LIVE + BREATHE

Lambeth and Southwark boroughs have some of the worst air pollution levels in London, exceeding WHO air pollution guidelines every year. Health impacts also fall disproportionately on communities of color and those from a challenging socio-economic background. In many instances these impacts are preventable, so we were tasked with raising awareness of air pollution within these impacted communities and empowering people to act.

We needed a clean air movement led by the people most impacted by air pollution. These voices needed to be representative of the community and speak to the local population. That’s why before developing a campaign plan, the community had an opportunity to share their thoughts through workshops hosted in the heart of Lambeth. We worked closely with the musician and activist Love Ssega to engage community leaders and young residents from the local boroughs to join in discussions and share ideas for raising awareness of air quality in their communities. 

The campaign invited locals to shout about the identity they’ve found in outdoor activities and the importance of being able to do them without compromising their health. Through out of home advertising, a digital campaign and multiple artist and community collaborations, we started to build salience and conversation locally. We also ran educational workshops with young people in the area and hosted a community event where we encouraged the signing of an open letter to local Councils.