Village Green

Village Green - could this be your village
Village Green - could this be your village 2

Village Green is an exciting new three-year project funded by the National Lottery Climate Action Fund, designed to put communities at the heart of climate action in North Yorkshire. It aims to inspire, empower and connect people across the region to take meaningful steps in the fight against climate change.

Led by Community First Yorkshire, Village Green is a partnership programme bringing together;

The partnership builds on a history of collaboration supporting communities across North Yorkshire, combined with a desire to enable communities to take climate action.

We believe climate action should feel relevant and achievable. That’s why Village Green will deliver community-based activities that weave climate conversations into everyday interests – like arts, sports, and youth engagement – making climate action accessible, engaging, and part of daily life.

From fun drop-in sessions to full-day community events, these activities will help over 8,000 individuals to build sustainable habits, reduce energy use and lower their carbon footprints.

It will also support the VCSE sector helping organisations to enhance their environmental sustainability, by:

  • Creating resources and toolkits
  • Sharing best practices
  • Amplifying the climate action voice of the sector
  • Connecting the sector to strategic initiatives being undertaken by partners and policy makers
  • Reducing organisation emissions
  • Aligning with sustainability funding requirements.

By the end of the programme, we’re aiming for lasting change that includes:

  • Stronger collaboration across communities, the VCSE sector, and statutory organisations
  • More climate-conscious communities and organisations
  • Broader and more diverse participation in climate action
  • Greater energy awareness and efficiency
  • Greener community buildings
  • Restored and thriving natural spaces
  • More sustainable travel choices
  • Young people leading the way in climate advocacy and green skills
  • Intergeneration participation in community climate action activities.

Village Green is about more than events or conversations. It’s about creating a network of sustainable, empowered communities that are equipped to lead on climate action well into the future, creating a greener, more resilient North Yorkshire.

Your opportunity to work with us – and build sustainable communities

If you’re passionate about the planet, love working with others, and want to make a real difference at a local level – this might be your moment.

We’ve got a range of roles available, including a Climate Action Project Manager, Climate Action Officer (x2), and a Monitoring & Evaluation Officer.

Together, we can turn concern into action – and help make North Yorkshire a shining example of what’s possible when communities come together.

Apply by 29 June.

How Village Green has been funded

Thanks to National Lottery players, Village Green has received £1,225,930.52 over three years from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK.

Village Green is looking to inspire, empower and connect communities across North Yorkshire to lead the fight against climate change. Through collaboration between the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector and strategic partners like North Yorkshire Council and York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, this initiative seeks to develop sustainable solutions to the region’s climate challenges. The goal is to help create resilient communities across North Yorkshire to take climate action, reduce energy usage, and promote environmental stewardship.

This comes from the Climate Action Fund, a £100 million commitment over 10 years from The National Lottery Community Fund to support communities across the UK to take action on climate change and involve more people in climate action. 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.