Current Projects

Following our successful Covid Response initiatives, we are establishing longer-term, sustainable projects to support the community in line with our charitable objectives.

Food Justice

Based on our Covid experience of setting up a Food Hub at the Mildmay Club in 2020, we’re now addressing food insecurity in the local area via food co-op projects.

The co-op model is different from the Food Hub model: a food co-op is owned and organised by its members, so it’s sustainable on a longer-term basis.

Our Co-op, based in Kerridge Court, worked with outside organisations to provide a range of varied and nutritious grocery staples for local families at a nominal fee. It’s an excellent way of both reducing food waste and lessening the impact of the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Our vacant council space is now in use again, so we are currently looking for premises to run and expand our project, to benefit more local families.

Since October 2021 the food project has been based at St Jude and St Paul’s Church. It is open every Tuesday 12pm-3pm.

Newington Green Action Group have been supporting the PTA from St. Jude and St. Paul’s Primary School in providing hot lunches and food packages to take away. There are also free books, clothes, and toys available and it’s a warm and welcoming space for those worried about heating at home. Volunteers can provide guidance on benefits, housing and debt, as well as referring to specialist advisors.

If you are able to support our work, through a donation or by offering your time, please email info@newingtongreen.org

Community Support

We continue to facilitate support between community members. Examples of how people can help include running errands, speaking to a neighbour on the phone, or giving career advice to young people. To facilitate this, we continue to pair up volunteers with those who need assistance, either on a one-off or ongoing basis.

If you or anyone you know needs support, you can phone us on 0333 050 9318 or email community@newingtongreen.org

Welcoming REfugees

Over the last few months we have been working with local partners to help find accommodation for the Afghan families that our local authorities have committed to rehoming. We have also continued to support some local families who have No Recourse to Public Funds.

We are also also working with Reset Community Sponsorship in order to welcome another refugee family to Newington Green -this would be on top of the twenty Afghan families Hackney and Islington Councils have committed to. We need to raise £9,000 which will cover the cost of a family’s move and integration into the community. We have £1,000 committed already. Every penny raised will go directly towards the sponsorship of refugee families and supporting those families through the resettlement process.

DONATE HERE

Environment

Our environment committee aims to protect and improve Newington Green, making the area healthier and more livable for all users. This project addresses areas such as:

• Measures to reduce air pollution and the impact of motor traffic

• Renewable/sustainable energy and materials

• Recycling

• Working together; Newington Green Action Group supported The Garden Classroom in transforming a tired and underdeveloped corner of the green into a family-friendly area, with planting to encourage biodiversity and wildlife, and additional trees to reduce air and noise pollution.

If you’d like to get involved please email environment@newingtongreen.org. We are always looking for people to help out with tasks like gardening, and if you have any ideas on how we can make Newington Green even better please let us know!

Improving the local area

We worked closely with Islington Council and The Garden Classroom to improve the area where Ferntower Road meets Newington Green. In consultation with landscape architects, we designed a new seating area with planters, improving the aesthetic and creating a welcoming green-space. The planters are now thriving and are watered regularly by local volunteers. If you have some spare time on your hands, we are always looking for more helpers to maintain them.

We are also looking at adding some wall art to the wall adjacent to Paradise Fish Bar: the owner is amenable to this and it’s a wonderful opportunity to visually celebrate our local culture, history and diversity. Contact us if you’d like to get involved.

We are delighted that our work to improve the childrens’ playing area on the green is now finished. This is a result of collaboration between Newington Green Action Group and Islington Council. The new playground opened in February and has been a big hit with local families. While canvassing playground users to see what changes they would like to see, it became clear that the needs of younger children were not being met. So our new playground includes baby swings, a slide and a roundabout and is more accessible than before. It's sustainable, uses natural materials and we think it looks great!

Events

For many years we have been running free local events on the green, bringing our community together and celebrating its richness and diversity. These range from summer festivals to festive carols on the green, working with local primary schools.

In July 2022 we staged JAZZ and MORE on THE GREEN in partnership with Local & Live in Hackney. It featured a diverse lineup of talented local musicians, and celebrated the history of dissent in Newington Green, along with children’s entertainment, food, drink and retail stalls. The sun was out for us and it was a wonderful day!

The dates for our summer 2024 will be announced soon. It will be a free concert and celebration of local talent, with a range of family entertainment, food, stalls…something for everyone. Watch this space for further details.

If you can spare some time to help organise any aspect of this event or would like to volunteer your services to help out on the day, please contact us at events@newingtongreen.org