Groundwork UK
Groundwork UK is a leading environmental regeneration charity making sustainable development a reality in many of the UK’s poorest communities.
A federation of over 50 Trusts, the organisation uses joint environmental action to improve the quality of the local environment, the lives of local people and the success of local businesses in areas that need investment and support. Triodos Bank’s loan helped Groundwork to buy their headquarters in Birmingham, from where they provide support to all the Trusts in the UK.
From landscaping and gardening to growing healthy food, the network of Trusts ensures that hundreds of initiatives help to build stronger neighbourhoods and re-connect people with their surroundings. Steve Dolphin, Groundwork’s Director of Finance and Support says, “Groundwork’s vision is of a society made up of sustainable communities which are vibrant, healthy and safe, which value the local and global environment and where individuals and enterprise prosper.”
By providing youth shelters and sporting and arts activities, the charity also provides genuine opportunities for young people to realise their potential. Valuable training and work experience programmes are also offered in areas such as energy efficiency and construction work, which also help to stimulate local enterprise.
Enabling children of all ages to understand and participate in environmental programmes, which are part of the national curriculum, is a key part of Groundwork’s operations. Their work in adult education also develops basic skills in literacy and numeracy as well as creating self-confidence. And the success of Groundwork projects in the UK and other European countries has been so marked that a similar approach has been adopted in Japan and the USA.
Visit www.groundwork.org.uk or Call 0121 236 8565 for more information.
Winter 2004
This article was originally published in Triodosnews 19. For a free subscription to Triodosnews, click here and email your name, address and contact details.
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