The Climate Coalition

CELEBRATE YOUR COMMUNITY'S GREEN HEART

We’re celebrating the unsung heroes who are helping to create a future where the UK no longer contributes to climate change.

The Green Heart Hero Awards took place in Parliament on Monday 27th February and shone a spotlight on the extraordinary actions that individuals, communities and organisations are taking to create a cleaner, greener world, for us and future generations. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees.

You can read about the brilliant work being done by our winners and shortlisted nominees below.

Small businesses that are championing sustainability across their products, processes and consumer interactions.

WINNER - BYWAY

Byway is reimagining how we travel, how we view holidays and the impact that our travel decisions make upon the environment around us. Their vision is a world in which flight-free holidays are the norm, and a vibrant sustainable ecosystem flourishes away from the beaten path. 

They are committed to the principle that “travelling through the world is better than flying over it”.  All the holidays that Byway plan and provide involve travel by rail, bus, boat or even bike, without the use of a single plane or car.  Rail travel accounts for just 14g of CO2 per passenger mile, dwarfed by the 285g generated by air travel. You could travel from London to Edinburgh and back five times via alternative methods and your carbon footprint would still be lower than if you flew there just once.  Not only can holidays become more sustainable, but they can also become far more enjoyable, with the journey itself becoming an experience to be savoured.  Byway understand that attitudes to travel need to change, and our relationship with the world around us must change as well.

FARMING CARBON

Farming Carbon understands agriculture, the pivotal role it plays in society, the impact it has on our environment and the delicate balance of our ecosystem.

Based in Northern Ireland, Farming Carbon is seeking to support farmers in adopting innovative new practices that can lead the way to a healthier environment from the ground up. They understand that to tackle the environmental crises farming practices must change, encouraging more sustainable farming, for healthier soil, healthier plants, healthier animals, healthier humans, and a healthier planet. By building relationships between the farming community, businesses and the wider public Farming Carbon are able to demonstrate the viability of their research with proven results, managing the transition to sustainable farming and a successful future business model that can be adopted throughout the sector. Farming Carbon also understands the power of social media, harnessing its power and reaching out to new audiences to change attitudes and fight climate change.

HAMMONDS END FARM

Hammonds End Farm is actively brushing away the stereotypes of antiquated farming practices and stepping firmly into the 21st century, as a beacon of sustainability, and transparency, in the full knowledge that tackling the climate crisis involves bold new thinking.

First established in 1948, three generations of farmers have now run Hammonds End Farm and have received much acclaim for their relationships with local businesses to ensure that their supply chain is short, safe, and secure.  They have embraced new technologies and sustainable farming techniques, replaced artificial fertilisers, and successfully managed to coax and encourage neighbouring farms to do likewise.  The farm is on target to reach net zero by 2030, 10 years ahead of the industry target of 2040 and continue to develop innovative new projects with their local community. Hammonds End Farm have welcomed members of the public to enjoy the many footpaths around the 300-acre farm, interacting with them on the surrounding flora and fauna, going so far as to erect QR codes all across the site with in-depth information on the inner workings of how the farm operates.

ECOCARETAKER

EcoCaretaker is the only zero-emission garden, estates, and facility service in Wales, creating and maintaining natural landscapes, to enhance the wellbeing of the communities in which they live and work.

EcoCaretaker have committed to making the planet a cleaner, safer, less hostile place for people, plants, and animals. EcoCaretaker make it their business to consider the environmental impact of every aspect of their operation from their website to their uniforms to the tools they use. They drive a fleet of electric vehicles, only use battery operated gardening equipment, use organic weed control, refuse to install artificial turf, advocate for local composting programmes, and reinvest a proportion of their profits in sustainable community programmes. Paul Lewis and Gavin Harvey founded the company in 2020 combining their passion for their local community, the natural environment, and a deep concern for the environment and biodiversity decline.

Tell us about a large business that is championing sustainability across its products, processes or consumer interactions.

WINNER - OLIO

Tessa Clarke and Saasha Celestial-One, the co-founders of Olio recognised that there was a real problem and wanted to fix it.

Between 33-50% of all food produced globally is never eaten, and the value of this wasted food is worth over $1 trillion.  In the UK the average family throws away 22% of their weekly shop, whilst one in nine people on the planet goes hungry.  Meanwhile the environmental impact of this huge proportion of food going to waste is considered to be one of the most significant contributors to climate change. Olio is an app that allows local communities and businesses to share resources so that as little as possible goes to waste, ensuring that surplus food can be shared instead of being thrown away.  Olio links directly with caterers, restaurants, offices, and suppliers to help them reduce their food waste and redistribute it to local communities in need of help. Olio is committed to being as sustainable as possible and is currently carbon negative having been awarded a B Corp certification for maintaining a high standard of social and environmental performance. 

WRIGHTBUS GROUP

Wrightbus Group has in recent years undergone a radical transformation and is now a leading manufacturer of electric and hydrogen powered buses, reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and providing much needed public transport across the UK.

Wrightbus has been manufacturing buses for 75 years, but it was in 2019 that Jo Bamford took over, rescuing the company from administration and transforming it into one of the world’s most prominent bus manufacturers, at the forefront of zero-emission innovation with the successful introduction of both the Hydroliner and Electroliner models. In 2023 over 70% of their overall bus production will be from their electric and hydrogen range, taking yet more diesel buses off our streets.  Hydrogen and Electric bus fleets are being rolled out in towns and cities across the UK and abroad, reducing the impact on the climate and providing more people with safe and reliable public transport. The investment in zero-emissions technology has also seen a boost for the economy with a steady increase in high skilled green manufacturing jobs.

KIMBERLY-CLARK

Kimberly-Clark (Barrow-in-Furness Mill) has made strides with reducing their plants carbon output.

Specific examples include replacing all their boilers to more energy efficient models.  Furthermore, they are partnering with 'Carlton Power' to supply hydrogen to the company’s manufacturing facility at Barrow-in-Furness. Barrow Green Hydrogen will provide Kimberly-Clark and potentially other energy-intensive users in the area (for example, those with transport fleets), with hydrogen to fuel their operations. This project will initially feature a 35 MW (megawatt) electrolyser, expected to produce approximately 3500 tonnes of hydrogen every year - reducing 25,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions which is equivalent to taking 580 trucks off UK roads annually.  The hydrogen will be produced by the electrolyser using electricity that is generated from sources of renewable energy, primarily wind and solar power. The Barrow Green Hydrogen scheme is to be located on land adjacent to Kimberly-Clark’s manufacturing facility on Park Road (A590), Barrow-in-Furness.  Subject to planning and financing, the £40M scheme is targeted to enter commercial operation in 2025.

Schools that are inspiring the next generation of climate champions, going above and beyond to showcase and promote sustainability, to inspire students and to keep tackling climate change as a key priority.

WINNER - PENNAR COMMUNITY SCHOOL’S GREEN TEAM

Pennar Community School’s Green Team are taking the environmental crises very seriously, understanding that small changes within your own community can make a big difference.

In 2021, in the shadow of COP26 taking place in Glasgow another Conference was taking shape: COP1 (Conference of Pennar 1). At COP1, ideas from across the school were shared, exploring ways in which the school could become more sustainable and reduce their impact and emissions to make Pennar Community School a better place to work and study.  All ideas were discussed and voted upon, with the winning ideas being implemented soon after.  These initiatives included a 1-hour power down for nature, a ban on all plastic pens in school, the introduction of a school vegetable patch, a recycling centre, a beehive, a wild meadow, and a permanent ban on glitter. Pennar’s COP2 has recently taken place and further changes have been decided in the school and the wider community. The success of COP 1 and 2 has been noticed by the wider community, with other schools deciding to enact changes of their own which has led to COPembs County-wide conference which was held in November 2022 with a variety of schools in attendance.

The infectious enthusiasm and energy of the Pennar Community School Green Team has spread across the region, inspiring other young people to take control, share their ideas for a more sustainable, happier future.

TOTTERIDGE ACADEMY

Totteridge Academy is working in partnership with GROW, an agroecological farm and outdoor learning hub who have transformed a plain field into a thriving community farm and created a model for how schools and farms can work together to support health and well-being, reach sustainability goals and tackle climate change.

GROW works predominantly with local children and young people who experience barriers to learning, healthy living and employment and are working with schools and communities to deliver programmes in food growing and outdoor learning, to show the students involved what the next generation of farming could look like. There is a range of educational opportunities for children and young people aged 7 - 25, from farm visits to clubs and specialist workshops. The veg, fruit, and flowers produced on the site are sold to the local community and businesses ensuring that the supply chain is local, healthy, and high quality. The GROW team firmly believe that every child in the UK should have access to healthy nutritious food and that regenerative farms partnering with schools is the way to do this.

ST MARGARET’S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

St Margaret’s CE Primary School has established a dedicated Green Team to help their students understand a wide variety of important environmental factors from an early age. The Year 5 and Year 6 Green Team children are working with the Whalley Range Climate Action Group to understand how climate change is affecting communities around the world. 

They have focussed on the role world leaders have in preventing our world's temperature from rising beyond 1.5°C. The school has championed a series of clean air campaigns around the school to improve the air quality in and around St Margaret’s. The Year 3, 4, and 5 Green Team children have been provided with Air Quality Monitors to record the quality of air at busy drop-off times and compare it to a quiet time during the day.  Children and staff have been encouraged to walk or cycle to school or to park at least 10 minutes away whenever possible to reduce the volume of cars in the area and to promote healthier, and environmentally friendly travel habits. The students have also been learning about the importance of growing sustainably sourced food, composting, and food waste.

Sports organisations and groups that are championing sustainability on and off the pitch.

WINNER - HIBERNIAN FC

Hibernian FC is Scotland’s Greenest football club, and they have the facts to prove it. They were the first Scottish football club to sign up to the Sports for Climate Action Framework.  The club uses 100% renewable energy with solar panels installed at both their stadium and training ground. They have introduced several meat free kiosks to offer more sustainable options for fans on match

day and have partnered with Too Good To Go providing bags of Their Magic Bags containing a variety of delicious surplus fare from the food kiosks available for collection on match days. The Club vehicles have almost exclusively transitioned to electric vehicles, electric charging stations have been installed at the stadium and training ground and a partnership has been developed with Lothian buses to encourage more fans to travel to games by public transport. The team's football kits are now produced entirely from recycled materials and their shin pads are now made from bamboo.  These are just a few examples of the ways in which Hibernian FC are leading the field, to reduce the environmental impact of football and to show other teams across the UK and abroad how the future of the beautiful game can be greener, healthier, and more responsible.

PLEDGEBALL

Pledgeball is harnessing the power of collective engagement and combining it with the camaraderie and competitiveness of football fans to limit climate change one small but important step at a time.

Pledgeball firmly believes that tackling climate change requires collective action. Each time a Pledgeballer shops sustainably, they persuade businesses to operate more sustainably. When a community shows it cares, politicians and organisations have no choice but to make sustainable decisions. Just one Wembley Stadium full of fans all reducing their shower time to 5 minutes saves the same amount of CO2 as taking over 500 cars off the road. Each time a Pledgeballer tells someone else about the changes they’re making, that person is encouraged to make a change as well, because they can see its impact.  Small individual changes can snowball into massive wider societal change. The Pledgeball website contains a multitude of helpful suggestions on how to reduce your carbon footprint, from using a reusable cup or bottle, changing your diet, planting trees and so much more.

BIRMINGHAM COUNTY FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION - SAVE TODAY, PLAY TOMORROW

Save Today, Play Tomorrow is the first of its kind, a sustainability programme in the UK that looks to engender & empower grassroots football to support the ambitious goal of creating a low carbon greener game, across the region.  As a regional governing body, they recognise the need to act now to ensure the beautiful game significantly reduces its environmental impact, whilst helping to educate those involved in football at all levels to make informed decisions that will shape

how much future generations will be able to enjoy the game in the long term. Save Today, Play Tomorrow has four distinct areas of focus: Positive Education, Reconnecting football to nature, Health and wellbeing, and Climate action. They have partnered with Utilita’s Football Rebooted programme aiming to prevent 1 million pairs of football boots from ending up in landfill by remaining in circulation. They have campaigned to remove single use plastics from football and replace them with reusable bottles. STPT has also established a lift sharing programme encouraging players to limit car journeys to and from games and practice sessions to improve air quality and lower emissions.

Outdoor projects that are transforming our land use to help tackle climate change and protect nature. 

WINNER - TRANSFORMING THE TRENT VALLEY

Transforming the Trent Valley (TTTV) is a partnership scheme; 18 organisations are delivering 16 projects focused on the River Trent in Staffordshire and Derbyshire. After securing a large grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund in December 2018 the project is working to deliver a multi-million-pound scheme in the Trent Valley across 200 km.

This ambitious project will transform the landscape for a more positive future and preserve the region for generations to come. The projects combine culture, history, archaeology, and nature conservation, connecting communities through action for nature, improving access to natural habitats, and river and floodplain improvements. The river restoration projects improve local biodiversity and contribute towards natural climate solutions in wetland areas. The scheme is transforming the landscape through cultural and natural heritage, most recently on living floodplains which have enhanced habitats in Burton Washlands with river re-profiling and creation of wildflower meadows. The Transforming the Trent Valley scheme is making real and positive change for people, wildlife and the environment thanks to the ambitious projects and team of dedicated staff.

VIEWPARK CONSERVATION GROUP

Viewpark Conservation Group came together with the purpose of rescuing the Historical Douglas Glen in Lanarkshire from further destruction as plans were developed to encroach on the dearly loved green space with a local business park set to be built in its place.

The value of such greenspaces has never been more important for the environment and addressing climate change, and for improving local air quality and the mental wellbeing of local communities. The Viewpark Conservation Group leapt into action and were successful in acquiring £512,600 from the Scottish Land Trust to save the 171-acre area for future generations, making it the largest urban land buyout in Scotland’s history. The estate has many mature trees and is home to countless flora and fauna. The community group will preserve and regenerate the land and have ambitious plans to manage the woodlands – tidying up and replanting, and to build a healthier, more active community. The funds awarded will help to restore the farmhouse to create a reception area for people visiting the Glen, with information and educational facilities, a café and exhibition area to showcase the history of the estate.

RSPB HOPE FARM

The RSPB took over at Hope Farm in 2000 to demonstrate, research and encourage wildlife-friendly farming, to prove it’s possible to run a successful farming business that produces food, makes a profit, and is valuable for wildlife as well. 

Their monitoring programme includes butterflies, bumblebees, moths, hares and a variety of other groups. RSPB Hope Farm is a commercial farm in Cambridgeshire run by the RSPB, in partnership with Nature Friendly Farming Network, which is developing new farming techniques which help both farmers and wildlife. Due to different nature-friendly practises, such as crop rotation, cover cropping, agroforestry and integrated pest management, the farm has seen an increase in wildlife, healthier soils and returned a profit on crops such as oil seed rape. Since 2000, the farm has seen a 226% increase in breeding farmland birds, and, on average, 15 times more wintering farmland birds. Hope Farm wants to find solutions to improving soil health, efficiency in the farming system and climate change, whilst keeping biodiversity conservation as a focus. Hope Farm strives to use its evidence to stand as a resource, showing how sustainable farming can operate both at present and in the future.

LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITAL NHS TRUST

The Growing Well Project of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has set an example for how nature can be enriched, and climate change tackled, for the benefit of wellbeing. Over a 9-week programme, staff were involved in horticultural activities such as garden maintenance and vegetable growing.

Employees have developed mindfulness skills through conversations about sustainability and social health. Patients and visitors have benefitted through enhanced access to green space and biodiversity across the estate. Value has also been created for the community, imparting knowledge of food growing, promoting healthy eating, and increasing food security by reducing reliance on imports.  Improving biodiversity features heavily in the Trust's Green Plan, and the garden has not only improved its green spaces; it also aligns with the NHS's commitment to social prescribing by creating opportunities for staff to benefit from the healing effects of nature. Staff had time away from their busy roles for three-hour weekly sessions at St James's Hospital. The educational focus was on learning sustainable food-growing methods, sowing seeds, working together to create new garden areas, and ultimately harvesting and preparing the food they helped grow. The sessions also featured nature-based wellbeing techniques and focused on the benefits of gardening on mental health and how it can boost a person's mood, reduce stress and promote improved personal resilience.

Earlier this year, communities across the country came together for the Great Big Green Week, and showed how people across the UK are taking action to keep future generations safe from the impacts of climate change. We saw thousands of brilliant events, but here are some that stood out in local communities!

WINNER - NATURE POSITIVE WORKSHOPS

Gethin Jenkins-Jones and Joe Wilkins worked together to create Nature Positive workshops to deliver on every stop of the Climate Cymru GBGW Green Tour in Wales.

They gave their time to develop an engaging and creative workshop that was delivered in schools and community centres all across Wales and gathered together Welsh voices from up and down the country in support for restoring nature and tackling climate change. The workshop resulted in a scrapbook with messages from people across the country that Gethin presented to the Welsh Minister for Climate Change. Joe then met with the Minister at the UN Biodiversity COP15 to showcase the importance of representing Welsh voices on climate change at an international level.

WASTE STOPS HERE!

From a converted milk truck selling plastic-free refills to artisan goods made from waste materials, Waste Stops Here! showcased the inventive ways people are already promoting the circular economy.  The event was organised by Union Chapel, Islington Environmental Emergency Alliance and Islington Climate Centre.

Community groups and independent businesses across Islington came together to share ideas for reducing waste and to inspire people to be greener. A Subversive Catwalk challenged the exploitative fast fashion system, while a Not Fast Fashion Show spotlighted ordinary Islington residents who make or upcycle their clothes.  The clothes swap was particularly popular for people to refresh their wardrobe sustainably, while a raffle raised money for a homelessness charity based in Union Chapel.

SWIFT AWARENESS EVENT

Dakota Reid organised an interactive Swift Awareness Event at the Ulster Museum where Dakota and attendees delved into what is causing the decline of swift populations across the country.

Guests were greeted to an immersive experience with the beautiful sound of swift calls and were invited to create a swift-inspired art piece to connect with and understand this struggling species. The event closed with a focus on the actions we can take to safeguard and increase swift populations, like opting to use swift bricks in houses. Dakota is incredibly passionate about enabling people to make decisions that benefit nature and her Swift Awareness Event did just that.

Projects and people that are working to break down social barriers in communities and beyond to achieve action on climate change and biodiversity loss. 

WINNER - TOQUEER AHMED QUYYAM

Toqueer is a volunteer champion and ambassador for Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust, particularly our EcoPark site in Small Heath. Toqueer’s passion is connecting people with the environment, especially those who are disadvantaged and less likely to have the confidence to go out into nature and experience its benefits. He has played a huge role in engaging the communities around EcoPark with the site, in particular local scout groups. As a member of our steering group Toqueer is helping to ensure that EcoPark is accessible to people from diverse communities and those with access needs.

THE SCOTTISH PANTRY NETWORK

The Scottish Pantry Network (TSPN) started by volunteers in the East End of Glasgow, works at the heart of 15 local communities to divert food away from landfill and promote a sustainable, dignified approach to food insecurity aiding physical and mental wellbeing. The model that TSPN uses means pantries are locally managed. They offer £15 of fresh veg, fruit, meat and fish for £2.50 and upskilling to the community, improving employment prospects and health outcomes. Nobody walking through the door of a TSPN pantry should worry that they're declaring their poverty because the environmental benefits are heavily promoted.

BLACK2NATURE

Black2Nature is a Visible Minority Ethnic (VME) led initiative, campaigning for equal access to nature for all but concentrating on VME communities who are currently excluded from the countryside. They run nature camps and arrange nature activities for VME children and teenages, and organise race equality in nature conferences and campaign to make the nature conservation and environmental sectors ethnically diverse.

Local groups and community projects that are helping to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss. 

WINNER - ZERO CARBON GUILDFORD

ZERO Carbon Guildford is a community space set up to empower the local community to take climate action.

ZERO is keen to help the borough of Guildford reach carbon neutrality by 2030 and have since launched a town centre hub to act as the focal point for building a community-led climate action plan. From hosting film nights, litter-picks and group discussions, the group is committed to promoting climate education and solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation. ZERO has provided critical services for its constituents, setting up a community fridge that has served over 3,000 people, installing real-time air quality monitoring systems in the town centre and offering wellbeing support for anyone struggling with climate anxiety.

HADLEIGH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION TEAM

Hadleigh Environmental Action Team (HEAT) is a group of local people who want to do something practical about tackling climate change and protecting the environment in their community. 

HEAT hosts a range of activities that aim to help people, organisations and businesses in Hadleigh take climate change and loss of biodiversity into account in their day-to-day life. These activities include training and certifying volunteers to monitor Hadleigh’s river quality and recording findings into a national database, and organising for volunteers to work directly with the local council and local farmers to improve biodiversity in the area. They also run a community allotment and host Environmental Action Days for the local community to help maintain natural  reserves around Hadleigh.

CLEAVLEY COMMUNITY FOREST GARDEN

Cleavley Community Forest Garden is a project developed on overgrown and abandoned land in a deprived area of Salford set up by Incredible Education, an organisation that provides nature based services for local communities.

The Forest Garden now specialises in education, health and wellbeing programs that are delivered through horticulture and forest school activities aimed at engaging the community with nature and the environment. Cleavley Community Forest Garden has created a hub within the community, organising events like Christmas wreath-making, developing “greening and growing” networks and working with primary and secondary schools to ensure children and young people spend time in nature and strengthen their understanding of horticulture, as well as the impacts of climate change on the natural world.

Inspiring international projects ands group that are working for climate, nature and people.

WINNER - CROSS CULTURAL FOUNDATION OF UGANDA - MELTING SNOW AND RIVERS IN FLOOD

Melting Snow and Rivers in Flood explores a community-led response to a situation where climate change risks the erasing of belief systems, cultural rites, and sacred sites alike.

Responding to rapid glacial melt and extreme floods in the Rwenzori and West Nile region of Uganda, this project focuses on adopting an integrated approach to mitigating the impact that climate change is having on local heritage.  As climate shifts have a devastating impact worldwide, treasured local heritage sites are increasingly at risk of disappearing.  Even less in focus, is the unique impact a warming climate is having on the preservation of intangible cultural heritage. CCFU exists to promote an appreciation of culture as vital for human development that responds to their diverse identities. The CCFU define culture as a constantly changing set of values, identities, practices, traditions, and aspirations that govern the way we live and relate as individuals, communities, and nations. Culture is central to well–being and to defining the ideal society they seek, and the project seeks to engage with this in the face of a changing climate.

THE BANGLADESH ASSOCIATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development (BASD) has been working in Bangladesh since 1991, with a focus on social, educational, economic, environmental, and ecological development.

Key areas of expertise include permaculture design and eco-village design, as well as promoting ecological based practices across their work and supporting other NGOs with technical support to learn and replicate these approaches. BASD are hugely committed to the work of environmentally sustainable agriculture, often within the context of the deleterious effects of on-going climate change, as in the Southwest of Bangladesh. In concert with that commitment is one to empower women within many village communities to work together towards an environmentally sustainable future.  The Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development is a non-governmental social development organisation collaborating with social workers, teachers, doctors, and church leaders of different denominations.

CLIMATE CULTURE

Climate Culture is an international creative initiative dedicated to empowering everyday people to take climate action. They are a team of young creators, curators and connectors based in multiple countries around the world, who have developed a unique formula of storytelling-for-impact that is people-centric, systemic, and actionable. 

Their flagship project is the Climate Crisis Film Festival, born in 2019 as a grassroots youth-led event in a community venue in South-East London, and grown to be the UK's and Europe's leading environmental film festival, with an audience of 200k+ tuning in from 143 countries to watch free climate action films and speaking events. The Festival platforms stunning, diverse, and eye-opening cinema, providing a systemic perspective behind the raw human stories of climate change.  Climate Culture acts as a one stop shop to become inspired by the innovation of others, to find out how to get involved, to pool resources and find new ways to take action on the climate crises.

Inspiring young people who are leading the way in climate action!

WINNER - ALEESHA

Aleesha is a climate activist and Cool Earth’s first ever Mini Ambassador. Aleesha has written hundreds of letters and emails to some of the UK’s largest companies and most influential people to encourage them to take climate action.

She even managed to get a response from the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and was also invited to Downing Street to speak to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson MP! Aleesha is committed to inspiring other children her age to join the climate movement and has since set up a climate change club at her school that encourages her classmates to look after the environment and volunteer for activities like litter-picking and planting trees. In her role as Cool Earth Ambassador, Aleesha rode her scooter 50 miles to raise over £3,000 to support rainforest conservation efforts. Her latest campaigning effort is a petition to ban all helium balloons from being released into the environment and harming local wildlife.

BENJAMIN

Benjamin is an inspiring young artist and naturalist. He is passionate about protecting nature and wildlife and hopes to use his artwork to encourage people to care for their planet.

His drawings and paintings depict everything from hummingbirds, butterflies, sweet pea flowers and tigers – and in 2021, Benjamin was selected as the winner of the RSPB’s national art competition. When he’s not drawing, Benjamin is usually out with his binoculars or covered in mud. His unique curiosity about the world around him has led him to plant his very own pollinator garden and has taken him on various nature walks amounting to over 200,000 steps and raising £2,500 for several environmental charities. Last year, Benjamin climbed Stanage Edge and raised £1,000 for Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, a youth-led biodiversity conservation project, that helped save 4 acres of Ecuador’s Cloud Forest.

ASHA AND JIA

Sister-duo Asha and Jia are passionate campaigners taking on Kellogg’s use of palm oil.

After watching a TV program that detailed the detrimental impact that palm oil production has on the world’s rainforests and orangutans, Asha and Jia were determined to learn more. They read a report by Greenpeace that listed companies whose palm oil practices were particularly harmful to the environment and discovered that Kellogg’s, the maker of their breakfast cereal, was on that list. Asha and Jia started a petition on Change.org that eventually climbed its way to a whopping 900,000 signatures. After securing media coverage on their petition and attending meetings with Kellogg’s UK CEO and CSO, Kellogg’s pledged that they will switch to using a more sustainable palm oil product and launched a Global Deforestation policy that will help to mitigate deforestation. Asha and Jia are committed to holding Kellogg’s to their promise and are now considering which company they will take on next.

REON

Reon is a talented Youth Ambassador from the Cayman Islands. Joining the political scene at the young age of fourteen, Reon has spent the last four years in the Cayman Islands Youth Parliament, serving as the Leader of the Opposition for three years and Deputy Speaker for two. During this time, Reon has brought several motions to the floor, including on “banning single-use plastics.” He is passionate about sharing climate justice knowledge with other young people and has spent time working on the Protect our Cayman initiative that looks to revise legislation, promote cooperation and ensure people are properly educated on how their behaviours influence the world around them. Last year, he drew on his experiences to represent the National Trust for the Cayman Islands at COP27 in Egypt.

Locally-elected leader who are truly taking the lead and delivering inspirational work to take action on climate change. 

WINNER - CLLR ADAM MCVEY

Cllr Adam McVey is committed to ensuring that Edinburgh takes bold action to address the climate crisis.

As Edinburgh’s Council leader from 2017 – 2022, Adam convened industry experts to devise a climate strategy that outlines how Edinburgh can become a net zero, climate-ready city by 2030. He established a climate commission that brought together representatives from across different sectors to share best practices of transitioning to net zero and identify where support was needed from the Council. Adam used his position of power to champion a £200m+ tram extension, introduce new 40km pop-up cycleways, and propose plans for a “20-minute city” to improve accessibility and reduce carbon emissions. He oversaw a 30% reduction in emissions during his tenure and has helped ensure that Edinburgh is on its way to becoming a healthier, thriving and inclusive city for people to live and work in.

CLLR DONNA STIMSON

Cllr Donna Stimson is the lead Councillor for climate action and sustainability in Windsor and Maidenhead. In 2021, she established a Climate Partnership that works together with local businesses, civil society, schools and constituents to implement local solutions to tackle climate change.

Donna is excited about the impact that grassroots action can have and has helped the Climate Partnership secure £750,000 from the Council over the next three years. She’s also raised £5,000 for OnePlanet, an organisation developing software solutions that enable every business to create engaging sustainability plans, and has recently opened a new community hub aiming to help people gain new skills, overcome challenges and protect and improve green spaces.

CLLR PIPPA HEYLINGS

Cllr Pippa Heylings has led local efforts for a greener and thriving South Cambridgeshire.

As Councillor, Pippa contributed to the Liberal Democrat Zero Carbon policy and supported in developing the Natural Environment policy. At COP26, she represented UK local government and helped facilitate a plenary session ensuring that the pivotal role of local government in tackling climate change was recognised. Pippa is Chair of Climate and Environment committee for South Cambs District Council, which has received two greenest Council public sector transformation awards, and has worked with Histon and Impington Parish Council, alongside local people and sustainability groups.

CLLR MINESH PAREKH

Cllr Minesh Parekh is a climate activist committed to building greener, healthier communities in Sheffield.

Minesh has helped develop Sheffield Council’s renewable energy strategy and is working to ensure that Sheffield invests in public transport, insulates homes to lower energy bills and implements a community wealth-building strategy that focuses on new, green industries. His work on climate justice also has a global focus.  During the devastating floods in Pakistan, Minesh wrote for the Ecologist to discuss the role that Britain’s imperial history has played in making Pakistan more susceptible to climate breakdown and the unique responsibility of wealthy nations in the global North to take climate action.

MP’S who have been a local advocate for climate change in your community. 

WINNER - OLIVIA BLAKE MP

Olivia Blake MP is consistently organising at a local level for a greener and more climate friendly Sheffield. Through a series of monthly climate assemblies, she met with her constituents to discuss their climate-related hopes and ambitions and develop a Hallam Citizens’ Climate Manifesto which she took to Downing Street and COP26 in Glasgow. Olivia is also regularly advocating for housing retrofits throughout her constituency, supports local rewilding and lends her voice to campaigns against moorland burning. 

LEO DOCHERTY MP

Leo Docherty MP has used his influence as a Member of Parliament to protect much loved green spaces in his constituency of Aldershot. This includes the Queen Elizabeth Park, a quiet haven for residents with an array of wildlife and woodland that was under threat of being significantly damaged by a fuel pipeline project. Hundreds of constituents were in touch with Leo to share their views on the proposed project – and Leo answered their calls. He met with constituents and wrote to the then Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma MP, on their behalf to urge that he take action to protect Queen Elizabeth Park.

BEN SPENCER MP

Ben Spencer MP is listening to constituents to address the impacts of the climate crisis in his constituency of Runnymede and Weybridge. The River Thames runs through Ben’s constituency and is one of the largest areas of undefended floodplain in the country. Each year, residents and businesses face risks from flooding. Ben is playing a critical role in working closely with resident groups to ensure the communities’ concerns are heard and is bringing together organisations and Government departments to collectively tackle flood risk.

Parliamentarians who have championed action and ambition on climate, nature or net zero in Parliament. 

WINNER - CHRIS SKIDMORE

Chris Skidmore has been one of the key Members of Parliament driving the net zero and environmental agenda. During the Conservative Leadership contest in Summer 2022, Chris publicly declared his support for net zero and urged party leadership candidates to do the same. As Chair of the Environment APPG, Chris has demonstrated cross-party leadership on climate-related issues and has recently been appointed by the Prime Minister to lead a review of net zero. His commitment to championing net zero has been shown in his recent publication Mission Zero will help drive forward the changes needed to reduce emissions in the UK by 2050.

BARONESS HAYMAN

Baroness Hayman is using her peerage to affect real change as co-chair of Peers for the Planet. Since its inception, Peers for the Planet has consistently advocated for the uptake of policies which will ensure the UK has a cleaner, greener and fairer future. The cross-party group has put forward amendments to decarbonise pension funds and has helped drive forward green financial regulation post-Brexit. Baroness Hayman is committed to ensuring that climate action runs through to the foundations of all her work and is a key member of the group of Peers who push for action on climate change and nature loss in the House of Lords.

ALOK SHARMA

Alok Sharma has worked tirelessly to push the climate crisis and the urgent need for climate action up the Parliamentary agenda as COP26 President and beyond. He has consistently used his position and platform on the global stage to stress the importance that the UK and others do more to address the climate crisis and at a quicker pace. In light of recent Government decisions, Alok has asked critical questions about how new drilling for oil and gas is compatible with delivering the UK’s climate agenda and has urged the Prime Minister to prioritise ramping up clean energy investment and insulating homes.