Starbucks, in collaboration with Hubbub, has invested over £500,000 to create or rejuvenate 100 community green spaces this summer, within a 2km radius of a Starbucks café, providing essential access to nature in the heart of the local communities.
The network of outdoor spaces aims to help people in the communities relax, invest in some quality time as a group, and come together to enjoy arrays of activities including plant-growing and sharing, outdoor theatre, yoga, and live music. Each hub is publically accessible, and activities within the spaces will be promoted to customers and the local community through their local Starbucks stores.
Starbucks stores are going above and beyond just the initial funding – they donate used coffee grounds to help create healthy compost, and encourage their employees to volunteer to give back to their local communities.
The initiative provides a response to the striking finding uncovered by the survey conducted by environmental charity Hubbub – that while 81% of individuals experience a significant improvement in wellbeing by spending time in nature, more than a third of people in the UK currently spend less than an hour a week in nature.
The Nature Hubs Fund builds upon the collaboration cultivated between Starbucks and Hubbub over the six-year endeavour. This past May, long-time charity partners of Starbucks, Hubbub and NHS Charities Together, revealed the next phase of The Greener Communities Fund. This initiative focuses on enhancing green spaces within hospital grounds, aiming to boost the physical and mental well-being of NHS patients, staff, and nearby residents. Following a fruitful first year with ten projects in progress, the three partners have announced that eight additional hospitals will receive funding over the next two years. The Nature Hubs Fund continues this vital mission to improve access to nature across the UK, creating 100 public green spaces where people can gather, connect, or simply enjoy nature.
Alex Rayner, General Manager at Starbucks UK, said:
“Since the beginning, Starbucks has been about more than coffee. Everyday across the globe, our partners support the communities in our stores and the neighbourhoods we are a part of. Starbucks UK Nature Hubs marks a new milestone in our aim to contribute positively to every community we serve, helping to transform local areas into vibrant green spaces that bring people together in nature. I am grateful to our partners for bringing them to life and can’t wait to see the joy and benefits they bring to our communities.”
If you want to get involved, whether it be by visiting, supporting, or volunteering at your local Nature Hub, a map of all the Nature Hubs across the UK can be found here.
