Next week, I will be hosting part of the London National Park City Gathering including the Greener, Healthier & Wilder London – The London Mayoral Hustings will be held on Leap Day: Saturday 29 February 2020, from 10.30am to 4.30pm at the UCL Christopher Ingold Theatre, 20 Gordon Street, Bloomsbury, WC1H 0AJ.
The most important part which I’m in charge of is the hustings event with London Mayoral candidates where you’ll be able to ask them questions about how they’ll make London greener, healthier and wilder.
These NPC gatherings bring people together from every borough across London: Across interests, skills, experiences, problems solved and “What Ifs?” made a reality.
It’s a celebration of the whole of London’s great outdoors: from big projects transforming places alongside tiny, quiet, local successes by hard-working, imaginative, caring people.
All these drive London as a National Park City.
Greener, Healthier & Wilder London – The London Mayoral Hustings
11.30am to 1pm Hosted by ME!!
With these Mayoral candidates:
• Mandu Reid, Women’s Equality Party – confirmed
• Shaun Bailey, Conservative – confirmed
• Siobhan Benita, Liberal Democrat – confirmed
• Sian Berry, Green – confirmed
• Sadiq Khan, Labour – invited
• Rosalind Redhead, Independent – confirmed.
• Rory Stewart, Independent – confirmed.
Gathering
• Throughout the day, there’ll be a chance to watch and listen to a variety of speakers and performers who will explore ideas and topics from the point of view of those making a difference in their local community. Arrive thinking “What If?” and leave thinking “Why Not?!”
• There’s a chance to network with new and existing contacts on bringing London National Park City alive in 2020.
• You can give your feedback on London National Park City plans for 2020 beyond, including our brand new National Park City Rangers programme and share your ideas on how we can make London a better National Park City

On Stage
There will be other presenters and speakers but the Hustings is the main events. They include:
• Kabir Kaul’s Rewilding London Together – Designed and introduced by Kabir, hear young people’s perspectives on how we can make London wilder together. Kabir Kaul is a 14 year old conservationist and wildlife writer, passionate about protecting London’s biodiversity. He has created an interactive map, ‘Nature Reserves of London’, and has been featured in several publications, including the Big Issue, Evening Standard and the Guardian. He is an ambassador for the Cameron Bespolka Trust, and an RSPB Youth Council member. Hear from young people from:
• Action for Conservation
• Cameron Bespolka Trust
• and more to be confirmed…
• Flourishing Diversity – By creating a platform for wisdom traditions, the Flourishing Diversity Series seeks to inspire appreciation and support amongst Western leaders and the public for the vital role Indigenous people play in resisting ecological collapse. We can all be Flourishers.
• EPIC (Every Person is Capable) – People from different cultures, backgrounds and ages come together to engage in positive urban arts. Expect some surprises.
• Time and Talents – More than a Party – celebrating community outdoors. For 133 years, T&T has been working to make sure that nobody is left out. This presentation will feature outdoor fashion and creativity.
• CycleSisters – Cycle Sisters is a thriving Muslim women’s cycling group based in Waltham Forest. Formed in October 2016, it now has over 50 members and volunteer ride leaders.
• May Project Gardens – Hip Hop Garden – an award-winning CIC, working across South London to address poverty, disempowerment, access to resources and influence. Working with marginalised groups, mostly young people, people of colour and refugees, using what we consider universally connecting tools – nature, food and creative arts – for social change.
• Plogolution – How plogging can transform communities – Once upon a time, not so long ago, two friends sat down and moaned about the state of the world and the barrage of plastic and rubbish blighting our rivers and oceans. But what could two people do?
• Forest & Family – Walking The [nature] Talk. Forest & Family run outdoor nature connection experiences for urban families in London.
• Greg Packman – Life and work amongst the trees of London
Bring along your group
Why not invite along the other members of your local group?
Tickets
So please come along, there will be high demand so please only book the sessions that you will be attending to allow others a chance to attend as well. Tickets are free.
Attending
Doors open at 10:30am for a 11:00am start. Please try and arrive with some time to spare so we may start on schedule as we have a lot to fit in during the day! We will have activities and information to share beforehand.
There will be a lunch break.
Accessibility
Accessibility – There is step free access all the way into the theatre, and space within the venue allocated for wheelchairs. Please see the guides on accessable.co.uk:
For the theate – See here
For the overall building including main entrance – See here
5 National Park City Commitments and 99 ideas for the next Mayor of London
We asked our network for ideas to put to the mayoral candidates and we have produced 5 top asks and 99 What If ideas on how the next Mayor can make life in London better. You can read and download them all over on our IDEAS page.
Want to be help run or be part of the Gathering?
Do you want to take part by speaking or organising an activity or talk? Can you help out in other ways? Tell us at [email protected] if you want to help with a talk, an idea, an event or providing a location to host.

See you there!!

Ebs
xxx