Our Activities

Our work spans across four areas (our four goals), these are detailed below showing our projects (being time limited) and programmes (not being time limited):

Goal one: to improve the capacity of local third sector* environmental and sustainability organisations, and to provide advocacy for them. 

• Groups support - support and advice on starting, developing and managing local groups, keeping them up to date with policy, funding and other developments and also acting as the Secretariat for selected groups  (eg. Fairtrade Steering Group and Transition Towns).
• Environmental Groups Forum - provides a platform to enable REN to support these groups by sharing good practice whilst also providing an opportunity for groups to discuss their interests and concerns and participate in the development of local strategies.
• Advocacy - REN advocates for the local environmental voluntary sector when attending a number of strategic meeting, including: the Greener Richmond Partnership and the Voluntary Sector Strategic Partnership (both sub groups of the LSP), the Community Development Network, London Parks and Green Space Forum and London 21
• Resource Library - Our library contains items, such a laptop, projector, display screens/board (and soon to be a large selection of tools) that can be borrowed by community environmental groups within the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.

Goal two: to increase communication with the public, and promote involvement in environmental issues and related voluntary activity.

• Environmental Forum - focuses on raising awareness of environmental and sustainability issues, through influential and inspiring speakers and debate. Each forum will have a theme and look at different strands within these themes.
• Event attendance - attendance and participation in events and fairs in the Borough to raise awareness of environmental issues and activity by local groups to mitigate these issues
• Green Drinks (Richmond upon Thames) - provides a social opportunity to engage and recruit new interest.
• Green Parents (Richmond upon Thames) - provides a network opportunity and supportive environment for parents with young families.

Goal three: to protect, conserve and increase biological diversity

• Richmond (upon Thames) Biodiversity Group - co-ordinates the development and implementation of Species (SAPs) or Habitat Action Plans (HAPs) that make up the Biodiversity Action Plan for the borough. These set to protect, preserve and encourage growth of important and significant wildlife habitats and species in the borough. The action plans work across different land ownership in the borough, with many of these land managers part of the group.

Goal four: to promote the prudent use of resources within third sector organisations*, schools and the wider community.

• Sustainability Briefing Papers - provide simple to understand information on sustainability, particularly improving the sustainability of the home in non technical language. Topics covered are; renewable energy, insulation, solar water heating (making hot water from light), solar photovoltaic’s (making electric from light), wind power and saving water.
• ZWIN (Zero Waste Initiative) - supports local voluntary & community groups or schools reduce costs by developing sound environmental policies and practices aimed at the reduction of waste and the improved use of resources and save money. This is achieved through a free initial environmental assessment of a premises and operation, followed by a confidential report that enables a business to set up new policies designed to reduce waste, increase energy efficiency and recycling on a regular basis, while reducing costs.
• Eco Teams - aims to recruit and support 30 people who intern will recruit up to 8 people each making a potential total of 240 people across 30 teams. These are Eco Teams and they will be supported in a six month process to lower their energy use, water use, reduce the waste they generate and increase their recycling.
• Ham & Petersham Street Champions Project (Energise Ham & Petersham) - aims to engage a 1000 with residents to undertake measures such as draft-proofing, increasing insulation, working along side the Ham & Petersham Low Carbon Zone.

Pleae note that the following activities are on hold

• Environmental Education Co-ordinator -our officer aids and supports schools in developing environmental projects, whether they are school allotments or eco clubs that educate children about the environment our sustainability. This project has now reaching its second phase, moving away from directly supporting schools to developing educational programmes. We are currently working on developing a new particial replacement projects and will be looking to secure funding shortly.
• Schools Environment Forum  - provides an opportunity for REN to support the development of environmental projects in schools, sharing good practice between schools and linking schools with local environmental organisations. Due to other similar work taking place in the borough we have paused running SEF for the moment.
• Building Responsibly Group - aims to promote greater understanding of sustainable, healthy buildings by those commissioning and undertaking the work and has lobbied the Council to incorporate higher sustainability specification in developments within the borough. The group comprises architects, planners and builders and those with good knowledge of sustainable buildings. After 16 years of campaigning the group achieved a large milestone in encouraging Richmond Council to adopt higher sustainability criteria in new housing. The Group is now reviewing its next focus.