Organised by Greener HenleyTo achieve our ambitious goals to increase community resilience, reduce pollution and restore nature, we need to raise £50,000 this year. Be part of the change to build a safer, cleaner, greener future for our beautiful town and for our children.
Closes 31/12/2025
We are at a critical moment for our natural world, and Henley is feeling the impact firsthand. The Thames suffers from frequent sewage discharges, local flooding is becoming more regular, bird and bee populations are dwindling, and our air quality is suffering. These are not isolated problems—they are part of a much bigger global crisis, one that is too often pushed aside by political agendas. It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of such overwhelming challenges. But the truth is, we are not powerless. In fact, we are the solution. Rob Hopkins of the Transition Movement in which Greener Henley has its roots, powerfully said:
If we wait for the governments, it'll be too little, too late; if we act as individuals, it'll be too little; but if we act as communities, it might just be enough, just in time.
Greener Henley is here to turn that belief into action. Our mission is to engage and mobilise our community to take transformative action on the climate and nature emergency. We believe everyone can contribute to this, and together, we are stronger and able to make lasting and beneficial change for us all.
Henley is a leading example of climate and nature action, demonstrating how towns can thrive by building resilience, reducing pollution, and protecting and restoring nature.
To achieve our ambitious goals, we need to raise at least £50,000 in the next 12 months. Your support will help us to continue our powerful work including:
- Making Henley safer & more resilient - Working with councils, schools, businesses and other relevant partners to create action plans and put in place systems to ensure that Henley is ready to meet the substantial challenges that climate change will bring, such as working with Henley Town Council to develop a Community Resilience Plan for the town.
- Reducing pollution in Henley – Advocating for clean air, encouraging healthy streets and active travel and protecting the natural world from pollution in all its forms, such as the Henley Car Club and Clean Air for Henley campaign.
- Protecting and restoring nature – Expanding green spaces and rewilding initiatives to bring nature back to Henley, such as our Nature Squared campaign that encourages residents to plant wildflowers or plants for pollinators to create a nature corridor across Henley, and our work in partnership with Henley Town Council to make Henley a Bee Friendly Town.
- Engaging and educating the community – Hosting events, workshops, and campaigns to inspire collective action such as our Big Green Conversation series of events and ‘Our River‘ event at the Kenton Theatre which attracted an audience of 160 people.
- Expanding our community outreach and awareness campaigns to reach 5,000 people across Henley and the surrounding areas over the next three years inspiring and empowering them to take action on the climate and nature emergency.
- Building an evidence-led approach - working directly with leading scientists from the University of Reading and the University of Oxford to ensure that our work is evidence-led and rooted in the most up to date science.
- Building partnerships – Collaborating with local councils, schools, businesses, festivals, sports clubs, charities and community groups to scale our impact and ensure that the climate and nature emergency is top priority for the whole town. An example of this is our recent partnership with the Henley Literary Festival.
- Empowering the next generation for a sustainable future – Implementing educational initiatives in schools and through community outreach to engage children and young people, fostering their understanding of environmental issues and inspiring them to become active participants in creating a healthier planet. This includes initiatives like our recent Greener Henley Schools’ Science Fair which attracted 120 students from 16 local schools, ensuring that future generations are equipped to address climate challenges and improve the world for children.
- Strengthening our organisational capacity to deliver real long term impact.
Henley is uniquely placed to lead the way. Our deep connection to nature through the river and stunning local countryside, our incredible depth of local talent and passion, and the resources and will within our community mean we have everything we need to make a real difference. We have the drive and the opportunity to show what is possible when a community comes together for the greater good.
Greener Henley (previously Henley in Transition) has been operating as a grassroots community group since 2008. In December 2024 we gained charity status just three days after our application was made. This reflects our robust governance which coupled with our strong trustee board, our work with leading scientists, our long history and our strong local support puts us in the perfect position to professionalise and supercharge our impact.
As a grassroots organisation we have already achieved so much - indeed Phoebe Rison, Climate Outreach Officer at Oxfordshire County Council, recently said:
Greener Henley is a real trailblazer in community-led climate and nature action – pioneering bold initiatives and inspiring events that mobilise people to come together to work for a safer, cleaner and greener environment. It’s a powerful example of what can be achieved when a community unites with vision and determination.
Just think what we can achieve as we move into this new stage in our evolution, with charity status, a clear vision and plan and most importantly, your support.
The changes we make in Henley won’t just benefit us—they will serve as a beacon for other communities, encouraging them to take action too. By demonstrating what is possible at a local level, we will lead by example, inspiring others to follow suit and giving a mandate to local and national government to take bold, evidence-led decisions. Our actions today will ripple outward, proving that when a community steps up, it can ignite broader change.
No matter the size of your donation, you are playing a crucial role in Henley’s future. Whether it’s £5, £5000 or anything in between your support fuels this movement. Donating to Greener Henley offers individuals and companies a meaningful opportunity to support impactful local environmental initiatives and helps to improve our natural spaces and biodiversity for future generations.
Together, we can be the change our town, and our world, needs.
Henley is known for its community. A community that comes together for important causes, iconic events and extraordinary people. Now is our moment to become an even greater community - because at Greener Henley we believe that if we come together, it might just be enough, just in time.
So donate today, and your contribution will help to build a safer, cleaner, greener future for our beautiful town, for the wider world, and for our children.
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