Inclusive Climate Action with Sensory Trust

28 May 2025 • 2 minute read

a group of people standing in a field doing warm up yoga exercises, casting long shadows on the grass
Students enjoying a warm up session before getting stuck in with tree planting

Collective Climate Repair is a UK-wide project that helps communities take practical, nature-based action on climate change. It focuses on using water and planting to cool local environments, while making sure everyone can take part.

Led by Sensory Trust, the project is a partnership with Trees for Cities, Edinburgh University, National Wildflower Centre and a network of community and environmental collaborators. 

Collective Climate Repair in action 

We caught up with Lynsey Robinson, Project Manager at Sensory Trust, who attended a recent Collective Climate Repair workshop that we held at Belvue Park last planting season with pupils from a special needs school.  

“The workshops have involved talking about how trees help to cool the planet, and are designed to be inclusive in their approach. This means everyone can participate and be part of the conversations. When working with children with autism and ADHD, it is important to ensure we have lots of ways to communicate so we can choose the most appropriate method in the moment. When doing practical activities such as tree planting, we work at the pace needed to complete the task and support individuals however they need.”

a child wearing headphones laying on the grass next to some freshly planted baby trees
Students explored using a variety of gardening tools and materials

Being outside in the fresh air planting trees is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon, and the young people who took part in the sessions had a great time. Our planting team showed the students how to plant whips (baby trees), teaching them the importance of mulching and watering the young trees.  

Many of the young people enjoy exploring through their senses and having the chance to participate in meaningful activities. The more they understand about the importance of trees and how they support positive climate action, the better they feel about being part of the solution.

Lynsey Robinson, Project Manager at Sensory Trust

3 children at a planting day talking to an adult volunteer at a table
Lynsey engaging with some of the young volunteers at one of our planting events

Climate action by all, for all

So how can organisations help make climate repair more inclusive? 

“Climate repair is critical for our future,” Lynsey tells us, “and it is important that everyone is included in that, it affects us all, so we all need to be part of the solution. From how you promote and invite people to your events to how you carry out the activities, every step needs to be considered from an inclusive viewpoint. Using a multi-sensory approach will help, and considering the pace and way people can take in information and complete tasks will enable you to offer something inclusive.”

a young person holding up a clod of soil
Planting trees is all about getting up close and personal to our natural world!

Thank you to our partners  

This workshop was delivered in collaboration with Sensory Trust as part of the Collective Climate Repair project. We’re grateful for the support of Heathrow Community Trust, whose funding helped make this inclusive climate action possible. 

Find out more about inclusive climate action through the Collective Climate Repair initiative, and an earlier project, Language of Nature.

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