This summer has brought another stark reminder that environmental challenges are becoming everyday realities for many people across the UK.
Prolonged periods of heat, dry conditions, pressure on green spaces and concerns about flooding following extreme weather events do not affect everyone equally.
Older people, disabled people, low-income households, those living in poorly insulated homes, and communities with limited access to green space are often among those hardest hit.
At the Hallam Diocese, working closely with communities across Doncaster, we see these impacts first-hand.
Friends of the Earth is inviting local voluntary, community, faith and public sector organisations to take part in a Doncaster Environmental Justice Workshop. The event will bring community voices together to explore how environmental issues affect people’s lives and what changes are needed to create a fairer, healthier and more resilient borough.
“The people most affected by environmental challenges are often those least heard in environmental decision-making. This workshop aims to change that.”
— Former participant in an Environmental Justice Workshop in Hull, July 2025
What will the workshop explore?
The workshop will provide an opportunity to:
- Share experiences from the communities you work with
- Discuss how issues such as heat, flooding, housing quality, air pollution, access to green spaces, public transport and healthy food are affecting local people
- Identify common priorities across different communities and sectors
- Build new relationships and collaborations with other organisations
- Help shape recommendations for local, regional and national decision-makers
This will be a highly participatory event, with facilitated small-group discussions designed to put community experiences at the centre of the conversation.
Friends of the Earth will also share local environmental data and mapping to support discussions, helping us understand where environmental challenges are most acute across Doncaster.
Who should attend?
You do not need to be an environmental organisation to take part.
We are particularly keen to hear from organisations and groups working with:
- Older people and young people
- Disabled people
- Communities experiencing poverty
- Faith communities
- Housing providers
- Racial justice organisations
- Migrant support groups
- Other communities and organisations supporting people who are often most affected by environmental inequalities
Environmental justice is about ensuring that everyone can live in a healthy environment, regardless of their background, income or postcode. At a time when the impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly visible, it is more important than ever that local communities have a voice in shaping the decisions that affect them.
Event details
Date: Monday 21 September
Time: 10am–2.30pm
Venue: Quaker Meeting House, Oxford Place, Doncaster, DN1 3RH
A light lunch and refreshments will be provided.
We hope you can join us for this important conversation about the future of Doncaster and the communities we serve.
Reserve your place
Register for the Doncaster Environmental Justice Workshop
Please also share this event with colleagues, partners and community organisations who may wish to participate in these important discussions.
If you have any questions, please contact Simon Bowens at simon.bowens@foe.co.uk or on 07921 039251.
