A Bromley charity is hoping to launch a first-of-a-kind Community Green Hub to promote the principles of a sharing economy and a more sustainable lifestyle.

The community hub is set to be located in The Glades Shopping Centre, and hopes to serve as a blueprint for future hubs.

This first locally-run green hub aims to support members of the public in discovering, learning, sharing and acting together on climate change.

It will house a Library of Things – where people can borrow useful items – rather than buying new for every home.

It will also host interactive displays, workshops and events, provide a community fridge, and offer opportunities for other community organisations to engage with sustainability.

Local community members who want to return to the labour market will also be able to carry out work experience at the hub.

Greener & Cleaner (G&C) is set to partner with local businesses and community groups to ensure its success.

A team of trained volunteers will be on hand to share information on topics from waste disposal and recycling to biodiversity, green finance, reducing consumption, and changing habits.

Bromley mum-of-two and G&C Founder Parisa Wright was recently invited to speak to an audience at COP26 about the UK Sustainability Hubs project, sharing plans for the Bromley shopping centre pilot.

She is excited to see the launch of the first Community Green Hub and hopes that “providing a mainstream space for people to meet and learn more about sustainability and environmental impact will prove to be hugely beneficial”.

Parisa said: “Over the last three years, this model of peer-to-peer advice and support, the sharing of stories and experiences and of providing a non-judgemental safe space for people to come and ask where they can start or how they can continue to make a difference to their environmental impact has gone really well.

“We’ve empowered thousands of families in South London to change their habits, and become a bit greener, often saving them money in the process, and often improving their mental and physical health.

“We really believe that our Community Hubs project will simply expand on that. We want to make sure that this is part of mainstream culture.”

Clare Searle, Chief Strategy Officer at G&C, said: “Many people only feel able to take action when it seems simple, they can easily access and understand the information, or there are people around to support them.

“We want to help those people who feel they cannot make an impact or don’t know where to start.

“Our aim is to create a community discussion around making the best choices for ourselves and our planet.”

The group's sustainability hub has been supported by The Glades’ owners LaSalle Investment alongside the local council, and if successful, will serve as a pilot and blueprint for sustainability hubs in other shopping centres across the country.

Behavioural science data will be collected from the Bromley pilot hub, focusing on the most effective community engagement methods that have created tangible changes in homes and beyond.

Data will be used to draft blueprints for future Hubs, and will also help councils with community engagement.

Funding of £270,000 and donations towards the project have already been secured, and G&C has raised more than £30,000 with local fundraising over the past three months.

It is hoped that the Bromley Hub pilot will open in the New Year.

If you’d like to donate to G&C’s fundraising campaign, click here.