Grassroots Sustainability actions
Abbey People’s community cafes are vibrant and fun sessions designed to foster sustainability, connection, and practical resilience in the Abbey ward. Going beyond a traditional gathering space, these regular events integrate a dynamic mix of eco-friendly workshops and social initiatives, and they are held in various locations in Abbey to be close to where people live.
A regular part of the programme are Repair Cafes, in partnership with Cambridge Carbon Footprint, where skilled volunteers help residents mend broken household items and electricals to make sure that they continue to have a good life. A new bike repair session with Outspoken upskills attendees to address common bike problems, like flat tyres and brake adjustments, to get people moving on two wheels. This ethos of reuse is amplified by Swishes (clothes-swapping events) and Sew Positive mending workshops. Additionally, Climate Cafes provide a welcoming, open-forum space for neighbours to discuss environmental anxieties, share local climate actions, and build collective hope in an informal, supportive setting.
The Cafes and other community events run by Abbey People are proven to be an effective strategy for building sustainability on the ground, especially with the cost of living crisis that is keenly felt by residents in Abbey. In Spring 2026, a Swish (clothes swap) event helped prevent 89.4 kg of clothes from going to landfill, and the Repair Café helped fix 39 items.
Together, these sessions combat social isolation while championing circular economy principles at the neighborhood level, empowering local people to live more sustainably together.
Abbey People also run regular litter picks and volunteering sessions in Green Spaces in the Abbey Ward, such as at the new Rayson Way and Barnwell Verge gardens, along Coldham’s Brook and on Coldham’s Common.
In 2023-2026, these activities were supported by the River Cam CAN (Climate Action through Nature) project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund
| Dates | 2023-2026 |
| Status | n/a |
| Area of habitat created or improved | n/a |
| Location | Abbey Ward, Cambridge |
Partners and Funders
With Partners
Cambridge Carbon Footprint,
Outspoken, Sew Positive
