Introducing Anchor’s Residents’ Environmental Forum

Chair of Anchor’s Residents’ Environmental Forum, Heather Rowell, introduces the aims and aspirations of the newly formed group in her blog.

It's no secret that the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly felt and visible. The signs are clear that urgent action needs to be taken in order to mitigate and adapt to the changing climate. In the face of this I’m pleased to share that a new Residents’ Environmental Forum has been created to bring together Anchor residents who wish to shape and be involved in their community’s approach to environmental and sustainability issues.

With the backing of Anchor, the Residents’ Environmental Forum (REF) will monitor and contribute to Anchor’s Environmental Sustainability and Net Zero Carbon Strategy.

The main focus of the REF is to educate all residents on various ways we can adapt to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis on our lives and to encourage as many residents as possible to contribute as much as they are able. In addition, we will hold Anchor to account on taking the right steps towards the organisation’s goal of ensuring that current and future generations love living in later life. 

The REF has, so to speak, three ‘arms’ - a core group to consult on strategy and to oversee the forum as a whole; a group of residents who can be called upon to work ‘as and when’ to advise on a specific task or project they are passionate about, and finally,  we will have a large group of champions who will assist others in their local area to adapt to climate change. 
Champions will be free to give whatever time and experience they are able ensuring involvement is inclusive. For example, we have a resident who collects the unwanted glass from their location once a week and takes it to a local recycling bin, reducing the amount of glass in landfill. We also have residents who clean and fill bird feeders around their communal gardens, while those who are unable to do this task, but still get much pleasure from watching our wild birds, contribute bird food to the project. All contributions make a difference and have a positive impact.

In the first few months we have concentrated on getting the mechanics of the group in place, as well as contributing to Anchor’s mini COP28 event. This event, inspired by the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP), aimed to raise awareness and spark conversations about climate change within the community. It was a great opportunity for residents to come together and share their ideas and concerns about the environment and to hear about issues ranging from food waste to building sustainable homes. Recordings of Anchor’s COP28 webinars and more information about the events can be found here. 

Moving forward, the REF will put our words into action by focusing on our commitment to raise awareness of sustainability to all who live and work on our properties, ensuring that everyone can mitigate the effects of climate change in their daily lives and enjoy the wonders biodiversity can bring to us all.

Further down the line the group will also be taking a look at aspects of Anchor’s retrofit strategy to ensure that all rented homes reach at least a decent level of energy efficiency (EPC C) by 2030 and as many leasehold homes as possible, and to get to net zero carbon by 2050. With the new procurement contracts coming into effect in 2025 we will be learning how these will align with Anchor’s sustainability strategy, and making recommendations based on evidence for improvement.

We also have other exciting plans including exploring how we can use social media platforms to support residents to participate in environmental and sustainability discussions.

The aim of the Forum is to continually attract new members and to be a shining example of how communities, such as ours, can come together and make a positive impact in the face of the climate crisis. By focusing on education, action, and collaboration, we will make a significant difference in our communities.

If you are interested in doing your bit, then please email us at [email protected]. 

Heather Rowell is Chair of Anchor’s Residents’ Environmental Forum