The South Woodford Society aims to build a stronger community, support local businesses and make South Woodford a better place to live and work. We have successfully completed Stage One of the Neighbourhood Planning Roadmap and have received funding for Stage Two - the start of the process to create the Neighbourhood plan which will underpin our core objectives to preserve local character, protect our green spaces and encourage growth in our business areas of George Lane and the High Road. We will champion local causes which improve or benefit the community and defend local services that are under threat.
We run regular litterpicks in the local area and communicate with our members and the wider community via email, social media and local press. We are in contact with local councillors, attend the South Woodford Safer Neighbourhood Panel and have established a business forum of local businesses. We have established the Refill Scheme in South Woodford and have planted a Community Orchard on a small green area for the use of all the residents.
Included in our regreening vision is a community composting scheme which will involve trial households collecting kitchen green waste to contribute to a central collection point. This will teach residents about composting and will reduce waste and recycling in the area. Also this will reduce the amount of commercial compost which often contains peat.
In conjunction with LBR's Action Plan for Climate Change we hope that our projects will raise awareness of climate change and help residents see what they can do in their own homes and gardens to help reduce pollution and increase the biodiversity of the area. The installation of a container with a green roof in a public space, and of a size "doable" in a domestic setting, will help residents see that this is a project they could invest in at home.