Nature Together in Kempston

The Charter

Nature Together‘s intention was to nurture community connection through the development of a Kempston Environmental Charter by the community and stakeholders. Through the creative workshops and events we explored the following seven areas for the Charter:

• Access – find ways to improve access, remove barriers and help develop the community’s confidence
• Biodiversity – inspire people to care for greenspaces and waterway habitats that nurture biodiversity
• Climate action – take individual and collective action to tackle climate change
• Safety – enjoy our greenspaces safely
• Heritage – develop knowledge and share heritage
• Celebration – nurture community through outdoor events and celebrations
• Wellbeing – inspire people to care for greenspaces and waterway habitats that nurture our own wellbeing

By exploring these areas, we all have the chance to shape a cleaner, greener, safer, and more welcoming Kempston. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have thriving parks and green spaces, abundant wildlife, and a healthy river teeming with life? That way everyone can feel a stronger connection with nature, a sense of pride in their local area, and a shared responsibility for protecting the environment.

Next steps for the Charter

The Charter is created with the views and ideas shared by local residents, community groups, organisations, and public and environmental bodies through the Nature Together community arts project.

It represents our commitment to working together to improve and protect our natural spaces, support wildlife, encourage community action, and enhance health and wellbeing. Through collective effort, we can create a happier, healthier, and more sustainable future for Kempston and the generations that follow.

In the coming months, a set of charter actions is being developed to help make this vision a reality. If you are interested in contributing to these charter actions by joining the Steering Group, please email info@bedfordcreativearts.org.uk.

Nature Together Art Trail

The Celebration Art Trail was the culmination of our Nature Together in Kempston summer programme which creatively explored ideas for the Environmental Charter through community workshops and events. 

The Art Trail was a curated trail of artworks created by Kempston community groups and families with Anne-Marie Abbate.

The workshops were designed to engage residents from areas along the river, giving them a chance to express their connection to the water and contribute to a shared artistic celebration of the local environment.

Workshop participants were invited to collect and transform natural materials into a creative exhibition. The featured artworks were all inspired by the river and nature. 

Background

Nature Together in Kempston builds on our 2024/25 project River/Flow/Connect, which explored reasons why the Kempston community were disengaged from their riverbank.

Although many residents developed a deeper connection with the natural spaces around them during lockdown, consultations with residents and community leaders highlighted that the stretch of the River Great Ouse between the well-maintained Embankment and the wilder areas towards Bromham and Great Denham is less frequently used and in need of care.

By way of workshops, events and public artworks delivered as part of River/Flow/Connect, we made a start on deepening the local community’s connection to the riverbank. Through continued creative and artistic project delivery our aim is to open up a trail of artworks between these points that make the area feel loved, ‘levelled up’, safe and respected so residents can enjoy and feel proud of their part of the River Great Ouse.