Two Shepton Mallet parents have organised a free public climate meeting after a summer which brought flash flooding, high temperatures and disruption to local schools.

The People's Emergency Briefing on Climate and Nature will be screened at St Paul's Junior School on Tuesday, 6 October, followed by a panel discussion looking specifically at what changing weather and environmental pressures could mean for the Shepton Mallet area.

Doors open at 6.30 pm, with the 50-minute film beginning promptly at 7 pm. The evening is due to finish at 9.15 pm.

MP Tessa Munt will facilitate the discussion and questions from the audience, with a local GP, farmer, climate consultant and town councillor due to take part.

The organisers say the event has grown from concern about the effects already being seen locally and a desire to move the conversation beyond national headlines.

The film is an adaptation of the National Emergency Briefing held at Westminster Central Hall in November 2025, when scientists presented evidence on climate and nature risks to an audience of MPs, peers and figures from business, culture, faith, sport and the media.

The public version brings those contributions together in a 50-minute film designed to explain the risks and give communities a starting point for discussing how they could respond locally.

Organisers say the Shepton event will focus on how that bigger national picture relates to the town and surrounding area, and what practical action residents and organisations could take together.

Download our Nub News App!

- It’s FREE and available now
- Breaking news notifications
- Your Town in Your Pocket

Somerset Wildlife Trust will also share findings from conversations with people across the county and suggestions from its work on how communities can "Act to Adapt".

Conservationist Chris Packham has backed the wider screening initiative, saying: "It creates exactly the kind of honest local conversation we now urgently need, both about what these changes mean where we live, and about what we can do together to address them."

No specialist knowledge is needed and organisers say everyone is welcome. The film carries a 16+ age guidance, and biscuits will also be provided.

Tickets are free, but advance registration is required through the Shepton Mallet screening booking page.

More local stories

• Somerset school applications: what parents need to know
• Shepton drivers urged to have say on 40mph plans

Subscribe to the free Shepton Mallet Nub News newsletter Get the biggest Shepton Mallet stories straight to your inbox.