Naturehood
A creative ecology programme rooting young people in the nature on their doorstep, building skills, confidence, and environmental agency through arts, culture, and community.
About
NatureHood x Westminster is a participatory arts and environmental education programme rooted in Westminster diverse communities.
Working along the Church Street corridor and the Grand Union Canal, we bring together young people, artists, and local organisations to reimagine their relationship with the natural world around them.
The programme sits within Cayr Charity's wider commitment to creative health and community development, believing that access to nature, creativity, and cultural life is not a luxury, but a right. NatureHood combines hands-on ecological arts practice with peer learning, international exchange, and pathways into creative careers.
This programme is designed to shift what's possible for young people living in one of London's most densely urban neighbourhoods, through nature, creativity, and genuine participation.
Our Aims
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Deepen young people's relationship with local nature, the canal, green corridors, and urban wildlife, as a foundation for environmental stewardship.
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Build artistic skills and confidence through high-quality, artist-led workshops that position young people as makers and cultural producers.
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Connect young people with peers, broadening horizons and fostering cross-cultural dialogue around shared environmental concerns.
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Create accessible routes into environmental arts practice, including a free online course available beyond Westminster to young people across the UK.
What’s On
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Art Workshop | Church St Library
Postponed - date tbc
Imagine, design and build the park of your dreams in this creative arts and crafts workshop. Use a variety of materials to design play spaces, nature areas and imaginative features that you want to see in your area.
Led by The Flourish Group
“The young people we work with are full of ideas about the world they want to live in. NatureHood gives those ideas somewhere to go.”
Project Timeline
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A Common London Story was a film and photography project celebrating the sites, sounds and cultures of Church Street, seen through the eyes of young people in the area.
Young people took part in a series of workshops to learn photography and filming skills, including storyboarding, interviewing and editing. They then curated an outdoor exhibition of their work along the Paddington Canal and created a film about Church Street, fostering community pride, connection and belonging.
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This spring, we delivered eight workshops for young people at the Triangle Gallery on Church Street.
Through pottery, origami, puppetry, patchwork and banner-making, young people explored environmental justice, collective care and their role in shaping the future of their area. We also held a community open day for members of the public to let us know what they love about where they live and activities they want to see happen in the future.
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We delivered watercolour painting workshops for young people at Lilestone Community Hub and Fourth Feathers youth club.
They mapped natural spaces in Westminster they’d been to, as well as those they’d never explored, and discussed what would help them visit. They then painted colourful landscapes inspired by photos of local natural spaces, including Regent’s Park, Violet Hill Gardens and Regent’s Canal.
Get involved
We're actively seeking partners, funders, and collaborators to help us grow NatureHood x Westminster. Whether you're a commissioner, a trust, or a fellow practitioner, we'd love to hear from you.
Supported by:
