Members of the Luton Health and Nature Partnership

As a Community Wellbeing Trust, Active Luton wants to make a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of its community. Active Luton runs sport and community facilities, and provides a wide range of high-quality programmes and activities, all of which enable local people to:

• participate in physical activity

• improve their health and wellbeing

• enhance their education and skills

• create career opportunities

Partner role: help with networking with healthcare professionals

Active Luton website

Inspired by the Incredible Edible movement, Edible High Town has been a community gardening group in the High Town ward of Luton since 2016. They look after 9 little patches on public land. 

They bring people of all ages together to: 

• create small gardens in public spaces

• get outside and meet their neighbours

• grow fruit and veg, and share the produce

• learn how to sow, grow, prune and compost

Partner role: provider of nature-based activities
Edible High Town website

Community and environmental charity Groundwork East is working across the East of England to change places and lives. Since 1985, they have been championing practical community action that benefits the natural world. They run programmes to transform unloved green spaces, and get people outside to enjoy the natural world. They also support businesses to reduce their environmental impact. They tailor their programme and services to the needs of the communities they serve. 

In Luton, they’ve been active for decades, and offer opportunities for families and adults to get involved. These include:

• gardening at Memorial Park

• nature conservation activities along the River Lea 

Partner role: provider of nature-based activities

Groundwork website and Eventbrite link

Sign up for the Groundwork East Luton and Bedfordshire newsletter

SIG Community Based Recovery Services (CBRS) Roots 2 Recovery Garden is an award-winning garden-based project providing a therapeutic growing space to reduce social isolation, and increase physical and emotional wellbeing for the most vulnerable people in Luton.

Roots brings people together, nurturing and growing friendships, not just vegetables. It helps people become happier, healthier and job-ready through various learning opportunities.

For many people, coming to the garden is their only time to socialise outside their accommodation, participate in activities independently and meet new people.

Regular attendees have lived experience, and joined Penrose Roots because they were experiencing or recovering from social isolation, trauma, mental ill-health, substance use, neurodiversity, homelessness, learning disabilities, abuse or criminal justice system history.

Partner role: provider of nature-based activities
Penrose Roots website

Luton Council's Parks and Countryside Service looks after Luton's public parks and natural spaces. It offers volunteering opportunities to help make our parks and green spaces more accessible, enjoyable and biodiverse. 

Participants can gain new skills and experiences with the the Conservation Volunteers and the Wardown Park volunteer gardeners. 

Partner role: provider of nature-based activities

Parks volunteering information on the Luton Council website

Apply to be a Luton Parks and Countryside volunteer

Luton Council’s sustainable transport team help businesses and local residents to make more sustainable transport choices. They’re advising the partnership on travel options to the volunteering sites. 

They want to:

• reduce carbon emissions

• create a healthier Luton by encouraging more walking and cycling, and use of buses and trains

Partner role: helping volunteers reach the work sites
Sustainable Transport website

Natural England is the government's adviser for the natural environment in England. It helps to protect and restore our natural world.

Its goals include: 

• connecting more people from all backgrounds with nature

• giving people better access to the outdoors and nature

• offering people more chances to enjoy nature and join in its recovery

• helping people gain skills to access nature, heritage and landscapes

In 2022, Natural England supported a programme of nature connection activities for Luton Library users. In 2023, it helped run a conference for local partners called 'Joining the Green Social Prescribing Dots'. In 2024, Natural England helped found the Luton Health and Nature Partnership. To better understand the impact of green community hubs, it has supported the development of the partnership's website in 2024/25. 

Partnership role: started the partnership with support and seedcorn funding

Total Wellbeing supports people living in Luton who want to improve their physical and emotional health. This includes: 

• social prescription

• stop smoking support

• exercise for managing long-term conditions

• managing weight with nutrition and physical activity

Partner role: help with networking with healthcare professionals

Total Wellbeing Luton website

The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire (BCN) was formed in August 1994. It is one of 46 independent Wildlife Trusts in the UK. Their purpose is to bring wildlife back, to empower people to take meaningful action for nature and to create an inclusive society where nature matters.

Their vision is of a thriving natural world, with wildlife and natural habitats playing a valued role in addressing the climate and ecological emergencies, and everyone being inspired to get involved in nature’s recovery.

Partner role: provider of nature-based activities and education
Wilder Luton website