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Join us tomorrow at Chalton Street Community Market
This Friday 29 September, from 10 am – 4pm, Chalton Street market will be themed as the community day market. There will be a wide range of local traders, engaging activities and entertainment stalls. It’s the first of a series of community markets that will happen every last Friday of the month, except in December when it will take place on the 22nd.
We are inviting anyone who wants to have a go at having a stall in the market to contact us. Perhaps you want to sell things you make, second-hand stuff or preloved clothes. You can have a go for free and be supported to run your stall. Contact: ourlittlemarketscic@outlook.comfor more information.
Drop by and participate. Be part of the dream to have a local market that is a space for old and new connections to be made, for learning and exchanging of ideas.
Download the SCONE app to stay up to date with events like this and more: DOWNLOAD THE APP NOW
Consultation open - Green Mobility Hubs Somers Town
We are now consulting on Phase 1 of the Green Mobility Hubs proposed in Somers Town. This consultation includes our proposals to install permanent Green Mobility Hubs on Goldington Crescent, Cranleigh Street, and Charrington Street, as part of the Somers Town Future Neighbourhood 2030 programme
The consultation is open until the 17th October for you to share your views on our proposals.
A new plan for Somers Town to tackle the climate emergency and create a better future for all
As part of phase one of the Somers Town Future Neighbourhood 2030 programme, Somers Town Community Association was responsible for working with the community to create an local strategy (plan) that would be reflective of the views of the community and what they would like to see happening in Somers Town in regards to projects/initiatives that would help to improve their quality of life while tackling both the current economic and climate challenges facing us all.
The strategy was brought together over a period of a year, commencing with our launch event in February 2022 followed by a range of community engagement events across 2022 and six focused workshops that ran from November 2022 to March 2023.
The approach to developing the strategy brought together the United Nations Development Goals, Human Rights, and the local and global context of the climate emergency, whilst ensuring the context was real and relevant to local people facing the worst cost of living crisis in a generation.
The strategy is here to inform interventions taking place in Somers Town going forward and we will be looking at the mechanisms for this to be the case whilst keeping the strategy live and up to date.
Follow the link to find out more about the strategy and download the document: Somers Town Area-based Strategy 2023-2030
Finally, we recently launched our new community engagement platform to connect you with hundreds of residents in Somers Town who are taking action and sharing ideas on how to improve their quality of life while protecting the environemnt. Follow the link to find out more and downlad the app: Scone App
Sharing event at the Story Garden - Sat 20 May, 12pm to 3pm
We have the pleasure to invite you to an information and sharing event at the Story Garden and the St Pancras and Somers Town Living Centre (Ossulston Street NW1 1DF) tomorrow (Saturday 20 May) 12pm to 3pm.
You will have the chance to hear about a range of activities taking place in Somers Town including:
A NEW ONLINE COMMUNITY FOR SOMERS TOWN
Hear about our new online community, a free app that will enable you to connect with hundreds of residents in Somers Town who are taking action and sharing ideas on how to improve their quality of life. Members of the community will receive regular tips and ideas to take action, hear about local activities and projects and how to get involved as well as learn how your actions impact the environment and how small changes can make a big difference to the local environment. FOLLOW THIS LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE APP NOW
FREE FOOD
Food will be provided by the amazing Sharing Space Eats and the Pizza Chef from Global Generation from 12.30PM.
FIND OUT MORE
Visit our refreshed Future Neighbourhood pages to find out more about all the opportunities available to you: Somers Town Future Neighbourhood 2030
Reducing food waste tips – Winners of Reduce the Juice competition
Reduce the Juice is the University of London’s sustainability engagement programme aimed at promoting sustainable consumption and reducing carbon emissions in halls of residence.
Reduce the Juice is working with Somers Town Community Association to encourage Somers Towns residents to reduce food waste. As part of this initiative, residents entered the Reduce the Juice competition by submitting ideas to reduce food waste. Below is a summary of the winning entries of the Fighting Food Waste in Somers Town competition from September, October and November 2022.
SeptemberWinner
‘Making yogurt: When you have a lot of milk left and it’s going to expire you can make it into yogurt. Just warm up the milk in a sauce pan, put it in a container and put a table spoon of natural yogurt for every litre of milk. Mix it thoroughly then cover it and put a kitchen towel around it to maintain heat and leave for 4 - 5 hours in a warm place. Afterwards, put it into the fridge and it is ready to eat for the next day.’
Niyan’s entry was selected as the winning submission because of the innovative and accessible approach to reducing milk waste, which is one of the UK's most wasted food products.
Niyan selected the Food Processor as their prize.
Honourable Mention
‘From now on I will observe how much my kids eat for a whole week and after that serve them a small portion at first. Monitor on a chart how much food and what type of food goes to waste.’
Their entry was selected because they came up with an innovative strategy to address food waste within their home and it’s great to know that Shanaz will be getting their children involved and teaching them the importance of reducing food waste for our planet.
OctoberWinner
‘Make a shelf in the fridge that is eye level for everyone. Place the food that will expire very soon on that shelf and tuck away other food that has a longer fridge date. So those items do not go out of date and end up in the bin.’
Shanaz’s entry was selected at the winner because of their innovative way to arrange food in a fridge to tackle food waste.
Shanaz selected the Air Fryer as their prize.
Honourable Mentions
‘I pledge to use all the veggies that are going bad into soups’
Farhana’s entry was been selected because of their creative way to turn vegetables that are about to go bad into tasty soups which are perfect for the cold winter weather.
‘When I buy fresh vegetables, such as onions, carrots and leaks, I diced them up and seal them in separate plastic bags and freeze them for when I need them. It keeps the vegetables fresh and nothing goes to waste.’
This submission was selected because it is a practical way to meal prep to prevent food waste.
‘I boil the whole packet of new potatoes use half with a meal the other half a slice and refrigerate for the next day and fry them up with eggs to make a lovely tortilla.’
This submission was selected because it is a practical way to ensure potatoes, which are one of the UK’s most wasted foods, are not wasted.
NovemberWinner
‘To ensure that the food we have in our fridge is all consumed before restocking. To also buy only the essentials that we really need and not splurge on items that are not needed. Also to plan meals ahead of time to ensure we don't waste food.’
Sarah’s submission was selected because of the strong focus on using what you already have. Plus sticking to a meal plan to reduce waste is very effective.
Sarah selected the Food Processor as their prize.
“The Blender is so helpful, my partner enjoys using it everyday to make food and blend some shakes with left over fruit and veg”.
Honourable Mentions
‘Apples or blueberries that are soft work perfectly cooked in oatmeal.’
This entry was selected because it highlights how fruit that doesn’t look or feel as ‘good’ can still be used and not wasted.
‘When you have collected enough egg shells soak them in water crunch them up and after a few days pour on to garden or pot plants, the calcium is really good for them to stay healthy.’
This submission was selected because it is a great tip that highlights how items commonly thought of as waste do have a use if you stop and think.
There is still a chance to enterDo you want to enter the Somers Town Fighting Food Waste competition to be in with a chance of winning an Air Fryer or a Food Processor? Find out how to enter here (T&Cs apply).
Have you been selected as an Honourable Mention but not confirmed that we can share your entry? Get in touch with sustainability@london.ac.uk if you would like to see your entry shared.
Launch of Camden Clean Air Action Plan on Friday 10th March
Hear about Camden's clean air ambitions as they launch their refreshed Clean Air Action Plan 2023-26 on Friday 10th March 12midday to 3pm at Doreen Bazell Hall (Goldington TRA), 1 Goldington Street, NW1 1UG
The event is also an opportunity to:
Free lunch cooked by the Think and Do Eats chefs!
Book Now: Camden Clean Air Action Plan Launch Tickets, Fri 10 Mar 2023 at 12:00
Contact AirQuality@camden.gov.uk for more information
Healthy Schools Streets consultations
As part of the Somers Town Future Neighbourhoods 2030, we are keen on introducing a number of Healthy Schools Streets in the neighbourhood. We are currently running two separate consultations.
1. A Healthy School Street outside Maria Fidelis Catholic School (closes 03 November)
Find out more and have your say: Healthy School Streets Consultation - Maria Fidelis Proposals - We Are Camden - Citizen Space
2. A joint consultation on introducing Healthy School Street measures outside (closes 26 October)
Find out more and have your say: Somers Town Future Neighbourhood Healthy School Streets consultation - We Are Camden - Citizen Space
If you’d prefer a paper form, just get in touch with us on 020 7974 4444 and we'll pop one in the post for you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
Somers Town Voices. Working towards a fairer future for everyone
As part of the Somers Town Future Neighbourhood 2030 initiative, we have produced a series of short clips that aim to highlight just a few of the amazing people who live and work in Somers Town. They are a small example of the many committed voices in the community of Somers Town, each doing their bit to contribute to improving the lives of people working, living and studying in the neighbourhood while also helping us to deliver the Somers Town Future Neighbourhood 2030 vison: 'helping Somers Town residents tackle the climate emergency and create a fairer future for everyone’.
If you are curious to know more about the Future Neighbourhood project, visit https://somerstownfn2030.commonplace.is/
Earth Day and air quality in Somers Town
Last Friday (22 April) as we celebrated Earth Day , Slaney Devlin, from Somers Town Neighbourhood Forum, shared an update on air quality monitoring in Somers Town. Air Quality is a key component of the Somers Town Future Neighbourhood 2030 initiative, follow the link to learn more: Air quality monitoring, public health and community engagement . Here is her update:
‘An additional 20 new diffusion tube sites have been added to the air quality monitoring network as part of the Future Neighbourhoods 2030 programme. The diffusion tubes measure nitrogen dioxide, an invisible gas that is produced by burning fossil fuels and other materials, for example in vehicle engines and gas boilers. Small test tubes have been sited around Somers Town, typically mounted on lampposts, at locations seen on this map . They are collected every four weeks and sent to a lab for analysis. The results (once they start coming in) will be uploaded onto the Somers Town Future Neighbourhoods website and will help to inform long-term air quality trends in the area.
The Coopers Lane air quality monitoring station is also up and running, measuring particulate matter – large (PM10) and small (PM2.5) airborne particles that are increasingly being shown to be dangerous to our health. You can create a graph of pollutant levels over the past seven days at Coopers Lane on the Air Quality in England website .
There is a Breathe London air quality node in Ampthill Estate , showing real time PM2.5 and NO2 levels. The data isn't accurate enough to appear in official monitoring reports, but is a useful tool if you are worried about pollution levels on a particular day or if there is a lot of construction dust about, for example.
And finally, I've spotted an AirLabs sensor near the bottom of Ossulston Street. This device measures a wide range of air pollutants including airborne particulate matter and toxic gases (nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone (O3)), as well as temperature and humidity, giving the full picture of air quality in an area. I've yet to find out if this is the only sensor in Somers Town or if there are others, or to find out if the data is publicly available.
When combined with all the HS2-related air quality monitoring , I think we probably have more data on local air quality than anywhere else on the planet. The question is how we use that data to make changes that improve our health. We have a right to breathe clean air in Somers Town.’
Share your ideas on how to make Somers Town a more sustainable placeCamden launches future neighbourhood in Somers Town
The initiative, supported by the Mayor of London, is led by Camden Council, in partnership with Somers Town Community Association and Somers Town Neighbourhood Forum. At the core of the programme is the development of an overall strategy for Somers Town which will identify, with residents, what will need to happen locally to ensure that the area has cleaner and greener estates, low-emission transport, radically improved air quality, new energy efficiency measures, and low carbon energy sources and new ways of creating the ‘circular economy’.
The council will also work alongside the local communities to deliver 10 projects towards the changes residents want to see in their area. These projects will look to:
For more information about the programme and to share your ideas and comments, please visit the Somers Town Future Neighbourhood engagement website: https://somerstownfn2030.commonplace.is/
Read the full press release: Camden launches future neighbourhood in Somers Town