Proud of Leeds and want to help the city lead the way in taking action on climate change? Can you spare a little time to help us carry out The Leeds Big Climate Conversation?

We are looking for volunteers to be Leeds' first Climate Champions. These are people who are willing to help us in a variety of ways to help spread the Big Leeds Climate Conversation as widely as possible, throughout communities and neighbourhoods across the city, within their own organisations and groups, and at Leeds events throughout the summer.

You don't need to be a climate change expert at all - we want to hear from people from all walks of life who just love talking to people.

We would also really like our Champions to be up for making changes to their own lifestyles to reduce their carbon footprint as part of the role.  And, if you're and sharing your experiences about it, and doing some publicity with us, even better!

Here's some ways you can get involved - but there are  plenty more:

• do the Big Leeds Climate Conversation survey!
• share the survey link (www.leeds.gov.uk/climateconversation) with friends, family, colleagues, as well as posting it on social media 
• volunteer at events to promote the Big Leeds Climate Conversation and engage people: see the full list of events at https://bigleedsclimateconversation.eventbrite.co.uk  - to help out at one or more of them, email climate.emergency@leeds.gov.uk, including ‘Volunteer’ in the title and let us know which events you are free to do
• make a video on your smart phone for the Big Leeds Climate Conversation YouTube channel (run by Leeds Digital Drinks)
• promote the £150k sustainable travel fund within your own organisation and/or to any relevant partners
• encourage other people to calculate their carbon footprint (using the WWF Footprint calculator) and make pledges
• host a car-free day at work or within your community (11 community car-free days are to take place over the next year, in consultation with Leeds residents and ward committees - see press release)
• volunteer in a tree-planting offsetting scheme.

Volunteers will be briefed prior to their participation at events and supported by council officers.

Do you have  skills?

We would love to hear from Champions with skills or experience in community organising, communications, events or project management  to help us with the Big Leeds Climate Conversation over the summer.

The Council would also like to hear from Champions with some specific skills:

• face painting - especially if you're good at doing bees, butterflies and other friendly local wildlife! - for biodiversity events
• DIY/crafts - we would love to have some kind of token-based voting system (a bit like this one) that could be made out of recycled objects. Our plan is to have these at the events with a whiteboard on top that asks a question from the Big Leeds Climate Conversation questionnaire about actions, and to get people to vote for the ones they are most likely to do.

All volunteers will be invited to a showcase event on 6 November where their work as Climate Champions will be celebrated and rewarded.

To ensure we keep in touch with all our Climate Champions, please email climate.emergency@leeds.gov.uk with your name and email address, giving details of how wish to support the Big Leeds Climate Conversation.

Image: Laura Evans, Nifty Fox Creative