Our Impact
We work across the East of England to create a fair and green future in which people, places and nature thrive. As part of the national federation of Groundwork Trusts we have been championing action that benefits the natural world for 40 years, running programmes to transform unloved green spaces, getting people outside enjoying nature, and supporting businesses to reduce their environmental impact.
In the 2024/25 financial year, we ran programmes and projects stretching in scope from food-growing competitions with primary schools to launching a nation-wide training programme focused on water scarcity. (plus over 100 other fantastic projects!) Below is a summary of our 2024/25 achievements.
We prioritise our work under three key themes of PEOPLE, PLACES and PLANET and we continue to support thousands of people across the East of England through our programmes and services, so to find out more about what’s happening near you visit our ‘What we do‘ page where you can view projects by theme or location.
We have summarised our highlights below and click on the button to view our full impact report that shows in depth how we monitor our impact based on the difference we make to the lives of people, communities and local environments.
Highlights
Groundwork East is the environmental charity with a green heart, putting people at the centre of everything we do. In 2024/25 we encouraged over 3,000 to make greener choices and trained almost 300 in carbon and water literacry – the latter as part of a national pilot of a new programme. We supported more than 800 young people to learn and achieve through activities focused on new sklils and the value of time spent outdoors.
I really enjoyed being part of a team where I got to speak to lots of interesting people. Working outdoors was a challenge, however, the team spirit made it all worthwhile. I would thoroughly recommend this brilliant project, it made a huge difference to both my physical and mental health!
Dan, Green Recovery project participant
In 2024/25 we improved 16,650 sqm of land and were active cross more than 1,000 sites, championing local green spaces, the use of which are proven to boost wellbeing and resilience. We work alongside local authorities, parish councils, the NHS, schools and comunity groups, with the belief that we thrive when we have regular opportunities to connect with the natural world.
The Business in the Community Norwich Place Programme has partnered with Groundwork East to deliver one of our strategic objectives; building a sense of community and local pride so people feel they belong and are supported. Groundwork East is uniquely placed to lead delivery on the ground, working with local people to listen to what’s important to them and bring communities together for the right reasons. Together, we are focused on creating long-term social impact and ensuring Norwich is a place where everyone can thrive
Tracy Drake, Head of Place – Norwich
Our final strand of activity brings together the work we do with individuals and within communities under the theme of planet. In 2024/25 we implemented 164 biodiversity improvement actions and nature-based solutions, directly addressing the causes and impacts of climate change accross the East of England. Together, these activities not only mitigate climate change but also help communities adapt to its effects, making neighbourhoods greener, healthier and more resilient.
Nature at Work reflects our belief that people and nature thrive together. By empowering schools, councils and local communities to care for their spaces in more sustainable ways, we are showing how biodiversity can recover, climate resilience can grow, and communities can take pride in greener, healthier places.
Groundwork East
Let’s not forget our own impact as a business, we are proudly committed to an ambitious carbon reduction plan and have already cut carbn emissions by over half since our 2019-20 baseline, well ahead of our own target. This progress comes from practical steps like closing under-used offices, switching to hybrid working, improving insulation, adding solar panels and introducing electric vehichles.
Cutting emissions isnt easy, and there’s still more to do. Click below to read about our steps for the next phase of our Carbon Reduction Plan.
THANK YOU
In 2024/25, volunteers and Green Team participants dedicated over 5,000 hours to our projects and programmes, resulting in a contribution valued at £84,000.
We are deeply thankful for the invaluable support we receive from our Funders, Partners, Volunteers and acrossour staff teams.
Remembering Gill Taylor
From Tree Officer to Operations Director.
Last year we said goodbye to our colleague Gill Taylor, whose career with Groundwork East spanned almost 40 years. Gill’s unwavering commitment played a key role in shaping the organisation and its achievements. Her influence endures in the work we do and she standards she helped set.
1964 – 2025
PROJECT PROFILES
