Standing as a candidate and working on the manifesto for the Wales Green Party I was introduced to the WE Cymru team and ideas. It was a fundamental pivot for me to realise that if we did not change the goldfish bowl water of our economic system, the consumer economy, we would not see progressive political change.

I would like to see a pilot alternative measure of the economic system, the wellbeing economy index, WEX, running alongside GDP by 2027 in selected regions and service areas in Wales.

I believe it is feasible that by 2030, the mainstream and social media will be sharing day-to-day conversations with the general public about the growth or contraction of the wellbeing economy with equivalent credibility to GDP-based reporting.

During lockdown, I discovered Jane Davidson’s book about the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, and from that, the online group meeting to establish the Wales hub of WEAll. It seemed to fit with my activity on sustainable food in Swansea, and my long term volunteering in conservation and gardens.

I would like the wellbeing economy concept to be ready for implementation whenever and wherever opportunities arise. I feel that many people need and want change, but the ideas and values of WE need to be seen as a positive and realistic option. As a member of the so-called ‘silent generation’, I am feeling the pressure of time and ability – we knew, but what did we do?

I joined the Cymru hub after attending their Youth Forum ahead of the 2021 Senedd Election.  The Forum brought together young people from across Wales to discuss what was important to us ahead of the Election. There, I learnt about the concept of wellbeing economics and experienced a lightbulb moment; this organisation brought together the two issues I cared most about – climate justice and social justice – and directly addressed their intersection. 

 I would like to see community-based approaches that implement the principles of wellbeing economics to allow us all to live in harmony with nature and each other. I would like to see this as soon as possible, and am encouraged by the many examples of community-led action already being carried out across Wales. 

I found WEC a warm and welcoming community of changemakers, with hope that not only is the Wellbeing Economy happening already, but we can take action to support the movement from the grassroots up

I would like to see a commitment to WE not GDP from UK and Welsh Government and supportive policies for community ownership models and regenerative practices on land use that can position us for a hopeful future that is restoring our wealth of nature and community.

The economic system we live in is escalating economic inequality at a terrifying rate and this can only end in catastrophe. I am searching for economic systems that grow local wealth and community and look after people.

I want to see a fair food and farming economy re-built. That means farmers growing for local and regional markets and getting a fair price, the profits from the food supply chain staying local, more trading within communities, lower carbon food consumption, access to land and housing for new farmers, a secure food supply for people in the region and in nearby cities.

I’m a Wellbeing Economics veteran on a mission to promote thriving lives on a flourishing planet. Founder of networks, charities and social enterprises, I’m a director, facilitator, mentor and strategist with decades of experience in responsible business and social enterprise.  Stewart Wallace asked for my input when creating WEAll because our charity, Centre for Thriving Places, had already been running for 9 years. It is now one of the UK’s foremost (not for profit) Wellbeing Economy consultancies. 

I’d like to see a rapid shift from choices that damage social and life support systems to ones that nourish them. This challenge is about balance, and is timeless. We have the wisdom to choose well, but to move fast and stay healthy, we have to face and overcome our own fears.

Any reflection on the roots of the environmental polycrisis leads, at some point, to a form of the well-worn catchphrase ‘it’s the economy, stupid’. It soon becomes clear that, in our hunt for structural mechanisms that might help us mitigate and adapt to ecological collapse, there is no orthodoxy we need to challenge more than the validity and inevitability of economic growth as the prevailing measure of progress. I was therefore delighted to be introduced to the WEAll community by WEAll Cymru hub member and old contact from the digital media industry, Stephen Priestnall.

I would like wellbeing economies to be adopted across the world within 20 years. Change starts at home and, while Wales and Scotland already have some wellbeing legislation in place, there is nothing similar for English local or central government. That needs to change. My goal would be to see this happen before 2035. To do so, we have to mobilise the pro-environmental majority to understand its importance and organise to press for its adoption.