This year has been brilliant in the history of the Sheffield Environmental Movement (SEM) besides celebrating its 10 year anniversary with the community groups that it serves, SEM also continues to influence environmental policy in relation to the climate crisis and nature decline currently experienced by communities leaving on the margins of society who suffer most from the impact of climate change and also lack access to nature, by helping them access green spaces such as our national parks for psychological, mental and physical health reasons. People in these communities are known to experience poor health outcomes and making interventions that are practical would help to alleviate some of these conditions.
SEM ‘s work led to the organisation nominated for the 2026 National Park Protector Awards, ending as runner up or second best organisation as promoting access to national parks, receiving an award and a certificate.
The National Park Protector Awards Ceremony took place on Wednesday 14 October 2026 at the Houses of Parliament, where SEM was one of those organisations whose work has been recognised as most outstanding, going above and beyond in promoting access to our National Parks.
Dr Maxwell Ayamba BEM, CEO of SEM, said, “it was with great honour that the organisation has been recognised by the judges and the Campaign for National Parks (CNP) for its outstanding work and ongoing efforts and commitment to continue promoting access to national parks aimed at making interventions for the mental, emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing of people.
He noted how access to nature is important for people in these communities who suffer from mental health, anxiety, stress and depression due to various socio-economic factors.
Dr Ayamba said this award was an incredible achievement to motivate SEM further to continue working with people from the Global Majority who suffer from ill health due to living in very poor quality environments suffering from air pollution and conditions.
On October 29th, 2026 SEM was also invited by the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) to its Centenary National Awards celebration at the House of Commons. The awards ceremony was hosted by Baroness Barbara Young of Old Scone, Member of the House of Lords and Chair of the Forestry Commission.
Roger Mortlock CEO of the CPRE said in his forward in the booklet of the CPRE 100 Year celebration, “Protecting the countryside has never only meant saying no. It also means backing the people, places and ideas that it thrives”. The CPRE was set up in 1926 to protect the countryside from threats of their day and that is why it launched the Centenary National Awards.