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CLEVER Cities London team has implemented the Making Space for Nature (MSFN) programme in Thamesmead since 2018 to improve green spaces and to test the benefits of NbS, which are co-created with local communities. For the last five years, hundreds of events have been organised in cooperation with local residents and groups to make Thamesmead a greener and happier place.

The MSFN programme in June has been full of outdoor activities with guided nature walks by local artists, community gardening, biodiversity volunteering, and creative writing workshops. This month's Nature Forum is co-organised with a wildlife charity, Froglife, to raise awareness about a local conservation project, the London Blue Chain, which aims to install new ponds and wildlife corridors stretching 50 miles from the Thames all the way across six eastern London boroughs. The MSFN has also partnered with North West Kent Countryside to implement a volunteering programme to support Peabody's Biodiversity Action Plan in Thamesmead. Thanks to the guidance of this action plan, a stronger local ecosystem will be created by connecting habitats for the benefit of wildlife and people.

We are also happy to announce that the MSFN Community Fund is back! The grants are open to residents, charities, schools, and local groups who want to transform Thamesmead's green spaces or initiate their own projects to help people better connect with nature. The grants are available from £200 to £2000, and the application deadline is the 10th of August. Find out more here.