Young people create lasting change

Supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, young people across Peterborough are transforming green spaces, learning practical environmental skills and improving wellbeing through the Building Healthier Green Futures project, led by Nene Park Trust alongside local delivery partners.  

Since the project began in 2025, partners have delivered 131 sessions engaging 360 young people from across the city and surrounding areas. Activities have taken place in schools, community gardens, libraries, youth clubs and outdoor spaces, working with both SEND and mainstream groups.  

The project combines nature, creativity and wellbeing, offering young people opportunities to take part in wildlife gardening, food growing, photography, filmmaking, storytelling, mural-making, healthy cookery and practical conservation activities.  

Evaluation shows strong positive impact across all partners, with between 86–100% of participants reporting they learnt at least one new skill, and 70–100% saying the project had positively changed their local environment, green spaces or community.  

Building Healthier Green Futures has already delivered a range of lasting environmental and creative outcomes, including:  

• A new wooden sculpture created with young people and permanently installed at WestRaven Community Garden  

• Restoration of school ponds and creation of new wildlife habitats through Froglife  

• A youth-produced short film by Peterborough Presents’ Eye Gets Green group, was screened within the community  

• A new herb bed designed and built with students from Queen Katharine Academy through Nene Park Trust  

• A co-created garden at YMCA TimeStop  

Young people have also created wildlife-friendly objects and planting projects to take home, helping extend the project’s impact into neighbourhoods across PE1, PE2, PE3, PE4 and PE6.  

Pia Larsson, Project Manager for Building Healthier Green Futures, said, “Building Healthier Green Futures has shown just how powerful nature-based activities can be in building confidence, creativity and community connection for young people. It has been wonderful to see participants learning practical skills, trying things for the first time and taking real pride in improving spaces for wildlife and people alike.”  

Adrian Oates, Director of Development and Partnerships at Nene Park Trust, said, “This project demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations work together to create meaningful opportunities for young people. By combining environmental action with creativity, wellbeing and hands-on learning, Building Healthier Green Futures is helping young people feel more connected to their communities and more positive about the future.”  

Partners involved in the project include Nene Park Trust, WestRaven, Froglife and Peterborough Presents, with activities delivered in collaboration with schools, youth organisations, Scouts groups and community partners across the region.  

The project will continue throughout  2026, its second year, with further opportunities for young people to get involved in creative environmental activities, community growing projects and public events. Some partner programmes, including WestRaven and Eye Gets Green, are open for public participation, with booking information to be shared through partner websites and social media channels.  

For more information about Building Healthier Green Futures and upcoming opportunities to get involved, click the button below!