibly useful volunteers and friends.