As we step into a new year, we’re gearing up for an exciting 12 months with lots of things to look forward to! From new projects to fun fundraisers, the calendar is filling up already and we can’t wait to share it all with you.

At this time of year, when the mornings and evenings are still dark, planning fun things and looking forward to what’s to come is a great way to stay motivated. Thankfully, lighter evenings are on the way, and the start of a new year is always a good time to face challenges with a new perspective. Check out some of the exciting things coming your way:

The Gardeners House opens

In Spring 2025, we will see The Gardeners House in Morrab Gardens open, and we will move in to work to create a Community Green Hub! We are super proud to be a delivery partner on the project, which will celebrate the heritage and landscape of West Cornwall. Using its history to inform the present and shape a better future.

The Gardeners House is about cultivating our relationship with the natural environment, and through that supporting our mental health and wellbeing. There’s a botanical archive, sensory garden, storytelling project, workshops, events and more. We will be running our own events and projects from the building and creating a Community Green Hub to support local environmental and community action. We’ll also run specific activities for the Gardeners House and contribute to a living archive, recording the community’s story as we face up to the impact of climate and ecological breakdown.

Keep an eye on our website and socials for updates and check out the whole project here.

Newlyn Greenways launches

Following the successful launch of Penzance Greenways in September 2024, the team here at Sustainable PZ has landed extra funding to launch Newlyn Greenways in 2025.

If you haven’t heard about it yet, Greenways connects us to the network of footpaths and green spaces in and around the town, with a beautifully illustrated map. It’s a great way to leave the car at home and discover pockets of nature that we might usually miss, making those everyday journeys more planet-friendly.

The project also shines a light on the amazing network of paths locally, some of them ancient, that we want to keep in use or bring back into use for future generations. Keep your eyes peeled for more information in the weeks ahead. Get more info here. 

Schools get active

In January we’ll hold our second Schools Symposium, for every school in Penzance and Penwith College. Bringing together young people of all ages and staff, to create cohesive change. This year will see the launch of our School Action Plan, which was written at last year’s Symposium, and focuses on pulling together all the brilliant work already being done in schools to tackle climate and ecological crisis, as well as climate anxiety.

The Action Plan launches alongside a new digital Schools Hub, where schools can access all our free workshops, training, kits, networking and resources. We’ll still continue to run our Plastic Free Schools, Microplastic Monday and Captain Banplastic workshops. Joining them and our Future Vision workshop will be a host of new activities based on our ten themes. Plus, the start of our young people’s action group and forum (Still to be named by Penzance’s next generation!)

One cup for one town

Building on Plastic Free Penzance’s festival cup amnesty for Penzance & Newlyn RFC in 2024 and all the work we’ve done with Golowan to reduce single use plastic cups, we’re working on a new project to really nail down refill cups at town events.

We know lots of people probably have several festival cups sitting in their cupboards at home, but all each of us really needs is one. That’s why our new campaign to tackle single-use plastic cups will aim to encourage venues and locals to use just one cup for all town festivals and events.

We’ll be announcing more information on how this trial is going to work soon.

Transport projects will start to be delivered in town

Through 2024, we saw a number of consultations underway for Penzance around projects which are aiming to make key areas of town (such as Market Jew Street and Greenmarket) safer and more accessible for cyclists and pedestrians.

With the consultations now closed, we’ll be looking forward to see the results of those conversations, and the delivery of those projects, across Penzance in 2025.

You can see more on the Town’s Fund page here

Fun fundraisers to look out for

It’s a big year for Sustainable PZ, with lots of projects to deliver throughout the year – and we need your help making it happen.

That’s why we’re hosting a number of fun fundraisers through 2025 for our work to help create a resilient town for the future. Every penny we raise goes straight back into the community of Penzance, with people, place and planet-first projects and initiatives.

To kickstart 2025, we’ll continue our Winter Film Nights, as well as host an ‘I love the 90s’ party on Valentine’s Day. For these events, follow our Facebook and Instagram pages for latest event updates.

Want to volunteer at an event or find another way to support Sustainable PZ? Read our blog on the different ways to get involved, right here.

Follow us for more news!

As we get stuck into a new year, keep following us on social media for key updates about projects and initiatives happening around Penzance and Cornwall in the coming months.

You can follow us on Facebook here. To follow us on Instagram, click here.