Kevin Peltonen-Messenger, CEO of The Care Forum, says:
“Hyperlocal and small charities across Bristol are uniquely placed to lead the way on climate action because they’re rooted in their communities and their needs. Whilst always respected, accessing funding and sometimes even knowing where to start along the journey of sustainability can be tough.
“By working with local students and offering free tools to support these groups to further their understanding of social value and net zero, we’re helping these groups take practical steps toward sustainability whilst supporting our local environment – without adding to their workload or costs.”
Why green impact matters for small charities
This Small Charity Week, we’re celebrating the power of grassroots action by spotlighting our green impact initiative – a collaborative project that brings together local students and hyperlocal community groups to explore meaningful, sustainable change.
Small charities are the backbone of our communities. But when it comes to environmental sustainability, many face barriers – limited resources, time, and expertise. That’s where our initiative steps in.
We’ve partnered with local students – future leaders in sustainability – to co-design practical, achievable pathways for small charities to reduce their carbon footprint. From energy use and waste reduction to sustainable procurement and travel, we’re helping organisations embed climate-conscious thinking into their everyday operations.
Free tools to showcase what matters
We know that demonstrating impact is just as important as making it. That’s why we’ve developed a suite of free-to-access social value tools to help small charities:
- Understand different types of social value
- Tops tips for writing social value responses
- Top tips for writing winning tenders
These tools are simple, intuitive, and designed with small organisations in mind – no jargon, no expensive consultants, just practical support.
Get involved
If you’re a small charity looking to take your first steps toward green impact or are interested in our ‘Understanding Social Value’ toolkit, email info@thecareforum.org.uk – we’d love to hear from you!