Pitch for the Planet

Community-Led Action for a Greener Bolton

Pitch for the Planet brought together local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to celebrate practical environmental action in Bolton.

As part of the Bolton VCSE Eco Toolkit, the event gave local groups the chance to pitch ideas that would help their communities save money, reduce waste, grow food, improve local green spaces, reuse resources and take positive action for the planet.

The evening was full of energy, creativity and community spirit, with local organisations sharing ideas rooted in real places, real people and real need.

Watch the Pitch for the Planet video

A huge thank you to Headspace Bolton for producing the video and helping to capture the atmosphere of the evening.

Congratulations to the Pitch for the Planet winners

Eight local groups were awarded funding to bring their environmental ideas to life:

Be the Change Youth Project CIC – creating a wildlife habitat outside their new centre.
Resilience Bridge CIC – supporting community-led environmental action.
Khidma Ladies Community Group – helping women learn practical skills, use tools, reuse materials and upcycle.
Community Roots – supporting local growing, connection and environmental wellbeing.
Bolton Community Advice – helping communities connect advice, support and sustainability.
Belford Drive Area Residents Association – improving local spaces through resident-led action.
Bolton NEWT – protecting and improving local wildlife corridors and green spaces.
AspireHer CIC – supporting women and communities to build skills, confidence and opportunity.

Each winning project shows how environmental sustainability can be practical, local and community-led. The ideas funded through Pitch for the Planet will help people take action in ways that feel relevant to their lives, whether through food growing, reuse, nature, waste reduction, community learning or improving shared spaces.

Event Highlights

100% of respondents said the event inspired them to take action on sustainability or consider doing so.
90% said the event significantly increased their awareness of environmental action taking place locally.9
0% said they would like to be involved in future Eco Toolkit activities.
Almost every attendee felt the voting process was fair and inclusive.

One attendee commented:

“Thank you for an excellent event – well run, engaging, thought-provoking, inclusive, entertaining. It’s good to know that some brilliant projects will now be funded across the town.”

Building New Connection

One of the most valuable outcomes from the evening was the opportunity for people to meet, network and discover shared interests.

Participants highlighted:

Meeting new organisations
Exploring opportunities for collaboration
Learning about projects happening across Bolton
Sharing ideas and resources
Offering support to one another

As one attendee put it:

“The opportunity to network with other organisations and hear about the work being done by other groups.”

Another participant said:

“Feeling like I’m making a difference and meeting people from the community who really care.”

Community action at the heart of the Eco Toolkit

Pitch for the Planet is part of the wider Bolton VCSE Eco Toolkit, developed with and for local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations.

The toolkit is designed to make environmental sustainability feel accessible and achievable. It includes practical tools, checklists, templates, training and support to help groups take small steps that add up to meaningful change.

The event showed exactly why this matters. Bolton’s VCSE sector is already full of knowledge, creativity and commitment. Pitch for the Planet created space for that energy to be shared, celebrated and supported.

What happens next?

The winning groups will now begin developing their projects, with learning and updates shared through the Eco Toolkit.

We’ll continue to share stories, case studies and practical ideas from the projects as they grow, helping more organisations across Bolton feel confident to take their own environmental action.