Why we’re celebrating the International Day of Charity

International Day of Charity is celebrated on 5 September, which, according to the UN, was established to inspire and mobilise people to help others through volunteering and philanthropic activities.

At its core, it’s about creating a more compassionate, generous world for all beings, and as the countryside charity, we at CPRE know first-hand how essential this work is.

Our incredible volunteers power our movement and make the countryside a better place to live, work and enjoy. With a local CPRE group in every county in England, we advocate nationwide for the kind of countryside we all want: one with sustainable, healthy communities and available to more people than ever, including those who haven’t benefited before.

In celebration of International Day of Charity, today we’re reflecting on some of our recent campaigns, and looking ahead towards the future and our overall vision.

Previous successes

Alongside our supporters, community volunteers and citizen scientists, we’ve been working to highlight, restore and protect stunning landscapes and skyscapes. We have now completed three years of our ambitious Hedgerow Heroes project to restore and regenerate hedges around the country. Our national #40by50 campaign to increase hedgerow cover by 40% by 2050 celebrated a huge success in early 2023, when the government announced an official target to create or restore 45,000 miles of hedgerows by 2050.

Our 2023 Star Count event was also a success, with nearly 4,000 people taking part across the UK. The results showed that only 5% of people are enjoying the natural wonders of a truly star-filled night sky, and we used these findings to make the case for stronger local and national policies to tackle light pollution. In spring 2023 we presented our evidence to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, recommending that local authorities should have better legal powers to control light pollution through planning regulations. Watch this space.

The importance of access to nature

Last year one of our big focus areas was the importance of access to green spaces for all, investigated by our report on ‘Local Green Spaces’ (LGS), which highlighted that although the number of green spaces is increasing nationwide, “some of the most deprived parts of the country are still lagging behind”. We want to see compulsory standards for access to nature, so that everyone – including those in the poorest areas – can enjoy green spaces on their doorsteps.

To enable this vision, the significance of the Green Belt cannot be underrated. These areas of land surrounding cities and towns provide crucial access to the countryside for urban dwellers, but they are also at risk. Our ‘State of the Green Belt 2023’ report highlighted the very real benefits of the Green Belt for people, nature and the planet – when given the right care and investment. Currently, however, developers see these spaces only for their high profit margins, and often seek to subvert planning legislation in order to build on this valuable land. Our goal is to promote and protect the Green Belt, particularly in light of the government’s new vision for ‘grey belt’ land, and our future report on peri-urban areas will form part of this vision.

Outdoors for All

Of course, living close to a green space or Green Belt land doesn’t necessarily mean it’s simple or even possible to access. Earlier this year, we joined together with over 40 leading national governing bodies and environmental organisations to support an Outdoors For All manifesto, seeking to extend responsible access to more green and blue landscapes. We also asked people to share their experiences; from urban and rural dwellers, to those struggling to access their countryside next door, these reflections shine a light on what more we still need to do in this area.

Crucial campaigns

Our focus over the past few months has been on two major campaigns: rooftop solar, and rural affordable housing.

Since the general election it has been positive to see ambition from the new government to deliver clean energy on our rooftops. We’ve been calling for a rooftop solar revolution, which could meet around 60% of our solar energy target and a rooftop-first approach to solar is a win-win that helps protect the beauty of our landscapes and leaves space for wildlife and homegrown food.

More still needs to be done for rural affordable housing, however. At current rates of construction, it would take 93 years for the 300,000 people on social housing waiting lists in rural England to be offered a home. Added to that, in rural areas, levels of homelessness have increased 40% in just five years. Stories like Adeola’s highlight just how essential it is that immediate action is taken in this area.

Looking ahead

Our newly-elected president, Mary-Ann Ochota, guides us as we begin to look to the future: ‘We need urgent action to tackle biodiversity loss and climate breakdown. We need to secure a just transition for our farmers, land managers and rural communities. We need healthy, sustainable towns and villages with quality homes in the places people want to live. That’s what we’re working for. CPRE is a powerful movement. It points to what good looks like, championing the voices of local people and inspiring people to action.’

In the coming weeks and months, look out for a project to support new thinking on farming, as well as a new report on the importance of peri-urban areas in tackling the climate crisis.

And of course, if you’d like to show your support for CPRE, the countryside charity, you can become a member! Find out more here.