Community action/Tonbridge
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 Tonbridge.
News
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Popular outdoor pool to remain open year round, BBC News (Sep 07, 2026) - 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
- 'Not enough water supply' for planned housing, BBC News (Mar 12, 2026) — There is "insufficient" water supply for the number of houses planned in a Kent borough, South East Water has claimed.
- Ambitious plans to redevelop town centre unveiled, BBC News (Jul 06, 2025)
- Town to get new 'central' leisure hub, BBC News (Feb 02, 2025)
- West Peckham residents buy The Larkins historic pub, BBC News (Jan 04, 2025)
- 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)
- Severe drought declared in six areas of England as reservoirs run low, theguardian.com (Oct 15, 2026)
- Ardingly Reservoir falls below 20% as drought persists, BBC News (Oct 14, 2026)
- Hospital appointments can make greener travel harder, theconversation.com (Oct 08, 2026)
- 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
- Hunter Valley community group wins landmark high court climate change case over coalmine, theguardian.com (Oct 07, 2026) — Ruling on Mount Pleasant coalmine shows ‘we cannot continue to dig up coal … and pretend the consequences have nothing to do with us’, group says
- 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)
Events
[edit | edit source]Tonbridge hosts numerous community events, including a Christmas festival when the high street is closed to traffic, a firework display in November organised by Tonbridge Round Table, a dragon boat race and a summer fete in the castle grounds (which is also the location of numerous musical performances in the summer months). W
UK events
Oct 1 - 7, 2026 (Thu - Wed) — National Vegetarian Week, discover delicious dishes and see how a veggie diet is a great choice for the planet, nationalvegetarianweek.org- Oct 04, 2026 (Sun) — Homeless Sunday, housingjustice.org.uk
- Oct 18, 2026 (Sun) — Church Action on Poverty Sunday, taking place each year on the Sunday closest to the International Day for the Eradication on Poverty, church-poverty.org.uk
Global or international events
- Oct 01, 2026 (Thu) — World Vegetarian Day, Oct 1 each year, bringing awareness to the ethical, environmental, health, and humanitarian benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle, worldvegetarianday.navs-online.org
- Oct 02, 2026 (Fri) — International Day of Non-Violence, observed each year on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, un.org
- Oct 07, 2026 (Wed) — World Day for Decent Work, October 7 is the World Day for Decent Work, ituc-csi.org
- Oct 10, 2026 (Sat) — World Mental Health Day, Oct 10, annually, wmhdofficial.com
- Oct 10, 2026 (Sat) — World Homeless Day, Oct 10 each year, drawing attention to homeless people’s needs locally and provide opportunities for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness, worldhomelessday.org
- Oct 10, 2026 (Sat) — World Migratory Bird Day, worldmigratorybirdday.org
- Oct 13, 2026 (Tue) — International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, Oct 13, annually, promoting a global culture of natural disaster reduction, including prevention, mitigation, and preparedness, un.org
- Oct 16, 2026 (Fri) — World Food Day, celebrated every year around the world on 16 October, often with a focus on food security, fao.org
- Oct 17, 2026 (Sat) — International Repair Day, annual celebration for everyone who makes repair happen in their communities around the world. "Repair for Everyone"., openrepair.org
- Oct 17, 2026 (Sat) — International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Oct 17 each year, honouring victims of poverty, hunger, violence and fear, with participation by the poorest of people an important aspect of the observance of the Day, un.org
2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events
Networks and sustainability initiatives
[edit | edit source]- Tonbridge and Malling Friends of the Earth on facebook
CDC videos
[edit | edit source]Each week 3 different short videos from across the UK or world.
Community action/United Kingdom/Cycling activism, Community action/South East England/Saving water / ...This week's featured Global videos / ... read more about Cosmolocalism
Food activism
[edit | edit source]Social inclusion
[edit | edit source]- Donate Tonbridge Vouchers, Tonbridge Town Team, added 15:14, 3 October 2020 (UTC)
- Poverty Map from the Church Urban Fund. (Enter location then zoom out to see whole and neighbouring parishes)
Community resources
[edit | edit source]In 2014 the Angel Community Garden was created to eliminate eyesores in the area, and encourage bees which are declining. The garden was put along the edge of Sainsbury's car park. It was formed in collaboration with Tonbridge Friends of the Earth and Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council. The project also received some support from some local shopkeepers and residents. W
Citizens data initiative
- Thriving Places Index, Tonbridge and Malling, 2020 summary scores, thrivingplacesindex.org added 17:53, 19 March 2020 (UTC)
- Automatic search suggestions for TheyWorkForYou, FixMyStreet, and WriteToThem, when you enter your postcode on www.mysociety.org. eg mysociety.org
- Census data 2011, use drill down menus for ward and Census Output Areas
- Search all grants, Tonbridge and Malling, The National Lottery Community Fund
Health and wellbeing
[edit | edit source]- Right to Know, Learn about the systemic and environmental trends that could be impacting your health. right-to-know.org, enter your postcode for local results, added 10:26, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle
[edit | edit source]Climate action
[edit | edit source]- Tonbridge Climate Strikes on facebook
- Near-you: Tonbridge and Malling, takeclimateaction.uk, Friends of the Earth sourced data, added 09:43, 15 October 2021 (UTC)
- Place-Based Carbon Calculator, "Why we built a Place-Based Carbon Calculator", Aug 25...climate.leeds.ac.uk Very helpful graphics for communities to... "know why footprints vary and what we can do about it", "use the map to zoom to your area of interest" eg local communities in Malling, Philralph (talk) 14:24, 2 September 2021 (UTC)
- Extinction Rebellion Tonbridge and Malling closed group on facebook
- Setting Climate Committments for Tonbridge and Malling, Quantifying the implications of the United Nations Paris Agreement for Tonbridge and Malling, Feb 2020 carbonbudget.manchester.ac.uk
- Opportunities to reduce energy use, stimulate economy, cut bills & reduce running costs of buildings, transport & industry thereby creating a happier, healthier, more prosperous place, & tackling climate change. pcancities.org.uk
References
Sustainable transport activism
[edit | edit source]- Journey planner, kentconnected.org
Cycling activism
[edit | edit source]- Tonbridge Bicycle Users Group, public group on facebook, added 16:24, 25 September 2020 (UTC)
Urban sustainability
[edit | edit source]Pedestrian Action for Tonbridge High Street (PATHS) on facebook
Community safety
[edit | edit source]Environment quality
[edit | edit source]Tonbridge Litter Catchers, on facebook
Open spaces
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Haysden Country Park is a 64-hectare (160-acre) country park and Local Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Tonbridge in Kent. It is owned by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, the Highways Agency, Network Rail and the Environment Agency, and managed by the council.
About Tonbridge
[edit | edit source]Campaigns
- Keep River Lawn Green on facebook.com
Environmental concerns
Parts of Tonbridge are at risk of flooding and a significant flooding event occurred in December 2013. The Environment Agency introduced a 320-metre long flood defence running parallel to the River Medway, along Avebury Avenue, in 2015, as a response to the flooding seen in 2013. Despite these measures, significant flooding occurred again in December 2019. W
Tonbridge ( TUN-brij; historic spelling Tunbridge) is a market town in Kent, England, on the River Medway, 4 miles (6 km) north of Royal Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles (19 km) south west of Maidstone and 29 miles (47 km) south east of London. In the administrative borough of Tonbridge and Malling, it had an estimated population of 41,293 in 2019.
Near you
[edit | edit source]Maidstone - Malling community action - Sevenoaks community action - Tunbridge Wells
See also
- 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 | Phil Green (2022–2026). "Community action/Tonbridge". Appropedia. Retrieved October 18, 2026. |