Tributes are being paid to one of Monmouth’s “formidable eco warriors” who has passed away.

Vivien Mitchell was the founding member of Transition Monmouth whose aim was about the transition to life without oil by building resilient communities.

Since 1990, she has been an active and engaged member of the Monmouth community and was involved with the Chamber of Commerce for eight years from 1990 when she first moved to Monmouth. In 2004 she started her community work in earnest with the Monmouth Partnership Forum, Monmouth Fairtrade Forum and the Two River Meadow Group, holding the positions of chair, secretary or treasurer of all the groups at various times.

In 2005 Vivien joined the town council and was chair of Environmental Affairs for two years. This is when she started various planting projects around the town, some of which are still in existence today.

In 2005 she joined the town council and was chair of Environmental Affairs for two years. This is when she started various planting projects around the town, some of which are still in existence today.

In 2007 along with Simon Brown, she set up Transition Monmouth which has played a huge role in positively impacting the town.

In the various roles within Transition, she has devoted much of her time to this group. Transition started with providing a Big Green Monmouth Shopper – a jute bag to reduce plastic use and has since completed many projects from seed, plant and produce swaps to planting wonderful orchards, flood alleviation and developing a kitchen garden and wildflower meadow for Monmouth Comprehensive School.

In 2013 Transition took over the management of Claypatch Woods in Wyesham. Assembling a community group to help with the work, the land is now drained, the trees have been thinned and the area is now a much used community asset under the care of the local community with regular working parties.

Transition’s latest project came to fruition in 2020 when the Monmouth Community Fridge opened. Teams collect surplus food from the supermarkets each evening and this is made available the following day at the Community Fridge. Each month around two tons of food are saved from landfill along with hundreds of bunches of flowers.

Vivien said that when they set up Transition Monmouth they met groups in other towns and it quickly became clear to her that the community in Monmouth was different in that it is very collaborative “and by working harmoniously together you get so much more done, and you have this tremendous feeling of well-being, this ‘coming together’, making new friends, achieving with like-minded members of the community – and this is what makes our work very rewarding – so my grateful thanks to our wonderful supportive community.

In 2022, she was awarded the High Sheriff’s award for making a huge contribution to the environment in Monmouth.

Vivien told the Beacon at the time that she was flattered and excited to receive this award but thought: “why should I get an award for doing what I passionately believe in and love doing?