Better Buses for South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire’s buses aren’t working. Let’s win a world-class bus network for our region.

Better Buses for South Yorkshire brings together people and groups who want to see bus services improved for the benefit of passengers and communities. We campaign for franchising and a return to public control of our buses.

Burngreave Clean Air Campaign

Burngreave Clean Air Campaign is a community environmental group whose members are residents of Burngreave which aims to raise awareness about the illegal levels of air pollution in our part of Sheffield and to bring about changes to improve air quality. We regard air pollution as a public health emergency which kills 500 people in Sheffield alone each year. Air pollution has been linked to diseases as diverse as childhood asthma, maldevelopment of children’s lungs and brains, heart disease, diabetes, cancers, spread of viral infection and dementia. We monitor local air quality monthly.

Although we are a local group, we are aware that toxic air kills millions around the world each year and that it is closely linked to the climate emergency. Our emphasis is on working with local people by holding stalls at local festivals, fairs and on the streets, organising petitions and protests. We also cooperate with local schools and other organisations including Sheffield Climate Alliance. We work with our local councillors, MP and media outlets. We send out regular emailings to our supporters and also have Burngreave Clean Air Facebook page. We have supported a number of students from the University of Sheffield with their projects from the departments of planning and journalism. We support improvements to public transport and to active travel as means of reducing motor traffic which is responsible for most of the toxic fumes in our area. We are always pleased to hear from people in Burngreave and beyond and so we look forward to hearing from you!”

Clean Air Sheffield

Clean Air Sheffield was founded by Graham Turnbull in 2017. The aims of the group are to monitor air quality in Sheffield and to inform others about sources and health impacts of pollutants.

They are working on installing air quality monitors across the city, as well as a creative installation to display the results. You can read more about how to get involved in this project here: Air quality project calls out for volunteers across Sheffield | Now Then Sheffield (nowthenmagazine.com)

Climate Communications Hub

The Climate Communications Hub is a supportive and welcoming forum for people interested in developing their skills in communicating about climate change. We are a voluntary group whose aim is to encourage ‘climate conversations’ whether at college, at work, at home, or in public spaces.

Climbers for Climate

The group is about bringing together like-minded people, who have an interest in climbing (no matter how small or large!) and care about the environment and climate change. As well as climbing meet ups we run a range of events such as conservation work, talks, and attending protests together. We aim to take our own individual climate action and also to encourage other people and organisations to take action.

Anyone is welcome to join the group and we welcome any members wanting to run events/ideas that they have!

Community Media Solutions

Community Media Solutions was established in 2004 with the backing of the Community Media Association and a focus on providing demand-led business and technical support to community media.

Our work has diversified to take on an international dimension and to include project management for wider partnerships working in creative, digital and social enterprise support.

Crosspool Cross-Community Climate Educators (4CE)

Crosspool Cross-Community Climate Educators (4CE) is multi-stakeholder community partnership led by Lydgate Junior School in Sheffield. We encompass 6 local key stakeholders based in and around the SW area of Sheffield. This includes Lydgate Infant school, King Edwards and Tapton secondary schools, Tapton Masonic Hall and The Sheffield Children’s Hospital including the Ryegate Centre.  We are supported by city wide strategic partners including the local Wildlife Trust (SRWT), Schools Climate Education South Yorkshire (SCESY) and the Sheffield Council.

The mission of 4CE is to “Educate, Engage, Energise and Enable the entire local community on the impact of climate change on their environment and the actions they can take as individuals and in collaboration at a local level to mitigate this.”  4CE believes strongly that creative and engaging community led educational activities that are accessible to people of all ages and abilities, can change perceptions and ultimately behaviours.

We will launch a diverse programme of engaging educational activities and practical skills development (centred on a curriculum of local environmental issues identified through co-design with our local community and strategic and delivery partners). Activities will be delivered from a newly created woodland learning room, through organised excursions into local natural spaces and community outreach projects. The educational programme will consist of a year round programme co-designed with our team of local Climate Educators and Climate Ambassadors, developing practical projects which respond directly to local need and opportunity.

We plan to deliver a varied programme, including before and after school provision for young people, daytime school, community and intergenerational programmes and community use in the evening and weekends. We already have a range of speakers keen to work with us to develop motivational talks on the subject of climate change and the impact needed to make a difference.

CycleSheffield

We campaign for a cycle friendly Sheffield where anyone can choose to make their journey by bike. We want cycling to be inclusive and easy, not limited to the quick and the brave.

DECSY – Development Education Centre South Yorkshire

DECSY promotes education for a just and sustainable world. We are an independent and highly experienced development education centre working across South Yorkshire since 1984 to promote a global perspective in all levels of education. Global Learning is an approach to education that increases understanding of complex global issues and how these affect and are affected by our everyday lives. Global Learning seeks to encourage learners to look at the values of equality, human rights, justice and environmental sustainability. It uses active learning methods to promote enquiry and critical thinking skills and provide support and opportunities to develop non-violent problem-solving skills.

Volunteer roles include research for specific projects, project evaluation, developing teaching resources, fundraising. For a volunteer application form contact: info@decsy.org.uk

Diocese of Sheffield

The Diocese of Sheffield is the grouping of Anglican Churches across South Yorkshire and beyond, with a population of around 1.25 million people and over 200 churches.  It covers Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Goole, and the towns and villages of those areas. The Diocese is led by the Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox (Diocesan Bishop) and the Bishop of Doncaster, the Rt Revd Sophie Jelley (Suffragan Bishop).

We are a diverse faith community of people committed to growing in a sustainable way. We aim to strive to safeguard creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth – to live in harmony with Creation, caring for the natural world and treading lightly on the earth. We believe this should be a fundamental part of our Christian calling.

In November 2020, the Diocese formally declared a climate and ecological emergency and supported the Church of England commitment to aim for net zero carbon in all parts of the church by 2030. We are now a registered Eco Diocese on the A Rocha Eco Church programme and are encouraging church communities to register. The programme supports progress towards Bronze, Silver and Gold awards in five domains: Worship and Teaching, Buildings, Land, Community & Global engagement, and Lifestyle. This work is supported by the Diocesan Environment Working Group and the Diocesan Environment Officer, Dr Cathy Rhodes who can be contacted at environment@sheffield.anglican.org

Doncaster Rural Climate Action Group

Our group represent the rural villages in the Sprotbrough ward of Doncaster. The group’s aim is to enlighten residents about how everyone can make small changes that will benefit the environment. Often people are overwhelmed and think the challenge is too big for them to make a difference, so they don’t make the effort. We wanted to raise awareness of very basic everyday things we can all effortlessly do to make a positive change.

Our first project was to look at the difficulty residents were having in knowing which items can be recycled in Doncaster. We produced a very simple guide leaflet, which we have circulated to all the villages and it has been very well received. As a result of the leaflet, some areas now have  volunteers who offer to collect batteries, old medication, spectacles and items for the charity shop and other areas have established a drop off point. We approached nursing homes and libraries and asked them to have a free battery collection box, which some have agreed to do.

We took part in the recent Eco Fest Event and held a recycling competition, to win a compost bin. Those who entered the competition said they found it very educational and everyone seemed to go away having learned something.

Each of the group members are part of other local groups, all with an environmental focus. Two group members belong to a community group which has just completed a small environmental project, including the provision of a tree, bird boxes, bug houses, bird feeder and wild flowers in a play park area.

Two members belong to a liaison group at the Manvers waste plant, where they are kept updated on waste policy and are able to circulate updates to local villages.

Two members are on a liaison group at the local wind farm and therefore have access to data relating to company performance and grant funding.

Two members completed  DCC’s Carbon Literacy Training.

One member is a Doncaster Ward Councillor who attends all the Parish Councils in the Sprobrough Ward, and keeps the group well informed of council activities relating to environmental activities and grants.

One member is a Parish Councillor and two are part of the Joint Rural Parish Group which enables the cascading of information.

The group also has a good working relationship with Red House Farm which is in one of the villates .They practice sustainable farming, replacing hedgerows, bee hives, bird feeders, wild flowers, bio fertiliser and they have a lovely farm walk.

Our next project will be based on preventing food waste. This is a massive topic with many options of how we can share information with people to prevent food waste and also save money.

Contact details: kathjohnson2@hotmail.com

Extinction Rebellion Sheffield

We are a group of people in Sheffield taking part in the international Extinction Rebellion movement.

This is a group aimed at promoting non-violent direct action & civil disobedience for action on the climate & ecological crisis.

Actions include creative and dramatic demonstrations, protests, council lobbying, music, community democracy and rewilding projects.

Food Works

We are building a more fair and sustainable food system for Sheffield.

A third of all food produced globally is wasted. We don’t think that is right. It’s not good for people and it’s not good for the planet. We need to do better.

Our aim is to be the first city in the UK with zero food waste.

#ThinkGlobalActLocal

Every Mouthful Matters

• INTERCEPT: Our volunteers rescue surplus food from accross the region seven days a week.
• GROW: We grow sustainable produce right here in Sheffield.
• REPURPOSE: Groceries, meals and artisan products are available to all at our food hubs

Foodhall Project

We are a utopian food project, creating a space for open, public food sharing. We imagine alternative ways we can thrive together by creating food sharing economies, developing systems for cross societal engagement and hosting events and activities. We also have a food delivery project.

We are always looking out for new volunteers. Please fill out the volunteering form on our website.

Frack Free South Yorkshire

Frack Free South Yorkshire is a single issue community group set up in response to the threats posed by unconventional gas and oil extraction, often referred to  as extreme energy.

We are non political and welcome all members of our communities in the South Yorkshire Region and beyond.

It is our intention to organise and oppose unconventional Gas, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of rock, in South Yorkshire and beyond. Until regulations and guarantees are given to ensure that there will be no negative effects on our environment, livelihoods or health.

We support any organisation whose aims are to oppose any type of unconventional gas or oil exploration.

We call on the government to legislate to ensure that all companies involved in the business of unconventional gas extraction are required to carry out full environmental impact assessments prior to any exploratory drilling taking place.   

Volunteering Opportunities:

Maybe you know that almost the whole of South Yorkshire, including Barnsley is now licenced to be fracked, but do your neighbours?

Frack Free South Yorkshire (FFSY) are launching a new campaign to raise awareness of fracking in our region and we   want you to get involved.
“The biggest hurdle we face is raising awareness of the fracking licences that now cover people’s homes in South Yorkshire,” says David Burley of FFSY. “Many people don’t know that the government has granted licences to explore for shale gas in nearly every town and village in the region, as they weren’t consulted.

“We have printed 30,000 leaflets and would like people to help us to deliver them. You can do as little or as much as you like. We believe that people deserve to be informed and just delivering to your own street would help us to raise awareness.”

If you would like to get hold of some leaflets for your neighbourhood, local group, club, friends or family, please contact  

doyourstreet@gmail.com.

Friends of the Earth Sheffield

Friends of the Earth are part of an international community dedicated to protecting the natural world and the well-being of everyone in it.  Our national campaigning group leads campaigns, provide resources and information and promotes real solutions to the environmental problems facing us all.  

With the support of the national team, local groups, such as Sheffield Friends of the Earth, work collaboratively to address the climate, environmental and ecological issues facing our particular areas.

We are committed to 

• A peaceful and sustainable world based on societies living in harmony with nature
• Each generation enjoying an environment that’s getting better; a safer climate, abundant nature, healthy water, air and food.
• A growing and diverse network of people coming together to transform our environment into one which is flourishing, sustainable and socially just 

Join us to find out more about the issues that face us here in Sheffield and what we can all do to address these.  Any engagement, big or small, is welcomed! 

Sign up to our database here to keep updated, or check out our website and social media.

Friends of the Trans Pennine Trail

We support the Active Travel Network across the North of England, with a substantial presence in South Yorkshire.

Visit our website to find out more about what we do!

Good Food Barnsley

Building a better Barnsley where everyone has the right to the food they need to thrive.
Our aims are:
– Promote healthy and sustainable food to the public
– Tackle food insecurity and diet related ill health
– Build community food knowledge, skills and resources
– Promote a diverse and vibrant food economy
– Transform catering and food procurement
– Reduce waste and the ecological footprint of the food system

We are able to connect potential volunteers with local organisations with foodbanks, FareShare Yorkshire, and other organisations such as those working with youth groups and the elderly too across the borough of Barnsley.

Check out their website at Good Food Barnsley.

Graves Park Climate Resilience Project

Graves Park is Sheffield’s largest public open space and a place where local people can spend time relaxing, exercising and experiencing nature. But there are problems with flooding on lower lying land next to it in Woodseats. Sheffield Council owns the park but is short of resources to alleviate this problem and reverse declining biodiversity in and around the park. We seek to empower local people to act themselves, and use the park as a critical green hub for the region.

J.G. Graves Charitable Trust offered to support us in setting up the project and have generously provided sponsorship. We have worked extensively with Sheffield City Council, local educational bodies, and many other stakeholders. This approach has enabled us to grow local interest and provide programmes of public engagement and training events. The project is influencing grassland management immediately to generate wildflower meadows that enhance biodiversity, capture carbon, and slow the flow of floodwater. Long-term actions will involve major woodland creation and management to the same ends.

A key aim is to produce a long-term eco-management plan – which the City Council currently lacks. This will then guide future works on the ground and help the Council win grant aid to support climate resilience and biodiversity recovery.

The future of the site depends on intergenerational engagement, and so educational resources and outputs are at the heart of what we do.

For more information, including on upcoming events, see https://www.ukeconet.org/graves-park-climate-resilience-2023.html . We are looking for volunteers to help with ecological recording and monitoring. No extensive knowledge is required. To volunteer or for any other enquiries, e-mail us on syeconet@gmail.com.

Green City Action

Green City Action is an established and award winning environmental charity, serving the diverse ward of Burngreave in Sheffield and the surrounding area.

We teach and encourage food growing on our community allotment.

We work with the Burngreave community engaging around food growing and sustainability.

Green Doctors Yorkshire

Our Green Doctor service runs across the North East and Yorkshire. They have helped many people save over £350 per year on their energy costs, ensured house repairs are undertaken, and provided advice on various benefits, all for free.

We aim to tackle fuel poverty and promote affordable warmth.

Green Jobs Green Skills Working Group

We are a small working group involving Sheffield Climate Alliance, Green New Deal South Yorkshire, Trade Union reps and university students.

We’re raising the profile of Green Jobs as a way of tackling new and old unemployment and tackling the climate and ecological emergencies at the same time.

Green Jobs are central part of the Green New Deal. We’re pushing for £68 Billion to create 1.2 million jobs over the next 2 years. This includes jobs in low carbon sectors like caring, nursing and teaching.

Want to get involved?

Everyone is welcome to join.

Currently we meet on a Monday at 3-4pm on Zoom although this may change, we’ve got a launch on 22 March, a digital action on 23 March and possibly a real action at MPs offices on 24th April.

Green New Deal Rising: Sheffield

The Green New Deal (GND) is a ten year, game–changing plan to stop climate change and build a world in which we can thrive. We are at a decisive moment in our history. We’ve been following one way for decades, guided by rules written by people who do not have our interests at heart. But now we are rising up to win a world where we protect and build the things people really care about. These changes will look different in different places, but will all move us towards these 5 goals:

1. Decarbonise, fast – ending our dependence on dirty fuels, and build an economy based on 100% clean energy

2. Jobs and a just transition – creating millions of new well-paid, unionised, secure, and future-proof jobs for anyone who needs one, and guarantee a decent livelihood for anyone currently working in high emission sectors

3. Transform the economy – transforming our economy so the financial system serves the needs of people and the planet, and so that our government is accountable to people, not corporations

4. Protect and restore – protect and restore vital habitats and carbon sinks, including forests and wild areas, ensure nature friendly food production, and ensure the provision of clean water, air, green spaces and a healthy environment for all

5. Promote global justice – Do our part to help the rest of the world build fair, clean and healthy economies, accounting for the UK’s historic and ongoing role in exploiting communities and resources across the world

Green New Deal Rising (GNDR) are an intersectional, UK-wide campaign, led by 18-35 year olds, fighting to win a GND.

To make the GND an era-defining issue, we will:

– Disrupt the political system

– Force politicians to choose a side

– Reach out into our communities

– Elect inspiring GND champions

We have an energised Sheffield local group, a collaboration all who live, work, or study in Sheffield. Through GNDR’s ‘Street-by-street’, and ‘Labour: Be Bold’ campaigns, we’ll be striving to put the GND on the agenda in the lead up to the next General Election, seeking radical change nationally – but also here in Sheffield.

Interesting helping us change everything?

Contact Zak Viney: zak_viney@hotmail.com

See what we’re getting up to on social media: https://www.instagram.com/gndrisingsheff/

Green New Deal UK, South Yorkshire

We’re building a movement for the Green New Deal – an ambitious national plan to tackle climate breakdown while creating a fair society that works for everyone. In the GND UK South Yorkshire hub, we’re committed to work collaboratively with people from diverse communities, groups and organisations across South Yorkshire to create a vision of what a Green New Deal would look like locally, and campaign together on the practical steps to make it a reality.

We are allied with and committed to the 5 principles of Green
New Deal UK, which works to:

1. Totally decarbonise the economy of the United Kingdom within 10 years

2. Create millions of new well-paid, secure, unionised jobs across the country

3. Transform our economy so the financial system serves the needs of people and planet, with an accountable and democratic government in the driving seat.

4. Protect and restore vital habitats and carbon sinks, including forests and wild areas, and ensure the provision of clean water, air, green spaces and a healthy environment for all.

5. Promote global justice by supporting all peoples and countries to decarbonise quickly and fairly, in line with timeframes set out by science.

GNDSY meet on alternate Wednesdays from 6-7.15 pm. We’d love new people to join so please email us greennewdealuksy@gmail.com or call Joan on 01142 498613

We collaborate to organise events and to lobby local politicians and institutions. New members are always welcome, bring your skills and connections whatever they are.

Sign up to our database for updates and to support GNDSY:
https://actionnetwork.org/forms/join-the-movement-for-a-green-new-deal-3?source=direct_link&

Read the report on our Feeding South Yorkshire event here.

Greener Practice

We are a group of GPs, medical students and others, who recognise that the climate crisis is the leading public health issue of our generation. The group’s aim is to engage our primary care community towards Greener Practice: actions that improve the health of both people and planet.

1. Improves health now – e.g. Active travel reduces air pollution and provides exercise related health benefits. Sustainable diets reduce chronic disease. Spending time in nature through green prescribing has known mental and physical health benefits.
2. Protects future health – e.g. through mitigating health threats from the climate crisis such as extreme weather events, heat stress, vector-borne disease, food shortage, air and water quality etc.
3. Reduces health inequalities  – The climate crisis disproportionately affects the poorest in society and so addressing it reduces this impact. Addressing fuel poverty is an example of where health inequalities and climate change are simultaneously addressed. Another example is through supporting community resilience.
4. Improves workload and costs – e.g. through improved patient health, reduced prescribing/procurement costs, reduced energy use.

Greentop Community Circus Centre

Our mission is to promote excellent circus that inspires young people, strengthens communities and develops artists.

Values that underpin all our work:

Quality: Just as we strive to hone incredible skills, we strive for quality in everything we do.

Participants: Circus is our passion, so we create and deliver it with care and appreciation of our participants and audience  

Sustainable: The Green in Greentop reflects our founders’ aspiration for working as part of a wider natural world. We are making a future where Greentop is financially, socially and environmentally sustainable.

Safe: We provide a safe space for people of all abilities take physical risks, be ambitious and innovative

Collaborative: We work collaboratively – reaching out across the city, across artforms, activities, cultures and sectors.

Volunteering

As a charity, Greentop is always looking for volunteers, and this is a great way to develop yourself. You can volunteer in rigging equipment, sound engineering, lighting, event organising, working with children, work in the community, running a charity, marketing, admin and more.

If you would like to explore further how you could join our volunteers please contact info@greentop.org

Groundwork Yorkshire

Groundwork was founded in the North of England. It was at a time of political, social and economic challenge. It was an experiment. To help communities cope with change. To work together. To make their lives and neighbourhoods better. That spirit of enterprise and innovation have never been more needed.

In every community – however disadvantaged – there are deep reserves of pride. People with the passion and ideas to improve their circumstances and surroundings.

Groundwork exists to harness that pride. To unlock that passion. Our services, projects and programmes change people’s lives. They can also make our communities more resilient for the future.

Groundwork are an organisation that embraces transformation. We positively change places and people’s lives, in partnership where we can.

As a Northern group we turnover circa £20m employing over 450 staff. Here you can see the impact that we have made. What’s clear is that we have to create many more practical solutions in the years ahead.

Grove Road Environmental Group (GREG)

Grove Road Environmental Group (GREG) is a neighbourhood group open to anyone over the age of 18 who lives in Grove Road, Millhouses, or the surrounding area, and supports its aims.

Our aims are to:

Encourage community-based responses to energy reduction and reducing our carbon footprints through sharing information about good practice and proven approaches towards more environmentally sustainable living.

Support local food initiatives as a means of enhancing a more sustainable response to climate change.

Encourage wildlife diversity through preserving, protecting, and creating wildlife friendly habitats.

Explore and support low-carbon transport approaches.

Support and link with other local groups with shared aims and ambitions.

We meet on the first Tuesday of the month. Meetings are open to anyone in Grove Road or nearby.  Alternatively, you can be on a contact list to receive information about events and activities.

Our events for spring/ early summer 2024 will include:

In the green’ bulb planting on the Grove Road/ Springfield Road and the Grove Road/ Millhouses Lane verges

‘Green Supper’ on the theme of local, sustainable food

An information event on ‘wilding your garden’.

For more information, please email greg@emaildodo.com or GREG’s Chair, Ann Selby, on a.selby@myphone.coop

Guild of St. George

The charity for arts, crafts and the rural economy, founded by John Ruskin in 1871.

The Guild of St George is a registered charity, an Education Trust which exists to put John Ruskin’s ideas into practice. Its purpose has never been to pursue antiquarian projects; it aims to work in the spirit of Ruskin’s vision, promoting his values and ideas in the present day. The Guild took a leading role, alongside other Ruskinian and cultural organisations and individuals, in the exhibitions, events and other celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of Ruskin’s birth in 2019.

How can the ideas and writing of a Victorian polymath and social critic become actions that make lives better in the 21st century? In 1860, John Ruskin wrote these visionary and challenging words, ’There is no wealth but life’. In a world which still contains too much injustice and inequality, facing a climate emergency and now (summer 2020) riven with the social, political and economic impact of Covid-19, Ruskin’s words resonate as urgently as ever and can inspire each of us  – as individuals, Guild Companions, communities and organisations – to make a difference. We hope you will join us in this endeavour.

Heeley City Farm

Heeley City Farm is a busy Urban Farm with 20 Local Food Growing Project Sites across Sheffield. Volunteers learn about organic growing and promote sustainable farming methods. Our 150 animals are all registered Rare Breeds, and our land management projects promote biodiversity and the protection and enhancement of natural assets and green spaces.

Our Energy Centre on site promotes Renewable Technology and sustainable ways of heating our homes and saving energy, reducing carbon emissions. Our education and training programmes support 100+ learners a year, all carrying out practical work that tackle climate change.

We currently have around 125 volunteers doing gardening/food growing, help in our Garden Centre/Plant Nursery, help our Health and Wellbeing groups activity and show people around our Energy Centre. We have 12 different volunteer roles registered with Voluntary Action Sheffield’s VC Connect Database.

Hope for the Future

Over the past six years Hope for the Future has been working to equip communities, campaigners and groups across the country to communicate the climate emergency with their local politicians. 

Our vision is to see communities and their elected representatives across the UK come together to take decisive action on climate change. We have a proven track record of engaging with MPs from across party lines on the issue of climate change. 

If you want to see your MP and local council doing more to stop climate change, we are here to support you. Whether you are a seasoned activist or someone who has never engaged with politics before, we exist to help you effectively communicate the climate emergency with decision-makers across the UK. We support anyone from climate campaigners, academics, faith communities, local groups, NGOs and individuals to have their voices heard on climate change.

Volunteers can enquire here: HFTF Volunteer Enquiry Form (google.com)

Hope Valley Climate Action

We are a group of villages taking effective action on climate change. Our aims are to reduce carbon and increase biodiversity in Derbyshire’s Hope Valley, and beyond. 

Kids Plant Trees

We are Kids Plant Trees and we want every child in Sheffield to have the opportunity to experience nature and plant a tree.

We are a small initiative with volunteer members. We managed to plant 3,310 trees in 2020 with help from families and children across the city. 

We have big plans for 2021 and need your funding and support to achieve our goals:

1. Free planting events for families
We want to put on as many planting events as possible in tree season (November to March). We partner with Sheffield City Council’s forestry team at locations across the city and invite families to come along to help us plant. Find out more details about times and dates on our Facebook page and use Eventbrite to book.

2. Transforming school green space for children
We currently have three Sheffield schools signed up for planting projects. We aim to plant outdoor classrooms, small copses, new hedgerow, wildflower areas, or wooden planters for concrete playgrounds – whatever best suits the space. Schools do not have additional funding for this kind of project. We need to raise funds for the delivery and maintenance of the planting projects. 

3. Education programme for primary schools
We are currently researching and writing an educational programme for primary aged children which looks at biodiversity – what it is, and why it’s so unbelievably important. We want to make this free and accessible to all. This will mean creating an online resource and we raising funds to make it as fun and engaging as possible for little ones. 

We hope you can help!

To donate, go to: Fundraiser by Anna Parkin : Kids Plant Trees (gofundme.com)

Nether Edge and Sharrow Sustainable Transformation (NESST)

NESST, Nether Edge and Sharrow Sustainable Transformation, is a common endeavour by the community of Nether Edge and Sharrow to watch over, maintain and improve our urban environment.

Get involved here: Get involved – Nether Edge and Sharrow Sustainable Transformation (nesstsheffield.org)

Opus Independents

Opus believes we can live in a place where everyone works to make things better for each other. ‘Better’ to us means fair, diverse, accessible, independent and heard.

We work with a cross-section of independent, community and voluntary sector organisations whilst directly reaching over 150,000 people a year through live events, broadcasting and publishing in Sheffield and beyond.

Opus projects connect us to each other and to music, arts, culture, ideas, action and conversations that will make change. They broadly sit under four headings: Community Media, Active Citizenship & Participatory Democracy, Independent Trade & Local Economies, and Transformative Arts Experiences.

We are passionate about supporting ‘upstream’ solutions to social, political, economic and environmental concerns. We recognise that this is a long-term and systemic approach to social change — that’s why we create platforms which champion social causes, independent businesses, not-for-profits, emerging talent, active citizenship and community participation.

Opus pus also incubates campaign groups which we believe have the potential to radically change the world we live in for the better, like UBI Labs; undertakes research projects in collaboration with other third sector organisations, like Cohesion Sheffield; and holds organisational trustee and board positions with Voluntary Action Sheffield, Cohesion Sheffield, Sheffield Climate Alliance  and Healthwatch Sheffield.

Parents for Future Sheffield

We are a group of local parents who are concerned about the climate crisis and are working together to keep our planet liveable for our children. We participate in local family-friendly campaigning and community events such as toy swaps. We also provide support and community to each other as we face the many feelings that come with the climate crisis.

Peaks of Colour

Peaks of Colour is a Peak District-based walking club, by and for people of colour only!

With the Peak District on our doorstep, 61% of Sheffield is green space – yet nationally, only 1% of “BAME” people access natural spaces. Peaks of Colour aim to break barriers to accessing nature and the well-being benefits it provides.

Founded on the Black Feminist ethos of Racial Self-Care, we believe that in order to look after others, we must first look after ourselves. As a result, Peaks of Colour offers a safe space for people of colour to explore new places and meet new people, in safety and solidarity.

To find out the details of our monthly adventures, join our Facebook group here: https://facebook.com/groups/679751089647779/?ref=share…

And follow us on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/peaksofcolour?utm_medium=copy_link

Penistone, People and Planet

We at Penistone, People and Planet care about our local community and the surrounding areas as well as communities all around the world. We aim to raise awareness on issues relating to International Development, Refugee Crisis, and Climate Action. We organise street stalls, guest speaker events, and much more around the local area. We often work with Co-op on climate events in the area. We have a small group of volunteers that we would like to expand.

We would love to gain volunteers to help us on street stalls in the area and helping us organise local events with the community to raise awareness on issues relating to climate change, refugee crisis and international development.

Plastic Free Sheffield Central

A new action group set up to reduce single-use plastics in the Sheffield Central constituency. Part of Plastic Free Communities.

The group is looking for volunteers who can contact businesses, community groups, community organisations, churches, events and schools to sign up to the campaign and reduce their single-use plastics.

Regather

Regather is a community food business working to create a values based community food system, where land is more productive, food is fair & better quality, money is retained in the local economy, health & environment are improved and people are involved with how their food system, from local to global, can be changed for the better.

If you are interested in volunteering, please email info@regather.net outlining your skills, interests, how much time you would like to make available and your contact details and we will get back to within a 5-10 days. Thanks.

River Stewardship Company

A social enterprise that engages and connects with volunteers, communities and schools through a programme of activities linked to commercial contracting work that improves the ecology, accessibility and flood resilience of waterways and landscapes in the Sheffield region.

Inspiring, Empowering and Connecting Communities.

Riverlution is a programme of activities, delivered by River Stewardship Company, to engage and connect with volunteers, communities and schools. We deliver events and offer skills and support to enable people to enhance their local waterways. This doesn’t just contribute to the environmental legacy we strive for – it creates lasting connections between people and the places that matter to them.

Rotherham Climate Action

Whether it’s recycling or signing a petition, everyone has their own journey on making a difference.

We aim to give you the tools and motivation to do so in order for our planet to become a better place for future generations through local action.

Get in touch via the links below to find out how you can get involved.

Schools’ Climate Education South Yorkshire

Learning for a sustainable future.

We support students, teachers and schools on their climate education journey. From reducing carbon emissions in their school to moving on in society as active citizens with respect for the world environment.

Schools’ Climate Education South Yorkshire (SCESY) is a voluntary group, set up in the summer of 2019 to organise schools’ conferences in the South Yorkshire region around the central theme of the climate emergency.

One of the concerns highlighted by studies and surveys was that the curriculum, particularly in the secondary school sector, needed reforming to properly reflect the climate emergency. The purpose of these conferences is to raise the profile and celebrate the work of schools in addressing the climate emergency.

If you would like to volunteer, please email admin@scesy.org.uk – let us know about your relevant skills, knowledge or interests, how you would like to get involved and your contact details. Thank you.

Sheffield Action on Plastic

Pursuing Sheffield’s Reusable Revolution with a reusable cup hire scheme, organising regular Plastic Free markets, and supporting businesses adapt to the single-use plastic ban being implemented in October 2023. The group will also run the Plastic Free Sheffield Central campaign, working with the community (business/education/charity sectors) to reduce single-use plastics.

We need volunteers for the following roles:

Event Assistants to be on a stall talking to the public about reducing single-use plastics

Researchers – finding plastic-free businesses to trade at the plastic free markets, and also finding events where cup hire may be needed

Neighbourhood activators – people based within neighbourhoods to find contacts at businesses, charities, community groups, churches, community centres

Sheffield Climate Vigil

We hold a regular silent climate vigil in Sheffield city centre.

The United Nations describe the climate crisis as “code red for humanity”. Sir David King, former Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Government, said “What we do, I believe, in the next 3-5 years will determine the future of humanity” So we felt moved to vigil, to stand or sit in the street, and silently bear witness to the urgency of this situation.

We welcome people of all faiths and none. We hope that the vigil is also welcoming to people with disabilities: please let us know if you require help to join in. Wear black if you wish, but you are welcome as you are. We welcome passers-by to join and we have spare placards available.

Our next vigil will be Thursday 5th May 5-6pm on Howard Street, opposite the Millennium Gallery and outside Hallam University Owen Building.

We plan to hold the silent climate vigils twice a month on: 

• First Monday of each month at Howard St 5-6pm 

• Third Monday of each month at Town Hall 12-13.00

We have a FB page called Sheffield Climate Vigil so do join us there or message us from there.

Sheffield Environmental

Sheffield Environmental began in February 2015 as a social media project promoting good news stories and conservation organisations in the Sheffield Area. Since then we’ve grown using multiple social media platforms and this website acting as a bridge to connect everyone with organisations working to make our city a cleaner and greener place. We have maintained our aim of working with people and organisations who are trying to make Sheffield a cleaner greener place while campaigning on various issues. We’re probably best known for the Save Smithy Wood Litter Picks and Sheffield Hen Harrier Day along with out cast of mascot characters.

Smithy Wood Country Park: A vision to Building Back Greener
​on the Sheffield Rotherham Boundary

It’s clear that Smithy Wood isn’t getting the care that it needs, we believe that we can work with the owners and any future owner as a Friends of Group to manage it as a naure reserve for people to enjoy. We’ve seen it at its worst and we’ve seen what it was before, we know what it could be as we’ve seen the seasons bring changes for and we can help it to become a far better habitat for wildlife, the community and use it to reduce flooding.

You can read more about Sheffield Environmental’s campaigns, and how to get involved, here: Smithy Wood Country Park (sheffieldenvironmental.net)

Sheffield For Democracy

Sheffield for Democracy is an informal group set up by local campaigners.  We seek to engage and encourage greater participation of the public in democracy. We are not politically aligned to any party, and welcome supporters of all political parties or none.

Sheffield Green Parents

The aim of this group is to share practical and easy ways to help individual families achieve their hopes of a green and sustainable lifestyle and future.

Help us create a supportive online community by sharing the ways in which you reduce your family carbon footprint. Think home energy, investments, banking, transport and travel, gardening, cooking, and craft projects.

Our health today and future existence is completely dependent on the immediate choices we make. Together we can make a real difference.

Join the Facebook group to see how you can get involved: Sheffield Green Parents Group | Facebook

Sheffield Green Party

Sheffield Green Party is one of the largest local Green parties in the north of England. We have been represented on Sheffield Council since 2004. We currently have fourteen councillors. Douglas Johnson, Martin Phipps and Ruth Mersereau in City; Maroof Raouf in Nether Edge & Sharrow; Angela Argenzio, Brian Holmshaw and Maleiki Haybe in Broomhill & Sharrow Vale; Alexi Dimond, Marieanne Elliot and Paul Turpin in Gleadless Valley; Christine Gilligan, Toby Mallinson and Henry Nottage in Hillsborough; and Bernard Little in Walkley. You can find details on how to get in touch with all our Councillors and Ward Groups on our contact page. We also have more details about our local groups and actions in your area. Find out how we are organised here. Working together for a fairer, greener future Sheffield Green Party is part of the national Green Party. We aim to work for a just, equitable and sustainable community in Sheffield. We focus our efforts primarily, though not exclusively, through the electoral system. Find out more about the Green Party on the national party website.

https://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/

There are lots of ways to get involved with the party, such as coming to meetings, helping out with leafleting and canvassing or joining in on social media. For more information please go to:

https://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/about-us/

info@sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk

Sheffield Greenpeace

Who we are – a movement of people who are passionate about defending the natural world.

Our vision – a greener, healthier, and more peaceful planet, one that can sustain life for generations to come.

Our mission – tackling the Climate Emergency, defending biodiversity, and fighting the causes of environmental destruction.

Our campaigns – Food & Forests, Protect the Oceans, Sustainable Transport, Renewable Energy and Green Recovery.

Work with us – to bring about change by:
• Education through our Speaker Programmes and Events
• Petitioning and lobbying politicians and institutions
• Raising Awareness at local Events
• Taking peaceful direct action
• Raising Awareness at local Events Volunteers assemble climate action starts right here, right now!!

We have many different volunteer roles available.

Political Lobbying Network – contacting local MPs and councillors
Events Coordinator – organising local events
Welcome Coordinator – recruiting and retaining new members
Social Media Coordinator – managing and publicising our platforms
Local Press Coordinator – managing press releases
Street/Online Campaigner – promoting our campaigns
Speaker – giving online and in person presentations

We provide full training and support for all the above roles.

Sheffield Live!

Sheffield Live! is a volunteer run community radio and local TV channel. So we need YOU to get involved. At Sheffield Live! we learn by doing, so what you put in you get out. It’s a place where you can share what’s best about you and where the people are friendly and the atmosphere always exciting.

There are currently three main areas in which you can get involved – production, sales/marketing and duty management/reception, but others offers of help are always welcome. No previous experience is necessary, though volunteers must be reliable and willing to make a regular commitment.

If you are interested then you can ring 0114 2814082 to find out more information or alternatively email info@sheffieldlive.org

Sheffield Renewables

Sheffield Renewables was formed by a group of volunteers in late 2007. We are committed to improving Sheffield’s environmental sustainability. We aim to harness local enthusiasm, knowledge and skills by creating an energetic and committed social enterprise. We want to fund, develop, own and operate renewable energy schemes in a way which brings benefits to both the city and its people.

You may already have noticed that change is in the air. All sorts is happening; whether it is to do with transport, buildings, energy, food or lifestyles. Some changes are small, others are big – but together they add to a growing momentum, driving Sheffield towards a low carbon future.

There are many ways for us all to play our part. Getting involved with Sheffield Renewables as a volunteer, supporter or and investor are just some of them.

We have a strong volunteer ethos. We benefit enormously from the enthusiasm, commitment, skills and experience of our volunteers. In return we offer interesting, challenging and rewarding opportunities for local people with different backgrounds, abilities and experience.

Volunteer opportunities are currently limited, but you can enquire here for more information: Volunteering at Sheffield Renewables – Sheffield Renewables

Sheffield Sustainability Network

Sheffield Sustainability Network was founded by three local business owners who had begun meeting regularly to exchange ideas on more sustainable ways of working. 

Their need for more knowledge and support inspired the creation of SSN, a platform in which local businesses and non-profit organisations can support each other in their goal of becoming more sustainable.

“Companies that don’t adapt [to Climate change] will go bankrupt without question…. There is a need for [action] to achieve net zero emissions”

MARK CARNEY, Previous Governor of the Bank of England / UN special envoy for climate action and finance

ShefFood – Sheffield’s Food Partnership

ShefFood is the Sustainable Food Places member and cross-sector food partnership for Sheffield – working towards a more sustainable food system for Sheffield & South Yorkshire.

If you would like to volunteer, please email info@sheffood.org.uk outlining your skills, interests, how much time you would like to make available and your contact details and we will get back in touch within 5-10 days. Thank you.

South Yorkshire Fossil Free

South Yorkshire Fossil Free! (SYFF!) is a local campaign group and part of the global Fossil Free movement. Our aim is to persuade South Yorkshire Pension Authority (SYPA) to divest their holdings in fossil fuel companies and to reinvest that money in green technologies and investments that promote a green recovery, using a mix of lobbying and creative actions. The pension authority holds funds in excess of £11 billion – about 2% of the fund is in fossil fuels and mining companies.

In September 2020, SYPA made the exciting announcement that they will become carbon neutral by 2030, the first major UK fund to make that commitment. However, SYPA still hold investments in Shell, BP and other oil and gas companies and seem reluctant to divest them. This is despite their net zero pledge and the fact that oil and gas companies still invest less than 5% of their capital expenditure on renewable technology.

Our main focus for 2022 is to persuade SYPA to switch it’s equity investments to a carbon-free fund and, more urgently, to divest from Shell. We are also working with activists targeting the other pension authorities in the Border to Coast Pension Partnership (BCPP) of which SYPA is a member, to get them to introduce carbon-free investment opportunities.

We are a friendly group and welcome new members and we meet fortnightly at Hagglers Corner, Sheffield, S2 4DU. If you are interested in joining us, or simply keeping up-to-date via our emails (not frequent we promise) please get in touch on the email address below. And don’t forget to have a look at, and like, our Facebook page too.

South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation

We are South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation and we are here to support and build strong and resilient communities across the region.
We support community groups with grant funding, to help people facing hardship and disadvantage and those working to improve the communities they live in. We connect people who care about South Yorkshire and have the means to invest in its future with the community groups striving to build stronger and healthier communities.

STAG – Sheffield Tree Action Groups

5,500 of Sheffield’s street trees have been chopped down in the last five years – another 12,000 will go over the next 20 years.

STAG is a non-party political ‘umbrella-group’ of local tree action groups that have sprung up citywide. Healthy trees are being ‘replaced’ as part of the ‘Streets Ahead’ highways PFI contract, run by Amey Plc on behalf of Sheffield City Council.

Although renewing street trees is vital work, to cut down so many in such a short space of time is ecological vandalism. What we want is an expert-led approach to the management of the city’s street trees, for the long-term benefit of Sheffield’s people and our natural environment.

Help save Sheffield’s ‘urban forest’ – say ‘no’ to felling healthy trees.

Read more about getting involved here: Get involved | STAG – Sheffield Tree Action Groups (savesheffieldtrees.org.uk)

Stop Rosebank Sheffield

Rosebank is a planned new oil field 80 miles off the Shetland coast in the North Atlantic. In September 2023, the UK government approved Norwegian oil giant and Britain’s biggest gas supplier Equinor’s application to start developing the Rosebank oil field. At nearly 500m barrels, Rosebank is the UK’s biggest undeveloped oil and gas field – dwarfing the nearby Cambo oil field, which drew huge protests in 2021. Burning Rosebank’s oil and gas would produce over 200 million tonnes of CO2. We are the Sheffield branch of the Stop Rosebank movement, dedicated to campaigning against Rosebank and all new oil and gas projects.

We always welcome new members to join the campaign – please get in touch if you are interested!

Instagram: @sheffieldstoprosebank

Email: stoprosebanksheffield@gmail.com

Sustrans

We’re the charity making it easier for people to walk and cycle.

We are the nations leading advocate for active travel. We believe in a society where the way we travel benefits our health and the environment. We lead by example and inspire others to adopt an active travel lifestyle. We have a strong active travel culture requiring all our staff to use sustainable forms of transport.

Sustrans is a national organisation, but you can view their Yorkshire-based volunteering opportunities here: Volunteer vacancies – Sustrans.org.uk

SY Ecofit

SY Ecofit is a social enterprise dedicated to making South Yorkshire’s homes more comfortable and energy efficient, whilst helping meet our Net Zero target and building community wealth. ‘Retrofit’ means making improvements to homes so they are more energy efficient, with lower bills and emissions. We aim to accelerate retrofit in South Yorkshire by: • Taking the hassle out of making homes more energy efficient and comfortable, by supporting homeowners through the process • Increasing collaboration between local retrofit providers so more work stays in South Yorkshire • Working with training providers to build retrofit skills • Working with housing associations to tackle fuel poverty We offer services to homeowners including energy efficiency assessments, and can work with customers to develop a plan and oversee getting retrofit work done.

www.ecofit.uk

info@ecofit.uk

Tell the Truth Sheffield

We write articles about the climate and nature emergencies for the Sheffield Telegraph and Sheffield Star. We also publish them on the blog TelltheTruthSheffield.org

Tell the Truth Sheffield was set up in 2019 when Graham Wroe was invited to start writing articles for the Sheffield Telegraph. This was a result of a big campaign by Sheffield Extinction Rebellion to stop the local papers from printing letters and articles that deny the science of climate change or the importance of acting now to combat it. We demanded that the papers should tell the truth about the emergencies we are facing, and the Sheffield Telegraph eventually responded by offering us a column. We now have a team of writers and try to ensure there is an article in the Sheffield Telegraph each week. It also covers the Nature Emergency and other related issues. In 2023 the Sheffield Star invited us to write a short fortnightly column every other Friday. These are usually shorter versions of the Telegraph articles.

If you would like to join the team of writers or have an idea for an article please get in touch.

We are always looking for more people to write articles. To get involved email graham@tellthetruthsheffield.org

Website: tellthetruthsheffield.org

Facebook: Tell the truth Sheffield

The Bare Project

The Bare Project is a theatre and interactive arts company, happily based in Sheffield. We have been making work together since 2012. Our form changes: sometimes it’s a script and a stage, other times an installation and, at other times, a conversation. But right now we’re thinking about planting trees. We’re worried, but trying to keep it light. We’re reaching out a hand.

Often our work is co-created with communities, outside traditional theatre spaces, and we have performed in workhouses, empty shops, in Victorian factories and along canals. Often our work is informed by ideas and research from philosophy, psychology and politics (…maybe because two of our core team members are also social scientists). How we approach each new piece, in terms of where it might take place, its form, and potential collaborators, are always informed by the themes and questions posed by the project.

Waste Less South Yorkshire

We provide advice and guidance for people across South Yorkshire about all things recycling and waste reduction. We are a passionate bunch ready to provide simple, yet innovative solutions to reduce food waste at home.

We aim to promote recycling across South Yorkshire, encourage a reduction in leftover household waste and save people money!

Get in contact here: Contact the team | Wasteless South Yorkshire (wasteless-sy.co.uk)