Community action/Swale
The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism for climate, environment and many other sustainability topics across Swale.
News
[edit | edit source]
Four new councils confirmed for Kent and Medway, BBC News (Jul 16, 2026) — North Kent: Dartford, Gravesham, and Medway; West Kent: Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone, and Tunbridge Wells; Mid Kent: Swale, Ashford, and Folkestone and Hythe; East Kent: Canterbury, Thanet and Dover- Community groups call for locally-owned solar farms in Kent, BBC News (Jul 23, 2025)
- New stretch of national coast path opens on island, BBC News (Jun 24, 2025)
- Volunteers turn old rail track into walking route, BBC News (Jan 25, 2025)
- Mum's war on plastic waste, Jan 25, 2018...kentonline.co.uk
- Plans for major overhaul of councils halted, BBC News (Sep 07, 2026)
- The UK towns at risk of running out of water within six weeks, inews.co.uk (Aug 12, 2026)
- ‘It’s irreplaceable’: Fury over Reform plans to expand quarry in ancient Kent woodland, theguardian.com (Jul 30, 2026)
- Half a million trees to be planted in England in three years, says government, theguardian.com (Sep 30, 2026)
- The Space Time Continuum, Alternative Editorial (Sep 27, 2026) — Empty spaces will be put back into use, Andy Burnham said, turning them into "community hubs, health centres, shared workspaces, cafés and the local services that people actually want to see.”
- UK shares findings of damning climate crisis national security report suppressed under Starmer, theguardian.com (Sep 23, 2026) — El Niño poses critical threat to nations’ defences, says Ed Miliband in presentation to global foreign ministers
- Citizens need to power Europe's future, demnext.substack.com (Oct 02, 2026) — The EU can enable new democratic institutions: in European countries; with a European Citizens’ Assembly as a 4th branch of government, and by legally enforcing the Global Citizens’ Assembly on AI, Claudia Chwalisz and Another Democratic Future
- Reclaiming the streets: the architects clawing back Europe’s car-centric spaces, theguardian.com (Sep 09, 2026) — The European Prize for Urban Public Space’s shortlist highlights projects helping people cope with climate crisis
- We’re the mayors of Paris, Milan and Phoenix. The heat crisis has us all facing the same question, Emmanuel Grégoire, Giuseppe Sala and Kate Gallego, theguardian.com (Sep 07, 2026) — Our three cities are learning from each other about how to protect residents. These climate policies are also public health measures
- Citizens need to power Europe's future, demnext.substack.com (Oct 02, 2026) — The EU can enable new democratic institutions: in European countries; with a European Citizens’ Assembly as a 4th branch of government, and by legally enforcing the Global Citizens’ Assembly on AI, Claudia Chwalisz and Another Democratic Future
- Fifty Billion Seedlings: Can Ethiopia Replant Its Ravaged Forests?, e360.yale.edu (Oct 01, 2026)
- Want solar but don’t own a roof? California just legalized plug-in panels, no permission required, latimes.com (Sep 30, 2026)
Video
[edit | edit source]
Networks and sustainability initiatives
[edit | edit source]- Sheppey is Ours!, a Citizens Action Network (CAN) designed to bring the local community together. added 17:01, 14 December 2020 (UTC), link checked 09:46, 30 January 2022 (UTC)
Communities online
[edit | edit source]- Sittingbourne.Me, added 16:17, 21 May 2021 (UTC)
Food
[edit | edit source]
Brogdale Farm is home to the National Fruit Collection, one of the largest collections of fruit trees and plants in the world. Spread over 150-acre (61 ha) it hosts the collection since it moved from Wisley in 1952. In the 1980s, the Government cut funding to the site, with closure threatened by March 1990. In response, the Brogdale Horticultural Trust took over co-ownership of the farm with Wye College. It has been the home of Faversham miniature railway since 2001.
The farm runs regular fruit-themed festivals throughout the summer and autumn:
- the Cherry Festival in July
- the Cider Festival in August
- the Apple Festival in October.
During the fairs, visitors can explore the orchards and several experts give talks on the produce.
Community resources
[edit | edit source]Climate action
[edit | edit source]- Swale Friends of the Earth
- Faversham Youth Climate Panel, added 21:31, 18 October 2021 (UTC)
Sustainable transport
[edit | edit source]Maps
- Explore The Isle of Sheppey Walking & Cycling Map, explorekent.org
Cycling
[edit | edit source]National Cycle Route 1 passes through Faversham, en route from Whitstable to Sittingbourne. W
Biodiversity
[edit | edit source]- Sheppey Wildlife on facebook.com
- elmleynaturereserve.co.uk
Environment quality
[edit | edit source]- Plastic Free Faversham, community group run by volunteers with the aim of raising awareness about the overuse of single-use plastic and other ecological issues.
Wetlands
[edit | edit source]The North Kent Marshes have been recognised as one of the most important natural wetlands in northern Europe, and they are monitored by local landowners and wildlife custodians. According to the RSPB, up to 300,000 migrant birds use the mudflats of the Thames marshes as a haven each year in their migratory journeys between the Arctic and Africa. The marshes serve as emergency natural flood protection for London. W
Oare Marshes is a 71.4-hectare (176-acre) Local Nature Reserve north of Faversham in Kent. It is owned and managed by Kent Wildlife Trust. It is part of The Swale Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I, National Nature Reserve, Ramsar internationally important wetland site, Special Protection Area under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds, and Site of Special Scientific Interest.
South Swale is a 410.5-hectare (1,014-acre) Local Nature Reserve (as South Bank of the Swale) north of Faversham in Kent. It is owned by Kent County Council and managed by Kent Wildlife Trust. It is part of The Swale Ramsar site, Special Protection Area and Site of Special Scientific Interest
The Saxon Shore Way public footpath follows the top of the sea wall for the entire length of the reserve, around the village of Graveney, for about 3 miles in total.
Coasts
[edit | edit source]Medway Swale Estuary Partnership
About Swale
[edit | edit source]Campaigns
- Scheme for thousands of new houses near Sittingbourne would have devastating impact on countryside (and it's not even in the Local Plan), cprekent.org.uk, added 15:45, 24 September 2021 (UTC)
Swale is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. The council is based in Sittingbourne, the borough's largest town. The borough also contains the towns of Faversham, Queenborough and Sheerness, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. It includes the Isle of Sheppey and is named after The Swale, the narrow channel which separates Sheppey from the mainland part of the borough. Some southern parts of the borough lie within the Kent Downs, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The borough borders the Medway unitary authority area to the west, the Borough of Maidstone to the south-west, the Borough of Ashford to the south-east, and the City of Canterbury to the east. Under proposed reorganisation in April 2028 the borough will be abolished and will join with Ashford Borough Council and Folkestone and Hythe District Council to form a new Mid Kent Unitary Authority. Elections to form a new shadow authority will be held in April 2027.
Near you
[edit | edit source]Ashford - Canterbury - Maidstone - Medway
See also
[edit | edit source]- Towards a more democratic and climate friendly way of meeting housing need across England
- London and South East England
- Saving water in South East England
| Authors | Phil Green |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Cite as | Philralph (2022–2026). "Community action/Swale". Appropedia. Retrieved October 3, 2026. |