Over the past year, our Resident Sustainability Champions have played an important role in supporting sustainability across Southern Housing. They’ve contributed to articles on topics including air pollution, sustainable travel, plastic-free living and Earth Month. They’ve reviewed resident surveys, provided feedback on biodiversity projects and helped shape our new resident retrofit journey.
Their input helps us make sure we bring the resident perspective to our work while making sure we understand what matters to the communities we serve. What makes this group particularly special is that their commitment to sustainability doesn’t stop with their role as champions. Many are actively involved in their local communities, giving their time to projects that support nature and neighbourhoods.
Meet some of our Resident Sustainability Champions
Eliza has been a Resident Sustainability Champion for two and a half years and has a long-standing passion for community gardening. Since 2013, she and a small team of volunteers have cared for a local garden that grows food for community events and festivals. The space is home to a wide variety of herbs, fruit and flowers, all maintained through the work of local volunteers and has become a source of pride for everyone involved. For Eliza, gardening is about bringing people together, creating welcoming community spaces and encouraging people to connect with nature
Graham has been a Resident Sustainability Champion for around a year and brings an incredible amount of energy to volunteering. He supports community wildlife and food-growing projects, helping with composting and caring for community orchards. As a volunteer director of Rye’s community fruit orchards, he’s helped support the planting and care of more than 100 fruit trees. Graham also leads teams carrying out maintenance and watering work to keep local green spaces thriving. On Saturdays, he volunteers at Rye Youth Zone, sharing circus skills and supporting young people through a range of activities.
For Ivy, volunteering is centred on supporting people. Alongside her role as a Resident Sustainability Champion, she volunteers as a befriender with Age UK, making regular phone calls to an older person who benefits from companionship and support. She also occasionally visits residents at home, helping with light gardening and supporting enquiries through partner organisations.
We’re incredibly grateful for the insights our champions share with us throughout the year. Their contributions help us create better services and a more sustainable future for everyone.
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