Encouraged by Bob Sherman of Low Carbon Warwickshire Network, Matt organised a public meeting in June 2023 to set up an environmental group in his local community. 

He reached out and found a number of brilliant local supporters, and together they put on an event with over 70 attendees. This led to the formation of CLEAN - a community interest company - by the end of December 2023. 

CLEAN is a group of people from Cubbington and Lillington who are working together on energy, transport, biodiversity, and waste. CLEAN stands for Cubbington & Lillington Environmental Action Now.

Since the end of 2023, they have grown over 10,000 sunflowers, planted a community orchard, organised a thermal imaging camera loan scheme, set up a Friends of Mason Avenue Park group to improve biodiversity in a local park, and are about to adopt our local library garden to make it a biodiversity haven for wildlife.

These are all community driven projects which now each have their own WhatsApp groups and are largely community led and organised. They have also organised many popular green-themed educational and social events.

Along the way, there have been lots of learning curves and happy accidents. Matt shares his thoughts on this process, draws on experience as a poet and poetry activist, and offers solid advice for starting your own community environmental group.

Thoughts on setting up your community environmental group

• Don’t assume you’re the first in your area or community to be doing environmental work. There will inevitably be others who are already active - or are trying to be. Reach out and invite them into your project and be ready and happy to work with them.
• Find at least 2 or 3 other people to help you through the first stages – so you can sit together round someone’s kitchen table thinking about what you could do. This will be immensely encouraging.
• Think up one or two activities that will be eye-catching and appeal to a wide range of people. This is especially handy near the start of a project as it will attract attention and get you known in the area.
• Create a project that can be done in numerous places like a green space, at home, in a school, and at a retirement home. One example of this was growing 10,000 sunflowers across Cubbington and Lillington that people could easily join in at one of their events or at home, in schools, and at work.
• Plan events that are family friendly as young people are the future. Make this clear in your publicity and promote your events in places that young people/families will see it. There are dozens of interesting ideas for sustainable/ environmental family crafts and games activities. Check out our actions pages for inspiration.
• Use the arts - they are a joyous and powerful way of enlivening events as well as conveying messages and experience. Facts and figures can be useful but confusing and impersonal. Sharing your story and experience is exciting and will encourage people to join your group.
• When your group formalises itself, find fabulous people for your Steering Group or Board and consider their range of skills and experience. They don't have to have experience to contribute their knowledge to the group.
• Let there be cake. Food is a great way to encourage people to come together. Make sure to provide vegan/vegetarian options to cater for a wider audience and to always display the ingredients list.
• Share your message loudly and frequently - People need to see publicity material at least seven times before the message is received. Post on social media, create printed posters & leaflets, and chat to people in your local community spaces.
• Find your allies and friends in the local councils and other organisations. Councillors, MPs, council leaders, staff, and volunteers can be an amazing asset to support your local environmental group.
• Appreciate that enthusiasm from volunteers is completely genuine. Many will love your idea and want it to succeed, but when it comes to it few may have time. Don’t worry. This is standard. Be endlessly encouraged by the enthusiasm and understand the reality that people have busy lives. Tell people not to worry and that the group will be there when they are ready.
• Always warmly thank people after events and celebrate with photos & videos. Be cautious of safeguarding processes with vulnerable adults and children, and get permission to record/capture people.

Join CLEAN now

CLEAN are always open to new members. For more information, please email enquiries@wkwt.org.uk who will connect you to the group