Zero Carbon Guildford's 2024 Impact 🌍

Following our Annual General Meeting on 26th March, we’re delighted to share a wrap-up of an inspiring 2024 and what’s on the horizon for 2025. As always, we’re so grateful to everyone who has supported us - from our dedicated volunteers and generous donors to the brilliant community partners and residents who continue to shape the Zero Carbon Guildford journey.

2024: A Year of Growth, Action, and Community

Thanks to your support, 2024 was a transformative year. We moved beyond our physical space and deepened our impact through new partnerships, projects, and outreach efforts.

Key Achievements:

• 🧊 Community Fridge distributed 29 tonnes of surplus food to 13,000+ visitors, saving 73 tonnes of CO₂.

• 🧰 Library of Things relaunched in partnership with Guildford Library - 596 items lent and 9 tonnes of CO₂ saved.

• 🧪 Opened the UK’s first community-led E. coli water testing lab with Water Rangers and the University of Surrey.

• 💡 Delivered 868 home energy visits through the HEAT project, with insulation provided to 20 households.

• 🌿 Launched urban greening projects including green roofs and screens at local schools and centres.

• 💼 300 local businesses engaged via our Sustainable Business Network and decarbonisation training.

• Held 48 events and trained 83 people in climate communication.

• And - drumroll please - we raised £16,800 in our December crowdfunder. Huge thanks to all who contributed!

• We also grew our team with four new staff roles and over 100 active volunteers who collectively gave more than 3,000 hours to support our mission.

Looking Ahead: What to Expect in 2025

Our refreshed strategy, shaped collaboratively with our community, focuses on four pillars: Education, Community, Action, and Advocacy. Here’s what that means in practice for the year ahead:

• New Hub at Walnut Tree Close: Planning is well underway for our new base - a space to grow our work and welcome even more people in.

• Expanded Projects: We'll be deepening our work across food, energy, waste, travel, and biodiversity - including further collaboration with Guildford Environmental Forum.

• Stronger Advocacy: With a focus on local decision-makers and community voice, we’re ramping up efforts to create policy-level change.

• Inclusive Outreach: We’re committed to engaging a broader and more diverse range of people across Guildford, making climate action accessible to all.

Thank You

We want to say a huge thank you to each and every person who has supported Zero Carbon Guildford throughout 2024 - our volunteers, donors, staff, community members, and partners. We wouldn’t be where we are without you.

Your support powers everything we do - from saving food from landfill and testing local water, to helping households cut energy bills and building a stronger, greener Guildford for all.

Let’s keep the momentum going in 2025.

Read the full Annual Report below.

ZCG Annual Report 2024.pdf

Download PDF • 5.82MB