Environmental charity Hubbub has today launched its first ever ‘Community Nature Network’ to help community-led green spaces thrive and bring nature closer to people and people closer to nature.
The Community Nature Network, supported by funding from the Wates Family Enterprise Trust and the Bentley Environmental Foundation, will offer funding opportunities, free resources, guidance and peer to peer support to community groups who wish to establish new green spaces or improve existing ones. The network is free to join from today and is open to any publicly-accessible community-led green space.
The announcement comes as research shows that engaging with nature projects not only has health and social benefits but can also be a catalyst for individual environmental action. A recent study by Chrysalis Research revealed a clear link between participation in community-based nature projects and the adoption of more environmentally friendly behaviours in general.
Key findings of the study include:
- 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.
Gavin Ellis, Co-founder at Hubbub said: “We’re on a mission to bring people closer to nature and nature closer to people. Research shows that spending time in nature not only improves our health, wellbeing and social connectedness, but that engaging with nature projects and community gardening initiatives also encourages people to make more environmentally friendly lifestyle choices overall.
“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.”
Members will gain access to a wide range of free useful resources, from videos and case studies to measurement guides and communications templates. Anyone involved in setting up or running a community-led green space is welcome to join the Community Nature Network – it’s free and it takes less than 5 minutes to sign up. Hubbub would also welcome conversations with organisations interested in providing funding to community-led green spaces.
In the lead up to the launch of the Community Nature Network, Hubbub has supported 26 community nature projects across the UK, kindly sponsored by the Bentley Environmental Foundation. Projects were awarded up to £5,000 to start or maintain community-led green spaces bringing people together to enjoy nature, learn new skills, and care for their local environment.
Wayne Bruce, Chief Communications and DEI Officer at Bentley Motors, and responsible for the Bentley Environmental Foundation said:
“We are incredibly proud to be partnering with Hubbub to support their Community Nature Network. By fostering community-led green spaces, this initiative not only enhances local environments but also promotes healthier, more sustainable lifestyles, both of which align with the aims of the Foundation. We strongly believe in the power of nature to transform communities, and are excited to see the positive impact this network will bring to individuals and groups across the UK”
Felicity Mallam, Director, Wates Family Enterprise Trust said: “It’s so important that we increase access to green space and nature as it has the power to transform our communities; our health and well-being; and our climate resilience. That’s why we support programmes that promote equitable access to nature, help us to connect with and value it, and ultimately inspire engagement with the climate movement. The Chrysalis research highlights community and nature connection as a driver for climate action, and the importance of this work. We’re delighted to support this new network and bring more people on the journey.”
Hubbub has a successful track record in coordinating nature projects and a wealth of expertise in inspiring and supporting community-led environmental action. The charity also recently awarded over half a million pounds to 100 community projects across the UK to create or rejuvenate green spaces. These projects will automatically become members of Hubbub’s new Community Nature Network, continuing to benefit from ongoing funding opportunities, guidance, resources and support.
Hubbub set up and co-ordinates the Community Fridge Network, which now consists of more than 650 Community Fridges across the country which bring people together to share food, meet up, learn new skills and prevent fresh food from going to waste.