Our Next Meeting
Barnet VCS Environmental Network

Thursday 19 August, 10.45 - 12.15

If you've already been to a Barnet VCS Environmental Network meeting then you'll automatically receive an invite and zoom link for our sixth on 19 August.

If you've not joined us yet, then do email Ellen. These are informal and informative networking sessions for those working in the Barnet VCS, where we can come together to discuss environmental issues in the Borough, and work out how we as a sector can make a difference.

This networking group will raise awareness of environmental projects that are happening in the Borough, help to establish partnerships and joint initiatives and seek funding opportunities.

At the next meeting in August we'll be hearing about what happens to domestic and business recycling in Barnet.  In September there will be session on Barnet Council's Adopt a Place scheme.

If you have any topics you would like to raise/discuss, do let Ellen know.

FOR PAST E-NEWSLETTERS

Consultation & Event 
Barnet Local Plan

Consultation ends 9 August

The Barnet Local Plan sets out a vision for how Barnet will change as a place over the next 15 years and forms a strategy which emphasises the borough’s attractiveness as a place to live, work and visit. The emerging plan will replace the existing 2012 Local Plan and will provide the main basis upon which future planning applications will be determined. Further information on the Local Plan is provided in the following documents:

• Summary document of the Local Plan
• Barnet’s full Regulation 19 (Publication) Local Plan
• FAQ document

Accompanying documents can be viewed here. Paper copies of all documents are available at local libraries.

The Planning Policy Team will present the Local Plan on 5 August between 6pm and 7.30pm

Zoom link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81106655628 (Meeting ID: 811 0665 5628 or dial 0203 481 5240). Email forward.planning@barnet.gov.uk 
for more information.

Funding
Ecclesiastical's 2021 Movement for Good awards

Closing date: Friday 6 August

Ecclesiastical have launched the phase 2 funding round with grants of £10,000, £50,000 and £100,000 to be awarded to 30 charities. These larger grants to go to charities supporting some very specific themes, which are:

• Education and skills;
• Rural or community development;
• Arts, culture or heritage;
• Climate change or environment;
• Human rights or equality.
   

MORE INFO
 

FREE Events
Heath Hands' summer activities at Hampstead Heath

Various Dates in July & August

​Heath Hands helps conserve 350 hectares of amazing green space in London including Hampstead Heath, the Heath extension and Golders Hill Park.

They have many free events this summer including: 

• Free nature walks on 23rd, 31st July and 4th and 14th August
• Free kids nature explorer sessions every Friday morning for children aged 8-12
• Youth volunteering sessions for young people aged 13-17 every Friday afternoon from 2-4pm.

MORE INFO

Local Initiative
Grub Club @ Clitterhouse Farm Project

Looking for support & volunteers

A message from Clitterhouse: "Grub Club is about diverting food from landfill and turning it into delicious ‘pay as you feel’ therefore financially affordable food for the whole community. Alongside our surplus meals we cook up delicious home baked goodies and have amazing coffee.  We use local produce where possible, aim to bake with organic produce and only use compostable containers, encouraging people to bring their own Tupperware from home to take away. We are a volunteer run organisation aiming to raise funds for our ongoing renovations to the historic Clitterhouse Farm Buildings and to continue to bring events, workshops and activities to the community covering everything arts, crafts, sustainability and wellbeing. Come and volunteer in our cafe or garden or come and support our work by buying our plants and food whilst enjoying our wonderful space!”

Every Saturday:

• Plant sale between 10am-2pm
• Grub Club between 11am-3pm
• Live music between 12pm-2pm

Find out more here.
 

Funding
Plant hedgerows in your community

Closing Date: Midnight Sunday 8 August

Close the Gap is a year-long project to encourage bigger, healthier, better connected hedgerows, in greater numbers, across England. It is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) through the Green Recovery Challenge Fund and is administered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

As part of Close the Gap, The Tree Council is launching a Community Hedge Fund to provide grants for hedgerow and hedgerow tree planting in communities in cities, towns, and rural areas across England.  This Fund can provide up to 100% grants for volunteer Tree Wardens and community groups in England to plant new hedgerows, hedgerow trees and gap up existing hedgerows in winter 2021/22. Planting can be in rural or urban areas on private or public land where the community will benefit.

All planting will need to be completed by 30 January 2022. Successful applicants will be informed by the end of August 2021. Funding will be paid after evidence of planting has been provided.
 

FOR MORE INFO & TO APPLY

Funding
London Schools' Climate Programme

For secondary schools. Do share.

This opportunity is open to all secondary schools and associated education providers in Greater London, whether they are already taking environmental action or not. There will be funding available as well as free lesson resources, activities and toolkits which relate to the curriculum. We are also supported by a number of high-profile advocates and organisations who will be able to champion the work or ambition of some of the schools. 

Full details of the programme will be announced at the start of September, but due to the tight timescales, the Mayor of London and key partners (including Let’s Go Zero 2030 and Bloomberg, supported by the London Schools Climate Summit) are asking for an expression of interest for schools to take part prior to the summer holiday via the link below. Here you will also find more details on the programme. The form takes approximately 8 minutes to complete.

Expression of Interest

Survey
Finchley Central Town Centre

Your views needed...

Previous consultation work concluded that Finchley Central lacked an obvious ‘centre’ that can support local civic life. The Town Centre Strategy, adopted in 2017, identified an opportunity for Finchley Square within the public realm outside Tesco. This could span both sides of the road, where the existing public realm is wider and could host a range of activities. The council has now started delivery of this project by appointing a multi-disciplinary design and engagement team lead by award-winning Kinnear Landscape Architects to work with the community to develop the programme and design for Finchley Square. 

READ MORE ABOUT THE TOWN CENTRE DEVELOPMENT

TAKE PART IN THE SURVEY