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Read on for updates about... |
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- The UK's first Just Transition Plan
- How to shop sustainably at a Community Clothes Swap
- How we planted 12,000 trees in schools and parks (with more to come!)
- Our first ever community-owned solar panels
- Grant funding for energy efficiency improvements in your home, community group or social enterprise
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We launched the UK's first Just Transition Plan |
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The past few years, we’ve faced extreme weather events including flash flooding and heatwaves in Newham which have affected many people and disrupted our key services. Climate impacts disproportionately affect some communities more than others, which is why we launched our Just Transition Plan. The Plan gives a new direction to Newham’s climate action work, addressing the unequal impacts of climate change on society and our residents and building a fairer borough that has lower emissions, is more equitable and resilient. This is the first Just Transition Plan for any local authority in the UK.
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Find out more and read our full Just Transition Plan here. |
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Sustainable Shopping at our Community Clothes Swaps |
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In January, we hosted a full week of community clothes swap events across Newham libraries for our ‘Buy Nothing New Campaign’ with Keep Britain Tidy. The events promoted a new sustainable way of shopping whilst considering the ongoing cost of living crisis and preventing waste, where shoppers could donate their unused items in exchange for new donated clothing.
Over 5 events:
- 577 items were swapped
- 2,643.53 kgCO2 was prevented
- 195.5 kg waste was prevented
One of our young participants, Joseph, shared their experience: “It’s really great that this clothes swap happened because we need to reduce waste and save the planet. It’s a great action for everyone to connect and get clothes without having to buy them.”
To find out more, check out our social media posts here. |
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Over 12,000 trees planted in our schools and parks |
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In November, pupils at West Ham Church Primary School and Hallsville Primary School helped boost Newham’s tree coverage by planting two pocket forests with SUGi, a not-for-profit organisation specialising in urban biodiversity. The project comes as a partnership with Newham Council to not only provide more greenery for our children, but also health benefits and educational activities.
Since then, we’ve also planted trees at School 21 and Scott Wilkie Primary Schools, and on Saturday 13 April we held a community planting day at Gooseley Playing Fields with over 50 people! So far, over 12,000 trees have been planted in total across the borough, equating to over 4,000sqm of urban forest. We’ve also received a total of £22,500 of funding from The Tree Council to expand the pocket forest programme, and to plant and maintain 10 street trees, which will help make our streets greener and provide shade during heatwaves.
We have future sessions planned at other schools and community spaces across the borough. We will post opportunities to help out at our planting days in upcoming editions of this newsletter, so keep an eye out!
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Community Energy Newham installs its first solar panels |
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We have partnered with Repowering London, an organisation that empowers communities to set up renewable energy projects, to install solar panels at East Ham Library, Beckton Globe Library and Stratford Library.
The collaboration brings together local volunteers to form Community Energy Newham, with residents, investors, and decision-makers working together to install community-owned solar energy that helps reduce energy costs and carbon emissions, as well as promote community action for climate change.
Find out more on ways to get involved here. |
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Free Energy Efficiency Improvements to Your Home |
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If you own or rent a home in Newham and your property has an EPC rating of D, E, F or G (you can check your EPC here) you could be eligible for fully funded improvement works such as insulation (loft, wall, floor), new heaters, air source heat pump and more through the government’s ECO4 or Great British Insulation schemes.
To apply, get more information or to check if you are eligible, contact Repowering London at futurefithomes@repowering.org.uk or call 020 3674 7519. The friendly team will walk you through the whole process and advise if you are eligible. |
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Funding for Voluntary and Community Groups to Lower Bills |
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Voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations can apply for a slice of a £25.5 million pot of government funding to improve their energy efficiency and lower their bills. If you are interested, apply by August 2024 via the link here. |
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If you’d like to share an achievement, event or funding opportunity in a future newsletter, contact us at Climate.Action@newham.gov.uk
If you’ve been forwarded this newsletter by a friend or colleague, you can sign up to receive future editions here. |
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Follow us on social media |
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Copyright © 2024 London Borough of Newham, All rights reserved. |
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Our mailing address is: London Borough of Newham, Newham Dockside, 1000 Dockside Road, London, E16 2QU. |
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