
Passionate about sustainable travel & empowering communities to build a fairer, greener future. CEO of @CommunityRail. Board member of @ACEVO. Views my own.
West Yorkshire, UK
Joined November 2014
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I’ve long boycotted Amazon, Tesco & petrol co.s for their unethical & environmentally damaging ways. A shame it’s come to that on a social media platform, once a site for social movements & positive change.
I’m transitioning to LinkedIn - pls connect at linkedin.com/in/jools-townse…
Jools Townsend retweeted
For ACEVO's first #ClimateWeek, our chief exec @Jools_Townsend took part in a special podcast episode exploring the intersection of climate and social justice, and how we can support communities in the face of environmental challenges.
Listen here 🎧 acevo.org.uk/2024/09/leaders…
An important part of #communityrail is celebrating local history, landscape & culture and the #railway's place in it. This brings people together, bolsters pride in place, and encourages #sustainabletravel by rail (oh and it's fun too). A lovely example here in #Northumberland...
After five years we are excited to be participating in @heritageopenday
Lots too see and do and you will be able to treat yourself to a coffee in the new Water Tower Cafe. Keep an eye out for more details.
I'm about to embark on a big challenge - running the 87-mile, 5,000 year-old Ridgeway, raising funds for @GreenpeaceUK, campaigning for a greener, fairer future. If you’re able to lend your support, you can do so here: justgiving.com/page/jools-to…
Brilliant to see commitments from @ScotRail & @NetworkRailSCOT in their #ClimateAction Plan to strengthen relations with #communityrail, to unlock social value & achieve a sustainable Scotland.
I'm on my way to Glasgow to discuss how we make that happen!
scotlandsrailway.com/assets/…
Jools Townsend retweeted
“We’re in a climate crisis. We’re in a public health crisis; getting people walking and cycling and moving more are essential to solving both of those..."
Hear, hear, @LouHaigh!
More walking & wheeling = longer, healthier & happier lives! 🚶♂️🚶🏾👨🏾🦽
theguardian.com/politics/art…
This time next month I'm speaking at the @AvantiWestCoast conference 19 Sep, discussing how the #railways can engage & empower communities, to help create more #sustainable & inclusive #transport
#Communityrail folks are invited to sign up here:
avanti.baevents.co.uk/avanti…
Promising signs of progress to end industrial action on our #railways - crucial to bolstering efforts to promote rail as a sustainable, inclusive, enabling mode of #transport news.railbusinessdaily.com/b…
I'm excited to be taking part in @ACEVO's first Climate Week 9-13 Sept, helping to galvanise action & empower third sector leaders to play their vital part in tackling the #climatecrisis and securing a fairer future
See what's on & share your ideas here:
acevo.org.uk/2024/08/acevo-l…
Jools Townsend retweeted
Catch up on some amazing #CommunityRail activity from this week! 🙌
Featuring @SevernsideCRP @3CountiesCCRP @crl_live @YorksCoastlines @SELCRP1 🫂
Staggering figures in this study: 50,000 deaths attributed to heat in Europe last year. People are not adapting fast enough as temperatures continue to soar, with disproportionate impacts for poor & marginalised communities. #climatecrisis theguardian.com/world/articl…
Love this campaign by our members @3CountiesCCRP promoting greener travel by train across #Cheshire, #Wrexham & #Shropshire, working with local tourism partners to offer discounts & get people involved
#communityrail #sustainabletravel
communityrail.org.uk/summer-…
What an incredibly pertinent post for this moment in time. #RacistsNotWelcome
Karl Popper's paradox of tolerance is a concept that addresses a seeming contradiction within the idea of tolerance, the acceptance of different views and practices. Popper, who was our patron, discussed this paradox in his 1945 book, 'The Open Society and Its Enemies.' The paradox is based on the observation that if a society is tolerantly indiscriminate and extends tolerance to those who are intolerant, the ability of the society to be tolerant will eventually be undermined and destroyed by the intolerant.
Popper argues that in order to maintain a tolerant society, it must be intolerant of intolerance. This doesn't mean that we should always suppress the expression of intolerant beliefs. However, Popper suggests that society must reserve the right to prevent intolerant groups or individuals from destroying the tolerance of society as a whole. He essentially proposes a rational limit to tolerance, suggesting that we shouldn't tolerate intolerance to the extent that it leads to the destruction of tolerance itself.
The paradox lies in the counterintuitive idea that in order to maintain a tolerant society, there must be some form of intolerance (namely, against intolerance). It raises important ethical and practical questions about how societies can and should balance the values of freedom of expression and tolerance with the need to protect themselves against forces that would undermine those very values.
Graphic by @pictoline.
A wonderful #communityrail initiative by @YorksCoastlines in #Bridlington, celebrating local history, bringing people together & creating pride in the #railway - I know our team are really proud to have supported this & see it come to fruition!
communityrail.org.uk/key-par…
Some inspiring scenes of hope in this thread - people coming together in #solidarity against hate, racism and violence
#Riots #NoPasaran #RefugeesWelcome
The hatred, racism & violence on our streets in recent days, and spread of fear, is truly sickening.
In @communityrail, we stand in solidarity with all those working towards a more inclusive society, and standing up to racism & fascism in all its forms.
communityrail.org.uk/communi…
Like the look of this @LNER campaign with @katehumble, getting people people thinking & talking about #SustainableTravel, and showing the huge difference it makes to people & planet shifting journeys from car & plane to #rail
#ClimateAction #WeMeanGreen
news.railbusinessdaily.com/l…
Looks like a wonderful initiative by our members in #SouthWestWales, opening up #rail travel, supporting modal shift, and bringing people together to boost health & #wellbeing - not surprised to see the glowing feedback!
#CommunityRail #SustainableTravel
Feedback from our recent #JoyOfTheJourney trip with #Pontardawe Age Group perfectly encapsulates our aims for this project 😊 We travelled from #Neath to #Carmarthen, enjoyed some light refreshments & a walk before exploring the town's market & stalls @4theregion @CommunityRail
Great to join our new partners @LumoTravel @Hull_Trains @NEMartijn at their parliamentary event with @Fit4_Purpose. Developing inclusive, sustainable mobility is crucial to widening access to opportunity, and at the heart of #communityrail’s work
Really enjoyed @IPPR's roundtable discussing its #MovingTogether research👇, looking at how we can shift towards fairer, greener #transport - I was pleased to share insights from #communityrail & explore ways to work together to create positive change
ippr.org/articles/moving-tog…










