Community action/Peterborough
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 Peterborough.
'England's first cycle street' opens to the public, BBC News (May 29, 2026) - Sustainability on show at Co-op Group’s newest store, thenews.coop (Aug 21, 2025)
- ‘A game-changer’: the 9,000 acre project reclaiming the Fens for nature, theguardian.com (Nov 04, 2023)
- 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)
Networks and sustainability initiatives
[edit | edit source]In 1994, Peterborough was designated one of four environment cities in the UK and began working to become the country's acknowledged environment capital. Peterborough Environment City Trust, an independent charity, was set up at the same time to work towards this goal, delivering projects promoting healthier and sustainable living in the city. The council and regional development agency have taken advice on regeneration issues from a number of internationally recognised experts, including Benjamin Barber (formerly an adviser to President Bill Clinton), Jan Gustav Strandenaes (United Nations adviser on environmental issues) and Patama Roorakwit (a Thai "community architect"). W
Each week 3 different short videos from across the UK or world.
Community action/Dorset, Community action/Gloucestershire, Community action/United Kingdom/Cycling activism / ...This week's featured Global videos / ... read more about Cosmolocalism
UK and international events
[edit | edit source]UK events
Sep 7 - 11, 2026 (Mon-Fri) — Zero Waste Week, zerowasteweek.co.uk- Sep 11 - 20, 2026 (Fri-Sun) — Heritage Open Days, celebrating our fantastic history and culture. Your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore, heritageopendays.org.uk
- Sep 18 - 27, 2026 (Fri-Sun) — Great British Beach Clean, mcsuk.org
Global or international events
- Sep 15, 2026 (Tue) — Free Money Day, Global invitation for people to explore, in a liberating and fun way, what it might be like if our relationship to money was a little different. Sep 15, annually, freemoneyday.org
- Sep 18, 2026 (Fri) — Park(ing) day, global, public, participatory project where people across the world temporarily repurpose curbside parking spaces and convert them into public parks and social spaces to advocate for safer, greener, and more equitable streets for people, myparkingday.org
- Sep 21-27, 2026 (Mon-Sun) — Global Week Of Action For Peace And Climate Justice, climatemilitarism.org
- Sep 21, 2026 (Mon) — International Day of Peace, Globally shared date, Sep 21 each year for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace, internationaldayofpeace.org
2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events
Peterborough video
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Community resources
[edit | edit source]Sustainable transport activism
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The Green Wheel is an 80-kilometre (50 mi) network of cycleways, footpaths, and bridleways in Peterborough, England. Designed as part of a sustainable transport system for the city, it was created as a project by the Millennium Commission.
The name Green Wheel alludes to the circular nature of the major part of the path, which encircles Peterborough, with cycle route "spokes" leading from this perimeter, which passes through several peripheral settlements around Peterborough, into the city centre, allowing easy transport around the network, much of which required no new construction, instead using or improving already existing cycle routes or roads. The only major new construction for the project was a curved cycle bridge over the River Nene near Whittlesey, from where the path can be accessed northwards towards Flag Fen, into the city centre, or southwards towards the Ortons. The network is fully signposted. Additionally, three circular pipe tunnels were constructed near Etton village to allow the Green Wheel route to pass underneath the A15.
The project also encourages recreational use and has created a sculpture trail, which provides functional, landscape artworks along the Green Wheel route and a ‘Living Landmarks’ project involving the local community in the creation of local landscape features such as mini woodlands, ponds and hedgerows.
The project cost £11 million and was 50% funded by the National Lottery through the Millennium Commission and has also won many awards, including a RIBA award for Architecture in 2003.
Peterborough news archive
[edit | edit source]- The Green Backyard celebrates after receiving £12,500 for new solar power system for Peterborough site, October 26, 2015...peterboroughtoday.co.uk
- Thousands of pounds on offer in new Peterborough recycling scheme, October 22, 2015...peterboroughtoday.co.uk
- Lessons from Peterborough: how to get, use and present a city's data, June 17, 2014...The Guardian
- Do unto others: on the appropriation of citizen empowerment, Kevin Harris,Neighbourhoods March 19, 2010.
About Peterborough
[edit | edit source]Past events
- August 13, 2016, Peterborough Environment City Trust Green Festival
- September 19 - 20, 2015, Harvest Festival www.metalculture.com
Peterborough ( PEE-tər-bər-ə, -burr-ə) is a cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district in the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England.
In 2020 planning permission was granted for a new university, ARU Peterborough, which will be based on Bishops Road, a five minute walk from the City Centre. It will be an employment focused university run by Anglia Ruskin University with four faculties: Business, Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Creative and Digital Arts and Sciences; Agriculture, Environment and Sustainability; Health and Education. The new university is expected to take its first cohort of approximately 2,000 students by 2022, rising to 12,500 by 2028. ARU Peterborough is not expected to receive its degree awarding powers before 2030 when a review will take place to determine its future as part of Anglia Ruskin University or whether it should become its own entity. W
Near you
[edit | edit source]Cambridge community action - Cambridgeshire community action
| Authors | Phil Green |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Cite as | Philralph (2014–2026). "Community action/Peterborough". Appropedia. Retrieved October 3, 2026. |