Community action/Tonbridge
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| Location | Tonbridge, Kent, England |
| Coordinates | 51° 11' 20.23" N, 0° 16' 24.92" E |
The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism for climate, environment and many other sustainability topics across Tonbridge.
News
Hedgerows the 'unsung heroes of the countryside', BBC News (Feb 16, 2026) — A group of Kent volunteers is aiming to provide vital habitat for wildlife by planting about 3,800 yards (3,500m) of hedgerows in the countryside this year.- ‘To live a normal life again, it’s a dream come true’: UK’s first climate evacuees can cast off their homes and trauma, theguardian.com (Feb 09, 2026)
- Behind the scenes as GPs face 'tidal wave of demand', BBC News (Jan 22, 2026)
- One in nine new homes in England built between 2022 and 2024 were constructed in areas that could now be at risk of flooding, according to new data., theguardian.com (Feb 18, 2026) — between 2013 and 2022, one in 13 new homes were in potential flooding zones.
- Hedgerows the 'unsung heroes of the countryside', BBC News (Feb 16, 2026) — A group of Kent volunteers is aiming to provide vital habitat for wildlife by planting about 3,800 yards (3,500m) of hedgerows in the countryside this year.
- “How do you build support for energy transition, through a scheme that structurally excludes the communities carrying the biggest burden?” [Voar], thealternative.org.uk (Feb 15, 2026)
- Geothermal could replace almost half of the EU’s fossil fuel power, grist.org (Feb 10, 2026)
- I developed an app that uses drone footage to track plastic litter on beaches, theconversation.com (Jan 21, 2026)
- Europeans overwhelmingly support the social economy, poll finds, thenews.coop (Dec 12, 2025) — 93% of Europeans think businesses should be guided by social economy values, such as focusing on social and environmental goals, redistributing profits, and operating with democratic governance structures
- The world’s rainforests are vanishing. In this one country, they’re growing back., vox.com (Feb 19, 2026) — How did Costa Rica beat back deforestation and buck the global trend?
- Environmental defenders labeled ‘terrorists’ for bringing renewable power to Philippine communities, globalvoices.org/ (Feb 19, 2026)
- Paris Court Holds Historic Climate Trial in Case Against TotalEnergies, insideclimatenews.org (Feb 19, 2026)
Events
Tonbridge hosts numerous community events, including a Christmas festival when the high street is closed to traffic, a firework display in November organised by Tonbridge Round Table, a dragon boat race and a summer fete in the castle grounds (which is also the location of numerous musical performances in the summer months).
UK events
Mar 13 - 29, 2026 (Fri - Sun) — Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean, Keep Britain Tidy call to help improve local environments, keepbritaintidy.org- Mar 16 - 27, 2026 (Mon - Fri) — Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel, cycling, walking and scooting challenge for schools from Sustrans, bigwalkandwheel.org.uk
Global or international events
- Feb 02, 2026 (Mon) — World Wetlands Day, Feb 2, annually, worldwetlandsday.org
- Feb 20, 2026 (Fri) — World Day of Social Justice, Feb 20 each year, un.org
- February 21 - March 1, 2026 (Sat - Sun) — Real Bread Week, annual, international celebration of additive-free bread and the people behind its rise, sustainweb.org
2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events
Networks and sustainability initiatives
- Tonbridge and Malling Friends of the Earth on facebook
Each week 3 different short videos from across the UK or world.
Community action/Surrey, Community action/West Midlands, Community action/North East England / ...This week's featured Global videos / ... read more about Cosmolocalism
Food activism
Social inclusion
- Donate Tonbridge Vouchers, Tonbridge Town Team, added 15:14, 3 October 2020 (UTC)
- Poverty Map from the Church Urban Fund. (Enter location then zoom out to see whole and neighbouring parishes)
Community resources
In 2014 the Angel Community Garden was created to eliminate eyesores in the area, and encourage bees which are declining. The garden was put along the edge of Sainsbury's car park. It was formed in collaboration with Tonbridge Friends of the Earth and Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council. The project also received some support from some local shopkeepers and residents.
Citizens data initiative
- Thriving Places Index, Tonbridge and Malling, 2020 summary scores, thrivingplacesindex.org added 17:53, 19 March 2020 (UTC)
- Automatic search suggestions for TheyWorkForYou, FixMyStreet, and WriteToThem, when you enter your postcode on www.mysociety.org. eg mysociety.org
- Census data 2011, use drill down menus for ward and Census Output Areas
- Search all grants, Tonbridge and Malling, The National Lottery Community Fund
Health and wellbeing
- Right to Know, Learn about the systemic and environmental trends that could be impacting your health. right-to-know.org, enter your postcode for local results, added 10:26, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle
Climate action
- Tonbridge Climate Strikes on facebook
- Near-you: Tonbridge and Malling, takeclimateaction.uk, Friends of the Earth sourced data, added 09:43, 15 October 2021 (UTC)
- Place-Based Carbon Calculator, "Why we built a Place-Based Carbon Calculator", Aug 25...climate.leeds.ac.uk Very helpful graphics for communities to... "know why footprints vary and what we can do about it", "use the map to zoom to your area of interest" eg local communities in Malling, Philralph (talk) 14:24, 2 September 2021 (UTC)
- Extinction Rebellion Tonbridge and Malling closed group on facebook
- Setting Climate Committments for Tonbridge and Malling, Quantifying the implications of the United Nations Paris Agreement for Tonbridge and Malling, Feb 2020 carbonbudget.manchester.ac.uk
- Opportunities to reduce energy use, stimulate economy, cut bills & reduce running costs of buildings, transport & industry thereby creating a happier, healthier, more prosperous place, & tackling climate change. pcancities.org.uk
References
Sustainable transport activism
- Journey planner, kentconnected.org
Cycling activism
- Tonbridge Bicycle Users Group, public group on facebook, added 16:24, 25 September 2020 (UTC)
Urban sustainability
Pedestrian Action for Tonbridge High Street (PATHS) on facebook
Community safety
Environment quality
Tonbridge Litter Catchers, on facebook
Open spaces
Haysden Country Park is a 64-hectare (160-acre) country park and Local Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Tonbridge in Kent. It is owned by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, the Highways Agency, Network Rail and the Environment Agency, and managed by the council.
About Tonbridge
Campaigns
- Keep River Lawn Green on facebook.com
Environmental concerns
Parts of Tonbridge are at risk of flooding and a significant flooding event occurred in December 2013. The Environment Agency introduced a 320-metre long flood defence running parallel to the River Medway, along Avebury Avenue, in 2015, as a response to the flooding seen in 2013. Despite these measures, significant flooding occurred again in December 2019.
Tonbridge ( TUN-brij) (historic spelling Tunbridge) is a market town in Kent, England, on the River Medway, 4 miles (6 km) north of Royal Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles (19 km) south west of Maidstone and 29 miles (47 km) south east of London. In the administrative borough of Tonbridge and Malling, it had an estimated population of 41,293 in 2019.
Near you
Maidstone - Malling community action - Sevenoaks community action - Tunbridge Wells
See also
- Towards a more democratic and climate friendly way of meeting housing need across England
- London and South East England
- Saving water in South East England
| Authors | Phil Green |
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| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Cite as | Phil Green (2022–2026). "Community action/Tonbridge". Appropedia. Retrieved February 26, 2026. |