We're happy to have completed the first year of our Environmental Action Plan, designed to reduce the environmental impact of our theatre making and touring.

Created in response to the climate emergency, and with the support of Julia’s Bicycle, the Theatre Green Book and Arts Council England, the three-year plan has been based on the One Planet Living framework. Created by Bioregional and developed together with WWF, One Planet Living comprises ten intuitive principles that can be used by anyone – personally and professionally – to imagine, plan, do, and communicate about sustainability. For Vamos Theatre, this means taking a detailed look at the ways our actions affect the environment, instigating practical ways to reduce its impact whilst retaining the cultural and social value of its work, and expanding our sustainability ambitions over the coming years.

This year has already seen many changes in the way we do business, from how we make our theatre to touring transport to administration. Our goals range from the ambitious to the everyday, including being delighted to have sourced 70% of props and costumes second-hand this year, no longer buying new by default, and increasing recycling facilities, recording waste weight as a basis for future reduction. We've also also embraced the One Planet Living principle of supporting local, with updated procurement guidelines to prioritise local Worcestershire businesses and communities, including using local food suppliers (and vegan food) for all events.

As a national and international touring company, transport is a huge part of our climate challenge. We have committed to using air travel as little as possible and this year are proud not to have flown at all, delivering international work using train travel and online. We have also made a small step towards combating the 7000 miles travelled in the delivery of our work by planting trees with Trees for Life, which is restoring the globally unique Caledonian Forest in Scotland.

Executive Producer, Claire Morton, comments, «At Vamos Theatre, we believe it is the responsibility of all of us to step up and make changes, however challenging they may be, so that we can live happy, healthy lives within the limits of the planet. We’re delighted to be able to celebrate the first year of creating and implementing a practical, realistic and well-organised Environmental Action Plan, which is helping us to think and act differently – continuing to make great theatre whilst taking responsibility for its impact. We particularly want to encourage other arts organisations to look at what they can do, small or large, to help reduce their environmental impact.”

We have made our Environmental Action Plan, strategies, aims and achievements available on our website to help inspire other arts (and non-arts) organisations to take action. For more see  www.vamostheatre.co.uk/sustainability