SEM’s CEO Maxwell Ayamba was invited by the NPC to a House of Lords policy reception at Westminster hosted by Baroness Young.

It was about how charities can campaign in the run up to the expected general elections to prioritise issues of the environment on the agenda. Baroness Young of Labour who was created a life peer on 4 November 1997, spoke about the need for charities to promote the importance of the environment considering the ongoing climate crisis saying grassroots environmental charities had an important role to play in ensuring that Government environmental policies are made accessible and communicable to people in local communities especially in relation to the ongoing climate crisis.

Baroness Young was very keen to hear about the great work SEM was doing among ethnic minority communities to raise awareness on environmental issues especially climate change and air pollution.

Maxwell explained to Baroness Young that due to the strategic position of the organisation working successfully with ethnic minorities led to the charity being recognised by the NPC, and is currently contributing to the NPC’s newly launched “Everyone’s Environment”.

He said; “SEM was involved in discussions on how the Everyone’s Environment programme can be communicated to the ethnic minority groups that the charity works with to ensure they are part of ongoing efforts aimed at addressing environmental issues within these communities.”

Find out more about the Everyone’s Environment programme.

Read the Everyone’s Environment paper on Ethnic minority communities and the environmental crises.

SEM’s CEO Maxwell Ayamba was among a number of guests invited to speak at a careers day event organised by Bank End Primary Academy School on 30th November 2023.

The school pupils were interested in the environment and how they can take action in times of climate change but also how to pursue a career in the environment. The pupils asked Maxwell how he got into the environmental sector and what motivated him to speak about the environment.

Being a predominantly white school, the pupils were excited to see a Black man working to raise awareness about the environment in a sector that is all white, and were curious about the work SEM does to engage young people into the environmental sector.

SEM is supporting the South East Asian Community Organisation ROSHNI with outdoor gear and equipment to facilitate and promote the culture of walking among women who though are keen to walk in the countryside and green spaces but find it difficult due to financial constraints.

Maxwell said, “Although there’s a drive to promote the Government’s Green Social Prescribing initiative of people being involved in activities in the outdoors with the view to improve health and wellbeing, especially their mental health, nonetheless, people from ethnic communities are unable to participate in green activities without the proper outdoor gear or kit.

He noted that it’s one thing advocating and sign posting people by GPs to undertake green activities but there also the resource issue. Maxwell argued that it is easy for people who are privileged not to see this as a barrier however, it is a serious structural constraint among the groups we work with especially considering elements of the weather. He went on to explain that not until these structural barriers are addressed access to our Natural Health Service as he describes it will become exactly the same as faced by ethnic minorities regarding our National Health Service.

The ROSHNI representative said most of their clients struggle to get descent outdoor gear and kit which militates against venturing into the greater outdoor spaces or ability to participate in gardening. She said; “SEM has been supporting ROSHNI to facilitate the exposure and engagement of its clients to access green spaces and the countryside”. She cited, for example, how the women who had participated in residential weekends organised by SEM have not stopped talking about their first lived experiences attending a residential since arrival in this country staying in Youth Hostels at Lose Hill Hall in the Peak District National Park and the Lea Green Centre, Matlock.

Fifty ESOL students from the Sheffield College take part in SEM’s outdoor learning activities at Whirlowhall Farm.