Debbie Barnish and Julian Floyd from WFEG) with Michael Fabricant MP in the Jubilee Park orchard

Lichfield’s MP has been given a guided tour of some of the area’s greenest initiatives.

Whittington and Fisherwick Environment Group (WFEG) invited Michael Fabricant to learn more about installations such as the local primary school’s wood pellet boiler, the Jubilee Park and Orchard and the solar panels at St Giles Hospice.

Debbie Barnish and Julian Floyd from WFEG) with Michael Fabricant MP in the Jubilee Park orchard
Debbie Barnish and Julian Floyd from WFEG) with Michael Fabricant MP in the Jubilee Park orchard
The Conservative MP said the group’s efforts highlighted how local communities can bring about real change.

“WFEG has worked with other village organisations for over eight years to make the parish a model for an eco-friendly, low carbon community so there was plenty for me to see, particularly as Whittington recently received the accolade of being named by a leading Sunday paper as one of the top ten environmentally-friendly communities in the UK.

“I was hugely impressed by residents’ and community organisations’ efforts to encourage wildlife and save energy in their parish. The commitment and passion of the people I met on this visit was evident. It was inspiring to see what can be achieved when communities work together.

“I shall be taking this up with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Amber Rudd, and will emphasise that it is important to ensure that community energy projects like WFEG’s are not undermined by too drastic a reduction in support for solar power.”

Debbie Barnish, chair of WFEG, said she was pleased Mr Fabricant had taken onboard some of the challenges they face.

“Michael seemed receptive to our concerns about the future of support for clean solar power and we very much hope he will fully support efforts to convince the Government to slow down the reduction of subsidies to and continue to support community energy in particular,” she said.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.