Environmental charity Hubbub has just launched the Community Nature Network, which will offer funding opportunities, free resources, guidance and peer to peer support to community groups that wish to establish new green spaces or improve existing ones across the UK.
The Community Nature Network is supported by funding from the Wates Family Enterprise Trust and the Bentley Environmental Foundation. It is free to join from today and is open to any publicly-accessible community-led green space in the United Kingdom, from established community gardens to experimental green roofs, to faith groups who want to start growing some veg, all projects are welcome to join as long as they are:
o Community-led;
o Publicly accessible (even if this isn’t for 100% of the time), and
o Committed to reaching audiences outside of the usual ‘green bubble’.
Members will have access to a wide range of free resources, from videos and case studies to measurement guides and communications templates.
Gavin Ellis, Co-founder at Hubbub commented:
“The ‘Community Nature Network’ aims to connect the dots to give like-minded community groups the resources and guidance they need to be able to respond to and fulfil local environmental and social needs. It will also allow them to share their success stories and how they’ve overcome barriers. The incredible people involved in setting up and running these kinds of initiatives often lack funding, time and headspace. We want to help shine a light on the amazing work they do and build a supportive and effective network to allow these projects to really thrive and flourish.”
A recent study by Chrysalis Research found that almost two thirds (64%) of people participating in nature-based projects and activities felt more empowered to take personal action towards tackling climate change. 92% of those engaged in nature projects took on at least one additional pro-environmental habit, such as growing their own food, reducing their use of plastic, reducing food waste or lowering their gas, electricity or petrol consumption.
Hubbub is also keen to talk with organisations interested in providing funding to community-led green spaces.
Further information about the Community Nature Network and how to join is available on the Hubbub website.
Source: UK Fundraising