Communities Fund has provided £168 of match funding
Help Build a More Resilient Hounslow
Hounslow, England, United Kingdom
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Aim
Help us prepare communities for heatwaves, wildfires, flooding and emergencies by building a borough-wide community resilience network.
Who are we, and what is our project about?
We are C-Change West London, a grassroots, community-led charity working alongside local people to build stronger, healthier and more connected communities.
Born from the legacy of the Heston West Big Local programme, we have deep roots in Hounslow and have supported more than 5,000 residents, working with children, young people, families, older residents and some of our borough's most disadvantaged communities. Our approach is simple: we listen to local people, build trusted relationships and work together to create lasting change.
Our project, Connected Resilience: Hounslow Together, is about helping our borough prepare for a changing world.
This summer has been a wake-up call.
Extreme heat and increasingly unpredictable weather are showing us that climate change isn't simply a problem for the future. It is something our communities need to prepare for today. Some neighbourhoods in Hounslow are particularly exposed to heat and flood risk, while existing challenges such as low incomes, health inequalities, housing insecurity and isolation can make it harder for people to prepare for and recover from emergencies.
Last year, C-Change West London went directly into communities across Hounslow to find out how prepared people really were. We delivered 12 community resilience workshops, four youth resilience sessions and wider outreach, engaging more than 300 residents across areas including Feltham, Hanworth, Heston, Cranford, Isleworth and Bedfont.
We listened to older residents, young people, families, community groups and businesses. What we learned was clear: there is more we need to do.
Many residents had never created a household emergency plan or considered evacuation routes. Older residents spoke about isolation and what would happen if they needed help. Some local businesses had never considered how flooding could affect their premises, stock and livelihoods.
Now we want to build on what we started.
Working alongside the London Borough of Hounslow and the Mayor of London's London Resilience team, and through this collaboration with the Aviva Foundation and Crowdfunder, we want to create a stronger community resilience network bringing together residents, voluntary and community organisations, faith groups, businesses and local services. C-Change West London has been selected as the eligible Community Resilience lead for Hounslow through this programme.
Our project sits within the Climate Action funding criteria. We will focus on helping communities understand and prepare for climate-related risks, particularly extreme heat and other emergencies, while creating stronger connections between the people and organisations that can help when our communities need them most. This directly reflects the programme's requirement to strengthen locally led community resilience partnerships while taking action on climate resilience.
Because resilience isn't really about plans and policies.
It's about people.
It's about your home. Your family. Your children. Your neighbours. Your business. Your livelihood.
And it's about knowing that when something happens, our community is ready to look after one another.
Why are we crowdfunding?
Whether you're from Heston or Cranford, Brentford or Chiswick, Isleworth, Hounslow, Hatton, Feltham, Bedfont, or anywhere else across our borough, this is your community.
These are the places where we live, where our children grow up, where our families and friends live, where businesses employ local people and where communities come together.
And we want Hounslow to be ready for the challenges ahead.
Our previous project showed us that relatively simple conversations can make a real difference. Following our workshops, residents reported taking practical steps such as creating household evacuation plans, identifying safe exit routes, discussing emergency plans with their children, preparing basic emergency supplies and thinking about vulnerable neighbours who might need additional support.
Now we want to take that learning across Hounslow and turn awareness into action.
The money we raise will help us:
- build and grow a Hounslow Community Resilience Network, connecting grassroots organisations, residents, businesses, faith groups and statutory services;
- deliver practical community workshops and activities around climate resilience, extreme heat, emergencies and preparedness;
- identify and work with communities that may be particularly vulnerable during extreme weather and other emergencies;
- develop local Community Resilience Champions who can become trusted sources of information and support;
- bring communities together for practical "What If?" conversations and scenario-planning activities, helping people think through what they would actually do during an emergency;
- improve communication between communities and local services so trusted and accurate information can reach people quickly;
- support grassroots, community-led resilience activities across Hounslow; and
- help ensure that the voices and experiences of local people continue to influence Hounslow's wider emergency and resilience planning.
Our previous work showed the importance of trusted local organisations acting as a bridge between statutory agencies and communities, particularly for people who may be isolated or less connected to traditional sources of information.
This is about preparing today, rather than waiting until an emergency happens tomorrow.
Additional funding will also help us strengthen Hounslow’s natural environment and local biodiversity as part of building longer-term community resilience. This could include supporting community allotments and local green spaces, encouraging residents and young people to take part in practical environmental activities, and helping communities understand the important role that nature and biodiversity can play in adapting to a changing climate. We also want to develop an accessible Community Resilience Education Pack for local residents, families, schools and community groups, providing practical information on climate resilience, extreme weather, protecting local green spaces and simple steps people can take to make their homes and neighbourhoods more resilient.
Creating opportunities for local young people
The programme will also create volunteering and development opportunities for young people across Hounslow, enabling them to play an active role in building more resilient communities. Young people will be able to gain practical experience through community outreach, environmental activities, workshops, events and resilience projects. This forms part of C-Change West London’s wider participation → volunteering → employment pathway, helping young people build confidence, skills and experience that can support their progression into future training and paid employment.
How we'll spend the money raised
Every donation will help us turn community resilience into practical action across Hounslow.
Depending on the final amount raised, funding will support areas such as:
Community workshops and activities – delivering practical climate resilience, emergency preparedness and awareness sessions across Hounslow.
Community Resilience Champions – recruiting, training and supporting trusted local residents and community leaders who can share information and help their communities prepare.
Grassroots community action – supporting community groups to develop locally relevant resilience activities, events and "What If?" discussions based on the needs of their neighbourhoods.
Hounslow Community Resilience Network – bringing together community and faith organisations, residents, businesses, the voluntary sector and statutory partners so that we can plan, communicate and respond more effectively together.
Community engagement and outreach – reaching residents across the borough, particularly communities that may be more vulnerable to extreme weather and emergencies.
Climate resilience activities and resources – helping local people understand risks such as extreme heat and flooding and the practical steps they can take to protect themselves, their families, neighbours and communities.
Project coordination and delivery – the people, resources, venues, communications and essential running costs required to coordinate this work effectively across the borough.
Our previous programme demonstrated the value of workshops, community champions, localised activities, scenario discussions and grassroots engagement, and this new project will allow us to build on that foundation.
How you can help
There are three simple ways you can help us build a stronger and more resilient Hounslow.
1. Make a donation
Every contribution matters.
Whether you give £10, £25, £50, £100 or more, your support can help us reach another community, start another conversation and help more people become prepared.
If you're a local business, employer or someone fortunate enough to be in a position to give more, we'd particularly welcome your support.
2. Spread the word
You can make a difference even if you can't donate.
Share our Crowdfunder with your friends, family, neighbours, colleagues, customers and wider networks.
If you're a local business, school, faith organisation, community group or employer, please help us reach the people in your networks too.
The more people who hear our message, the stronger this campaign can become.
3. Volunteer your time or expertise
Community resilience belongs to all of us, and we'd love local people and organisations to become part of this journey.
Whether you can contribute your time, professional expertise, local knowledge, business connections or simply your passion for your neighbourhood, we'd love to hear from you.
Please contact us through the Contact section of our project page using the subject "I want to volunteer my time or expertise."
This is our home. This is our community.
Climate change and extreme weather won't affect every person in the same way, but preparing for them is something we can do together.
From our children and families to our older neighbours; from our smallest community groups to our largest local businesses, we all have a part to play.
The Aviva Foundation will match your donation, meaning your support can go twice as far. For example, if you donate £10, Aviva Foundation will add another £10, turning your £10 donation into £20 for our project.
Aviva Foundation can match fund up to £25,000.
By giving today, you can double your impact.
Help us make Hounslow stronger, safer, more connected and better prepared for the future.
Please donate today, share our campaign, and be part of a more resilient Hounslow.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 23rd October 2026 at 1:37pm