Together Towards Zero relaunches with up to £5,000 available for community climate action projects

 

Sally Scooters

 From Brent Council

 

Residents and community groups are being invited to help create a greener, cleaner Brent as the council relaunches its popular Together Towards Zero (TTZ) community climate action fund.

 

The 15 June relaunch comes as the council celebrates awarding its 100th Together Towards Zero grant, marking four years of community-led climate action across the borough.

 

The scheme offers grants of up to £5,000 for one-off projects that help tackle the climate and ecological emergency while improving local neighbourhoods.

Since launching in 2022, Together Towards Zero has funded 105 community-led projects worth more than £295,000, including:

• Absolute Beginners Factory CIC – helping young people turn discarded nitrous oxide canisters into decorative vases through sustainable manufacturing techniques.
• Sally Scooters – running repair workshops to refurbish discarded scooters and reuse parts.
• StepwithSerg – delivering trainer repair and reuse workshops to reduce waste.
• Sufra NW London – transforming a community garden pond into a thriving wildlife habitat.
• St Mark's Church – creating a biodiverse community growing space by replacing artificial turf with raised vegetable beds.
• Sunahs Crisis Team CIC – hosting plant-based cookery workshops focused on sustainable food choices.
• Friends of Woodcock Park – carrying out a beaver viability study alongside community wildflower planting.
• The Enchanted Forest of Welsh Harp – leading mindfulness and nature-connection walks exploring urban ecology and biodiversity.

 

The fifth round of funding opens on 15 June and will remain available until spring 2027, or until all funding has been allocated.

 

Councillor Jake Rubin, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Employment and Climate Action, said:

 Communities are at the heart of Brent's response to the climate and ecological emergency. Together Towards Zero has shown how local people can make a real difference by delivering practical projects that bring environmental benefits to their neighbourhoods while strengthening community connections.

Roots of Brent Video: Don't let climate change affect our young people

 

 

A brilliant  youth-led documentary produced by Nadia Khan, Climate Action Partnerships Manager at Brent Council, is now available on YouTube and shows a wide range of inspiring community action on climate change in the borough:

Roots of Brent – A youth-led climate documentary. Young people in Brent take the spotlight in the fight against climate change with "Roots of Brent", a powerful documentary showcasing their experiences and local climate action. Premiered at the Brent Climate Showcase (20 Feb 2025), this film highlights the incredible efforts shaping a greener future. 

 

Supported by Brent Council’s climate action programme & sponsored by FM Conway

ACE environmental coalition challenge Brent Council to work more ambitiously and effectively to reach Net Zero in 2030

 

 Video of ACE deputation and response (BrentCouncil)

 

ACE Brent (Action on the Climate and Ecological Emergency Brent), a new coalition of Brent environment groups, challenged Brent Council to step up its climate action at the full Brent council meeting yesterday.

 

 ACE supporters assemble ahead of the Council meeting

 

ACE Brent does not believe that Brent is working effectively to reach Net Zero in 2030. Through their deputation to the council they requested :

 *   A clearer, more measurable, accountable and ambitious Climate Action Plan
 *   Prioritisation of actions that reduce emissions most and that protect the most vulnerable residents
 *   Annual monitoring and reporting
 *   A new Climate and Ecological Emergency Scrutiny Committee
 *   A new Brent Climate Assembly and regular reports to open meetings

They outlined their specific demands covering cycling and transport, insulation and retrofitting, divestment, planning, renewable energy, food, trees and green space.

 

Following the meeting Elaine Sheppard, ACE Brent representative said : 

 

Our approach to the council was welcomed by Cllr Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for the Environment, and other councillors. Whether this results in increased urgency and a new more accountable climate plan waits to be seen.

 

We will be following this up and we encourage any other organisations in Brent who are concerned about the climate and implications for our community to get in touch with us at Ace@Brentfoe.com

 

 

Current members of ACE Brent are Brent Cycling Campaign, Brent Friends of the Earth, Brent Parks Forum, Brent Pure Energy, Brent XR and Divest Brent.

Queens Park Meeting May 9th: Adapting Our Homes to Climate Change

 

In a very welcome initiative Queens Park Area Residents' Association (QPARA)  has published a 36-page report entitled Queen’s Park Towards Net Zero: Adapting Our Homes to Climate Change by retrofit assessor, Melissa Merryweather. QPARA had a grant from Brent’s Together Towards Net Zero fund towards the project. 

 
On Tuesday 9^th May QPARA are holding  a public meeting where the author will present the report and answer questions. Seats are limited so book early on register for Zoom. LINK

The report's main findings:

 

www.qpark.org.uk