"People need to feel they can do something positive": Castlehaven Community Association on Great Big Green Week
In the heart of Camden, London, Castlehaven Community Association brings people together through community gardening, environmental workshops, film screenings, nature activities and shared green spaces.
For the past two years, they’ve also been part of Great Big Green Week – using the week as a chance to connect local people through positive action for climate and nature.
For Castlehaven, Great Big Green Week is about creating opportunities for people to come together, try something new, and feel part of something bigger.
A week of community action in Camden
Their first Great Big Green Week coincided with the launch of their “Shared Spaces” project in partnership with Camden Think & Do – a project designed to help local people take collective action through practical, positive environmental activities.
“We were part of a national movement,” explains Catherine Graham, Environmental Project Manager at Castlehaven. “It just seemed like a really good time to launch.”
After enjoying the experience so much, the team returned for Great Big Green Week 2025 with an even bigger programme of events.
Across the week, they organised citizen science walkabouts, community gardening sessions, family film screenings, litter picks along the canal, and a guided visit to Regent’s Park allotment garden. Many of the activities were designed to bring together different generations and communities across Camden.
“We try and do a lot of things intergenerational,” says Katherine. “We have so many different projects here with younger kids and older people. So it’s nice to provide those opportunities for communication and engagement.”
That sense of collaboration runs through everything Castlehaven does – not just with partner organisations, but within their own community too. One gardening tour brought together members of their over-60s programme alongside people involved in their environmental projects, creating space for people to share skills, stories and ideas.
Growing participation one event at a time
Great Big Green Week has also helped new people get involved long-term. One person who attended a wildlife gardening workshop during last year’s week is now a regular volunteer and has even helped design a new community garden space.
“You know what you’re getting with Great Big Green Week,” says Ollie, Environmental Project Coordinator at Castlehaven. “People can come and try things out, and then get more stuck in if they want to.”
Watch the short film below to hear from Catherine and Ollie about the activities they organised, why they take part, and what collective action looks like in practice in their community.
The team also highlighted how useful the Great Big Green Week resources and branding have been for smaller organisations and community groups looking to take part.
“The pack that Great Big Green Week provides is really useful,” says Ollie. “Especially for smaller environmental organisations, individuals, or groups of people that are curious to get involved.”
An opportunity for positive action with others
Looking ahead, Castlehaven hopes to help grow participation across the borough even further.
“It would be lovely to have Camden-wide Great Big Green Week,” says Katherine.
At a time when many people feel anxious or overwhelmed by climate change and loss of nature, Castlehaven believes local action and community connection matter more than ever.
“People need to feel they can do something that is important, that is positive, and also is part of collective action,” says Katherine. “That’s one of the great things about being part of Great Big Green Week - feeling we’re part of this collective action.”
Asked to sum up this year’s Great Big Green Week, the team chose words like “fun”, “collaborative”, “uplifting”, “positive”, “exciting” and “inspiring”.
And that spirit is exactly what Great Big Green Week is all about.
From community gardens and canal litter picks to family film screenings and intergenerational gardening tours, Castlehaven shows what Great Big Green Week looks like when a community truly makes it their own - and what becomes possible when people are given the space to come together for good.
Want to get involved in Great Big Green Week 2026?
