Colchester campaigner who led the way on climate change

The 38-year-old mother-of-two, who returned with her family to Australia earlier this month, has been a key figure in bringing Eco Colchester, Colchester’s community environment group, to the fore.

Not that Mrs Darke’s involvement in environmental campaigning was a spur of the moment thing – her passion on that front was ignited long before she arrived on the scene in Colchester.

She said: “I’ve probably always been a bit of an environmentalist – [when I was younger] I was always wanting to save the whales and endangered animals.

Campaigner – Grace Darke has made sure to help others to help the environment (Image: Member of Public)

“I became a vegetarian when I was nine-years-old because I wanted to make a difference – it led me to do my degree in animal science, and that’s where I learned about climate change.”

Mrs Darke went on to teach animal studies and veterinary nursing before moving to Australia in 2011 for six years.

Upon her return to the UK in 2017, Mrs Darke came across the environment charity En-Form, which had a Facebook group with the slightly less catchy title of ‘Enform, the Colchester Environmental Centre Facebook Group’.

Encountering the group, coupled with the publishing of a special report on rising global temperatures from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, saw environmental campaigning become something of a calling for Mrs Darke.

“I felt very deeply compelled to get involved and do something about it.

“I shared my knowledge with En-form, and they just said: ‘Do it – go for it and we will support you'.”

Indeed, it was with En-Form’s support that Mrs Darke was able to take over the running of the En-Form Facebook group, which was set up as an online community forum for supporters to discuss environmental matters.

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The group was renamed Eco Colchester and expanded its community involvement with a range of physical meetings and activities.

She explained: “We came up with Eco Colchester.

“We pulled together a community action group, started meetings, and started campaigns. From that, we’ve just networked and formed these stronger voices for good in the community for the environment.”

Mrs Darke is by no means suggesting that it was she who got everything started, far from it, but there was a need to harness the potential of environmental groups which were already in place.

“It was important to promote what was already existing,” Mrs Darke said.

“There were so many groups I wanted to help so that people would know about them as well – I wanted to help make people know about the great things already happening.

“I could really see that enough was going on, [but] I just wanted to add a bit of extra ‘umph’ behind it – I was already helping do things with Eco Essex and I decided it would make sense to keep things consistent.”

This idea of connecting groups together and then linking them more closely to communities and individuals has been at the heart of Mrs Darke’s efforts although she is always keen to point out the ideas are not hers alone.

“The group has grown from 600 to the 4,500 we have now, but this is a community effort – it takes hands to make great things.

“We want to help people to take action on the climate crisis in a way where everybody can be together – it doesn’t have to be a doomy, scary kind of thing.”

Three is a knock-on effect which comes from this more collaborative approach – not only on how we view climate change but how we view our ability and potential to impact it.

“There was a point where the climate crisis left me feeling paralysed because I didn’t know what to do.

Activist – Grace Darke took part in a march through Colchester last year (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

“Instead of feeling that way, because of En-form I have been able to put that worry and fear into real action, which has given me hope and purpose – it’s made me feel like there’s hope for the future and my children’s future.

“It’s really built a support network around me so I don’t feel alone – I’ve felt empowered, and it’s made me feel like I’ve made a difference and that’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

And it’s not just people who have felt empowered – local government have felt compelled to be part of positive change too.

“One of the things which has had a powerful effect is the force we have become for things at a political and council level – that’s where the big decisions are made.

“We have formed a strong voice to hold accountable those who are making big decisions and we have helped to lead through positive changes – we have become quite a strong force.”

But as Mrs Darke returns to Australia with her family, she leaves behind both Colchester and Eco Colchester, a city and a campaign, both of which have become major parts of her life.

Despite her attachment to the city, the emotional pull to Australia is stronger; all that being said, Mrs Darke has certainly made her mark.

“I feel very sad, but I’m going back to a country I love, where my children were born, and where my husband is from.

“But I do feel sad to leave behind something I’ve helped to build and something I have loved being a part of – I will miss everybody and I think Colchester is a special place.

“Of all the groups we have in Essex, Colchester is leading the way in terms of the community efforts we make – there are a lot of people who really care about the environment.”