How a Southport mum is promoting climate action

Having worked in community development for around a decade, Nadia’s most recent contract had just come to an end when the Southport stabbings happened in 2024. Shocked by the tragedy and subsequent violence, Nadia and her mum decided to take action to bring the community together.

“Despite our town having an incredibly traumatic year, there’s a strong spirit of togetherness and resilience that shines through in Southport.”
Nadia, The Hearth CIC

Two women dressed in bright and flowing outfits have their arms round each other and are smiling - the sky is blue in the background

The Hearth CIC

Inspired by Southport’s proximity to beautiful beaches, nature reserves and farmland – and informed by her family’s expertise in green energy – Nadia and her mum, Rebecca Armstrong, formed The Hearth, a CIC delivering opportunities for people to participate in sustainable and nourishing activities.

Their mission is to promote climate action and social connections, ensuring that every individual feels valued and empowered. With word about The Hearth spreading around Southport, Nadia and a growing team of volunteers are now focused on developing a regular programme of activities.

A business network has already been established to bring together small and micro businesses with an interest in sustainability. Also in the works are sustainable crafting sessions, clothes swaps, mending workshops and even a sustainable fashion show, as well as future Great Big Green Lunches!

“Community is about the people that live around you, but it’s also the environment that you live in. We see that as an active member of our community. So in the same way that we would care for an elderly neighbour living nearby, we want to care for our green spaces, houses and community facilities.”
Nadia, The Hearth CIC

First on the agenda was an Earth Day celebration complete with free vegan food, virtual reality earth gazing, recycled t-shirt crafts and Forest School sessions.

Delighted by the response to this first event, and now supported by a passionate board of directors as well as a group of dedicated volunteers, Nadia set her sights on a Big Lunch to bring even more people together. A small pot of funding was secured from Sefton CVS, a Victorian shopping arcade in the town centre was booked, and before long, Southport’s Great Big Green Lunch, part of Great Big Green Week, was in the diary!

Determined to make her Big Lunch as sustainable as possible, guests were asked to bring along their own crockery, with spares sourced from charity shops, to reduce plastic waste. Nadia also reached out to her local Salvation Army shop to get hold of fabric that would have gone to landfill. Together with Jen, a local sustainable textile artist, Nadia set up tables and sewing machines in town and ended up with a group of about 15 women of all ages sewing together to turn old fabric into beautiful bunting.

When the big day came around, over 125 people joined in with a Big Lunch full of food, music and community spirit. The event was opened by their town crier, with music provided by Ukrainian Harmonia, a choir of Ukrainian refugees, Via Grace, a local singer, and Ion, a local busker who brought along his accordion.

Attendees were treated to a buffet donated by restaurants, supermarkets and attendees, with food on offer ranging from lasagne and biryani to pizza, sandwiches and a ‘Bake Off’ competition providing sweet treats for everyone to enjoy. Most importantly, Southport’s Great Big Green Lunch raised valuable funds for projects being led by the families of two of the Southport stabbing victims.

“We had such a positive response to our Big Lunch. People were happy something was happening for the community and said it felt like the old Southport, where everyone pitches in and you get a chance to talk to people that you’ve not really met before.”
Nadia, The Hearth CIC