Nottingham Creative Community News

Notts Art Collective INSTAR Dig Into the Role Flora and Fauna Have Played in Our Collective Cultural Past

From modern tales like The Princess and the Frog, through to ancient literature in the form of The Epic of Gilgamesh, humans have...

Campaigners Launch Petition for Safe Active Travel Route From Sherwood to West Bridgford

13 May 22

Nottingham’s North-South travel route - stretching from Sherwood to suburban West Bridgford - is notoriously geared towards motor vehicles, with safety concerns and pollution deterring many wishing to use more environmentally friendly options. As a result, campaigners have launched a petition this week calling for a dedicated safe route to make it safer for those. Catherine Mayhew, one of the locals behind the calls, explains why it’s so important…

No Mow May - How to Help Notts Wildlife Whilst Doing Less Work

02 May 22

East Leake Hedgehog Highways Founder and Adult Social Care Worker Holly Dance found that the best way to keep her garden in good shape was not to do very much at all. At the outset of No Mow May 2022, she tells us about how mowing less and gardening for nature can bring wildlife home.

How Incredible Edible Beeston Are Helping to Tackle Climate Change and Bring the Community Together

12 April 22

In the face of widespread isolation and individual feelings of powerlessness over climate change, and where the supermarket food we eat often comes from far-flung places long out of season, local movements are springing up to fill in the gaps and restore balance. Christina Geggus investigates one such magical group - Incredible Edible Beeston - and finds shoots of hope and community growing in unlikely places…

Going Places: Sustrans’ Clare Maltby on Walking and Cycling-Friendly Cities

30 March 22

Since the pandemic hit, getting around on our own steam - whether that be through walking, cycling, scooting, or skating - has seen something of a renaissance. This goes hand-in-hand with an increased awareness of our human need for access to green space and the ongoing climate crisis. With infrastructure popping up to support this trend, and various schemes hoping to help communities get on their bikes, our Environment Editor Adam Pickering had a chat with Clare Maltby - the Nottingham-based Director for the Midlands and East region at leading active travel charity Sustrans - about the work the charity’s doing to make it easier for people to get around in environmentally friendly ways, creating healthier communities, and breaking the car habit.

6 of the Best Sustainable Fashion Stores in Nottingham

20 March 22

With fast fashion brands now jumping on the environmental bandwagon, how can we really tell which clothes are actually sustainable? Emilie Mendham explores…

We Hear From Four Notts Minds Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet

17 February 22

With our universities and businesses starting to come up with innovative and exciting methods for protecting our planet, Nottingham now finds itself at the forefront of the fight against climate change. We hear from four local minds who are helping to lead this fight…

Notts Goes Green: Challenges and Opportunities For Heritage Buildings

09 February 22

Nottingham City Council's Carbon Neutral 2028 plan has spurred many local businesses toward going eco-friendly, but what does that mean for our heritage buildings such as those in the historic Lace Market? Becky Valentine, Co-Owner and sustainability lead at property management company Spenbeck takes a deep dive into the issues

We Went to Nottingham's First Commercial Indoor Farm to Talk Mushrooms and Microgreens

08 February 22

Set up in August 2020 in a burst of furlough-fuelled “why not?” entrepreneurialism, Nottingham Vertical Farm, based in Carlton, is the city’s first commercial indoor farm. We talk to Will Glass, one half of the duo behind the business, to ask about their journey so far and how their approach can benefit both the environment and food security…

Two Notts Creatives Discuss the Future of Ratcliffe-On-Soar Power Station

18 January 22

Architectural Designer William Harvey and artist Ryan Boultbee, two creatives obsessed with the built environment, discuss the uncertain future of Ratcliffe-on-Soar (R-o-S) power station - that’s the big’un, with the giant cooling towers, that you can see dominating the landscape on the approach to Notts…

New Pop-up Project Offers Space for Creative Ways to Tackle Climate Change

17 December 21

The Green Light in the City project aims to offer a space for learning, fun, and discussion around environmental issues...

Meet the Nottingham Barbers Offering Wellbeing Walks to Their Customers

15 December 21

Adam Pickering talks to Aretê’s Josh O’Callaghan and Matt Dryden, the high-end barbers taking their safe space out into nature with their open wellbeing walks…

Meet the Team Behind the Hustle Holt - Nottingham City’s First Miyawaki Mini Forest

08 December 21

The project will create new homes for native spaces of insects, birds and animals to thrive in...

"When you have community, you have hope." How Notts Campaigners Saved Mature Trees in Newark-On-Trent

08 December 21

When the council planned to cut down four mature trees in Newark-on-Trent, the local community stepped up to save them. Emma Oldham, one of the movement’s campaigners, tells us all about it…

Ambitious Plans for New Broad Marsh Site Unveiled

07 December 21

Heatherwick Studio and the Greater Broad Marsh Advisory Group have revealed the new vision for the area...

We Join Blue Barrel Cider for a Day of Scrumping In St Ann’s and a Chat About the Importance of Keeping Things Green

20 November 21

Made with fruit from mostly forgotten orchards, Blue Barrel Cider might be one of the most eco-friendly drinks on the market. Our Adam Pickering joins Leo Jordan, one of the creators of the beverage, for a day of scrumping out in St Ann’s and a chat about the importance of keeping things green…

We Headed to COP26 in Glasgow to See Whether the Climate Change Conference was a Success

16 November 21

Climate change conferences might seem lofty to most, which isn’t surprising when it’s an issue - or set of interlocking issues - far bigger than any individual can fully understand. But did the world’s “greatest problem-solvers”, as David Attenborough put it, come together and crack the puzzle of the century (maybe ever), or did self-interest and fossil thinking rule the day? LeftLion’s Environment Editor Adam Pickering travels to Glasgow to see whether COP26 is much cop, or not.

Photos: COP26 Protest in Nottingham

12 November 21

Meet the Former Corporate Crew Setting Up a Regenerative Eco-Tourism Hostel in Colombia

10 November 21

After living the corporate life in London, West Bridgford lads Stefan Harling and Sam Price, along with Colette Phillips from Somerset, set off to Colombia and bought a piece of land surrounded by rainforest on which to build a regenerative eco-tourism hostel - La Ponderosa. Our Environment Editor Adam Pickering speaks to Stefan and Colette about their journey, whether tourism can ever be eco-friendly, and their crowdfunding campaign to finish the job...

Have you seen the Nottingham Clean Champions around town?

30 October 21

No ordinary neighbours, Nottingham’s Clean Champions volunteers are helping to keep your city clean. These modern day Wombles give up their spare litter picking all over the city in the hope of tidying up Nottingham and changing our approach to rubbish...

Why Nottingham Crocus Volunteers Are Aiming to Plant More of These Iconic Flowers Around the City

27 September 21

Michael Krawec, founder of the Nottingham Crocus Volunteers group, delves into why planting more of these iconic flowers will add a bit of colour around the city and help locals reconnect with their natural heritage…

How Nottingham Is Working Towards Becoming Carbon Neutral by 2028

18 September 21

Thanks to its love of solar panels and electric transport, Nottingham has become the UK’s most energy-self-sufficient city. That’s a title we are dead proud of, and we are always trying to improve and expand on what we’re doing – so much so that Nottingham City Council has recently launched a campaign to make the city carbon neutral by 2028. So, how has Notts painted itself this lovely shade of green?

How Magpie Brewery Is Working to Improve Its Sustainability

29 August 21

Craft brewers are not only leading the way in terms of producing top quality beer, but also producing this beer in responsible ways. We talk to Gavin Morrison, Director and Head Brewer at Magpie Brewery, about how the industry is making progress towards becoming more sustainable...

Nottingham Trent University Launches New Sustainability Project Supporting Notts SMEs

04 August 21

With the launch of an ambitious new programme of support for SMEs in Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University (NTU) are hoping to do their bit towards a clean transition to a net zero economy. We talk to Programme Lead Kate Ling about what they’re doing to help businesses, and hear about their recent volunteering day at Summerwood Community Garden…

The LeftLion Sustainability Review

01 July 21

At the beginning of 2021 we began a sustainability review across the whole LeftLion operation, because we want you to be confident we’re doing everything we can to face up to the climate crisis. We want to have as little negative impact on the environment as possible, and we’re committed to working towards a future where we have a net positive impact.

Confetti - Your Future

Environment