Londoners to get £1.5m National Lottery Community Fund boost for climate action and mental wellbeing

Photo by by Will Lepper from The Cultural Climate Assembly.

Thanks to National Lottery players, a new London Mental Health and Climate Coalition has received £1,499,958 over three years from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, to support Londoners in tackling climate change while also improving their mental health.

The funding comes as figures show the scale of the challenges facing the capital. As of April 2024, more than 100,000 Londoners were on mental health waiting lists. Meanwhile, polling from London Councils shows 84% of residents are concerned about climate change. Yet, 90% are motivated to help tackle it, which highlights ‘a fantastic opportunity to bring Londoners together’ according to Thrive LDN.

The three-year citywide initiative, led by the public mental health partnership Thrive LDN, will connect climate action with mental wellbeing. Activities will be varied, ranging from community ambassador training and creative festivals to youth-led campaigns and the development of new digital tools.

The project will help communities create local climate solutions, develop policies that combine mental health and climate action, and build infrastructure for ongoing efforts and lasting impact.

Funding will particularly support ways to bring new voices from different communities, especially those experiencing poverty, discrimination, and disadvantage, into conversations about climate change and mental health.

Mete Coban MBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, said: “It is great news that London is to get a £1.5m National Lottery boost for climate action and mental wellbeing. Congratulations to Thrive LDN and partners who have secured this funding through an exciting coalition that will help London’s communities better understand how climate policy and issues are linked to social, economic and racial justice. I’m excited to support the initiatives that will happen through this partnership as we work across City Hall to deliver a fairer, greener London.”

Addressing a dual crisis

Thrive LDN and partners will engage with communities across the capital on daily challenges that negatively impact mental health, such as financial pressures and limited access to green spaces, and demonstrate practical solutions that can improve people’s wellbeing while benefiting the climate.

Professor Kevin Fenton CBE, Regional Public Health Director for London, said: “Many Londoners are understandably concerned about the health of our planet and their own mental wellbeing. This exciting project offers a hopeful path forward, showing how positive climate action can bring immediate, tangible benefits to our public health.

“By focusing on communities most affected by health inequalities and the climate crisis, this project will ensure we are working together to help to create a fairer, more resilient city for everyone. I am delighted to support the work of this vital coalition to improve the health of both Londoners and our city.”

Many initiatives delivered will specifically support groups disproportionately affected by both the climate-nature crisis and mental health, including people experiencing financial hardship, young Londoners, and racialised communities.

Speaking about the funding and opportunity it provides, Dan Barrett, director of Thrive LDN, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this is a fantastic opportunity to bring Londoners together to engage on win-win solutions that benefit efforts to address both the climate and mental health crises we face.

“Starting conversations with mental health is an effective way to get new communities to act on climate change, making what is often an overwhelming issue feel more accessible, just, and inclusive. Ultimately, building stronger, more resilient communities across our city.”

The partners involved

The project will be delivered through a new partnership between Thrive LDN, Black Thrive Global, Clean Slate Training & Employment, Climate Outreach, Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow Mind, LIVING PROOF, London Arts and Health, King’s College London, and Stanley Arts.

Project findings will be peer-reviewed and published. The outcomes will be used to create a collection of resources, guidance, tools, and best practices, co-created policy recommendations, and new frameworks to help other partnerships, organisations and groups replicate the approach.

The grant comes from the Climate Action Fund, a £100 million, 10-year commitment from The National Lottery Community Fund. This forms part of one of the funder’s four key missions in its 2030 strategy, ‘It starts with community’ – supporting communities to be environmentally sustainable. The programme will build on the approach taken by Thrive LDN’s Climate and Mental Health Action Partnership, which includes a regional network of more than 200 people working to address the interconnected challenges of climate and mental health.

Subscribe to Thrive LDN’s regular e-newsletter to keep up-to-date and to find out how you can be involved with this programme as it develops.

A word from the partners

Councillor Dr. Jacqui Dyer MBE, director at Black Thrive Global, said: “For too long, the conversation on climate change has failed to include the voices of those most impacted. Systemic inequalities affect both mental and environmental wellbeing in our communities. This ambition puts power back into the hands of people, allowing them to lead the change they want to see in their community.”

Jeff Mitchell, managing director of Clean Slate Training & Employment, said: “Financial anxiety is a huge burden, and it can feel impossible to think about bigger issues like climate change when you’re worried about paying the bills. By linking practical support with community action, we can empower people to improve their own wellbeing and their local environment.”

Rachael Orr, CEO of Climate Outreach, said: “To tackle climate change, we must make it a relevant, everyday issue for everyone. This programme moves beyond scary statistics and focuses on local, tangible actions that matter to people. It’s about building connections and fostering a shared sense of purpose.”

Roger Clark, interim CEO of Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow Mind, said: “Our services are facing unprecedented demand. Innovative approaches like this are vital. It offers a preventative model, helping people build wellbeing and community ties before they reach a crisis point. It’s a new and welcome tool in supporting London’s mental health.”

Miriam King, director of LIVING PROOF, said: “Young people hold the key to our climate future. They bring passion, creativity and fresh ideas, and this project will give them the platform and tools to lead the way in shaping a healthier, greener city for us all.”

Anna Woolf, CEO of London Arts and Health, said: “Engaging in the arts is proven to reduce isolation and improve health. By weaving creative activities into this programme, we can offer Londoners a powerful way to connect with each other and their environment, boosting personal and collective wellbeing.”

Ioannis Bakolis, professor of public mental health and statistics at King’s College London, said: “There’s emerging evidence of a link between pro-environmental action and improved mental health and wellbeing. This project provides a unique opportunity to rigorously evaluate this link in diverse London communities. The findings could shape public mental health policy for years to come.”

Louisa Bartlett-Pestell, artistic director & CEO of Stanley Arts, said: “Community venues like ours are the hubs where connections are made. We’re thrilled to be a space where Londoners can come together through this programme, share experiences, and collaborate on creative activities that benefit both them and their neighbourhood.”