My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered UK entity and has a London-based address.
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions
1
First Name
Last Name
Pronouns
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Initiative Title
Breathe: Breathing life into north Westminster with Dance and Activism
Lead Organization Name
Paddington Development Trust
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
1997
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
www.pdt.org.uk
Initiative Stage
Idea (You have a solid concept and are hoping to get started in the future)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Children & Youth
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
Social media and online platforms are currently inspiring many young people to dance, using it to share ideas and create communities. Harnessing this phenomenon, we will use dance at a local level to turn a tide on obesity, while activating passionate young voices protesting the air pollution blighting north Westminster. Dance is physical: bodies need to be strong and fit to express its language. But it is also deeply creative and narrative and has the potential to inspire and tell stories. Grand Junction, local schools, youth clubs, and dance groups will come together using dance to take a stand against the air pollution choking a generation of young people. Inspiring speakers at our Climate Salons will provoke thinking and debate, strengthening local youth voice in this area. Ideas then spark moves; debate leads to choreographies to express the learning. These choreographies, polished over months of work, are presented as part of a large-scale outdoor performance on Westbourne Green. A trail leads the audience from one dance piece to another along the canal-side, culminating in a mass flashmob with up to 150 young dancers moving in time, expressing frustration at slow progress on cleaning up the air they breathe.
Challenge Focus: What topic does your initiative most directly relate to?
Climate action through awareness and engagement
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
Grand Junction sits at the heart of large housing estates in the deprived Westbourne ward, north Westminster. Four of seven LSOAs rank in the top 10% most deprived nationally (IMD 2019), bringing significant educational and social disadvantage for young people. Overcrowded housing is common, and north Westminster has fewer green spaces than many parts of London, contributing to high air pollution. For local young people, many already engaged with us, this results in three key challenges: 1. Rising obesity and low fitness levels, driven by socio-economic disadvantage and limited access to green space. Teachers report growing concern, while green areas are increasingly viewed as unsafe due to anti-social behaviour. 2. Poor air quality: 100% of Westbourne breaches WHO guidelines. With just two public green spaces and the Westway cutting through the area, health is impacted. Asthma rates are among Westminster’s highest (5.1–6.3%) compared to more affluent areas such as Bayswater (3.2%) and Little Venice (3.7%). 3. Limited awareness of climate change amongst young people and it's direct links to the local area. Our two-year Junior Climate Champions programme shows many young people begin with little knowledge or engagement.
Your approach: How are you addressing the problem outlined above? How are you using the power of sport and physical activity to build awareness, shift behavior, and enable sustainable participation for all in response to the climate crisis? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
At Grand Junction and PDT, we are always inspired by a challenge: how can our unique skills meet Go!London’s call to innovate while serving local young people? Grand Junction is not a sports centre, but we specialise in high-quality dance, growing a weekly class since 2023. Dance is powerful physical activity — building fitness, creativity and teamwork through choreography. We have seen young people who do not engage in traditional sport find their route to movement and confidence through dance. Through TikTok and social media, dance now captures a wide cross-section of young people. Dances are learned, shared and go viral — moving from screen to playground. Dance has become accessible, relevant and a powerful shorthand for building community identity. We believe we can harness this energy to communicate a compelling climate message. But how do we make climate change resonate in a community where apathy exists? The answer came when we confronted the stark reality of local air pollution. Make it personal. Rising carbon emissions, poor air quality and lack of green space are not abstract — they are affecting young people’s health here and now. The fight for the future becomes local and immediate. Over a year, school and youth groups will explore this issue and create original choreographies inspired by it. Through “Climate Salons” they will deepen their understanding and share work digitally. The project culminates in an outdoor performance beside Grand Junction, introducing the air pollution theme to families and peers — spreading awareness while celebrating the power of physical activity and community spirit.
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
We will begin with community-led consultations at Grand Junction and in local schools, including our existing Dance for Girls group. Young people will shape the programme from the outset — telling us what they want, how it should work and how they wish to be involved — ensuring a genuinely youth-led approach. Local partners will be embedded from the start, with planning sessions involving Paddington Arts, Hillside Performing Arts and Amberley Youth Club to build insight, collaboration and shared ownership. Once groups join the nine-month programme, they will work with professional dance facilitators to learn and co-create original choreography exploring the climate issue of air pollution — a challenge that directly affects their health and daily lives. High-quality artists will inspire participants, build confidence and sustain engagement, while also upskilling youth workers and teachers to strengthen creative practice and leave a lasting legacy. Four Climate Salons — talks and panel discussions — will deepen understanding of air pollution and its wider climate links. A youth programming panel will co-design these events alongside our Climate Coordinator. All participants will be invited; sessions will be filmed for wider access. Young people’s voices will be central, with Q&A and dialogue shaping discussion. Insights from the Salons will feed back into weekly sessions, informing reflection and choreography development. The programme culminates in a flash-mob performance on Westbourne Green. The dances and messages will belong to the young people, professionally supported to create an inspiring public moment. By the end, participants will be more confident, physically stronger and empowered to engage with climate action.
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in raising climate awareness, shifting behaviors, or reducing environmental impact or harm? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had¡, and/or what impact do you envision having in the future?
This project has the potential to impact through a step-change in engagement levels with climate issues amongst young people, and a new local passion for dance. The key to success is local groups working to the same end to create a community spirit and purpose. With up to 10 groups taking part, 150 young people will be fitter and stronger, and have cemented long-term passion for moving. 95% of these young people will report that they plan to continue with dance at the end of the project. The same 150 young people will be passionate about speaking out about local air pollution issues and will continue this campaigning beyond the lifetime of the funded project. 80% will report that they intend to continue campaigning in some way on the issue. The organisations and schools taking part will have seen the impact that both dance and climate activism has on their young people and will commit to similar projects in the future. 75% will report that they feel more confident to run similar projects themselves in the future. An audience of other young people, families, and local people will have seen the performance. Themes of air pollution will have been raised and more local people, including young people, will feel connected to the issue. 50% surveyed in post-show evaluation will report that they would like to learn more about the issues and to join a local campaign. Our Climate Coordinator will use the performance as an opportunity to recruit inspired audience members as Junior and adult Climate Champions, for our Dance for Girls classes, as well as gathering signatures for a local air pollution petition. This will build on some of the recent successes of the already recruited Climate Champions such as adopting a section of the canal to re-wild for the community.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
Combining dance and climate justice with young people is innovative and has not been explored in our local area. In North Westminster, poor air quality is a pressing climate issue, directly affecting how young people breathe & exercise. By linking climate justice to health, fitness, creativity and community — core priorities at PDT — we are well placed to deliver a youth-led creative dance programme with impact. We are based near Notting Hill Carnival, and many local young people take pride in Carnival arts, outdoor performance and community celebration as expressions of activism and visibility. This project will harness that heritage and channel it towards campaigning on climate issues, connecting cultural pride with environmental justice. Dance and performance will amplify young people’s voices, sending a clear message to the community and council about air quality and climate justice, while improving participants’ fitness, strength and wellbeing. Our ambition extends beyond the live project. A high-quality film documenting the journey and final performance will maximise reach and influence, enabling us to engage Westminster Council leaders and wider government audiences through a compelling youth-led narrative. The Climate Salons will create an interactive, non-traditional learning space where young people can explore climate issues safely and creatively, with their ideas valued. The final public performance on Westbourne Green will further innovate by engaging the wider community through a vibrant, accessible arts event — something the Green has not hosted before. The legacy will be a strengthened passion for dance, increased awareness of air pollution, and upskilled youth leaders, teachers and practitioners able to deliver similar projects.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
The lead partner will be Paddington Development Trust, as a joint project between the internal teams of Grand Junction and Health and Climate. PDT will oversee the programme, including budget, space hire, hire of dance teachers and choreographers, artistic planning and recruitment of young people. Grand Junction’s Young People and Families Manager has strong links with schools, youth hubs and local organisations. She will also oversee safeguarding and wellbeing of all freelancers and young people. PDT’s Community Climate Action Project Lead has strong links with climate partners and local organisations, the Westminster Council climate team, as well as running a team of 26 local volunteers and 20 Junior Climate Champions (already held at Grand Junction). She also holds existing salon nights locally, hosting a variety of speakers at events designed to open access to climate education, and will oversee expanding this. Grand Junction’s Creative and Community Director will be responsible for reporting, licensing and relationships with the council around temporary events notices for outdoor performances and oversee the budget. We are in conversation with the below partners to provide groups of young people who are passionate about dance and who commit to taking on the project. 1. Amberley Youth Club 2. Paddington Arts 3. Hillside Performing Arts 4. Dream Arts 5. Westminster Academy 6. Paddington Academy 7. St Mary Magdalene, Ark Atwood and Edward Wilson – three primary schools adjacent to Grand Junction 8. Dance for Girls group at Grand Junction 9. The Place Dance school, Euston. 10. Westminster City Council – City Lions: Is WCC’s youth department, working borough wide to engage young people. They will help to raise the profile of this dance programme with key links to climate.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your organization up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
While our plan for this project is rooted in our local area and its need, the issues that affect our young people are replicated across many parts of London. If we establish a successful model with this project, there is huge potential to roll similar projects out London-wide. In this context, the film as documentation will be incredibly important. This will also the approach and its ethos to be communicated to wider audiences, supporting future projects across London. Sharing parts of the development and final performance on the internet and social media, as appropriate, has potential to gain wider interest. That the culmination is the performance, also supports raising awareness and visibility for the programme. We will invite Westminster’s Leader of the Council, who is also our local ward councillor, and our supportive local MP Georgia Gould. Through getting engagement at this level we will be well positioned with influential advocates should a future life for the project be sought.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/ to grow.
April – June 2026: Through peer feedback and support develop programme detail. July – September 2026: Consultation period with local schools, youth clubs, and other partners to gain young people’s feedback on the programme, developing its detail through an iterative process. Other youth workers and teachers input will also be highly valued. September – October 2026: Confirm and contract all partners. Produce marketing material to support all partners to recruit for the project, including an inspiring video that can be shared by all. Also recruit and contract all the artist-facilitators to deliver the project during this time. November – December 2026: Term 1 of the project begins with 5 sessions in autumn term. Climate Salon 1 takes place. January – March 2027: Term 2 sessions delivered, with 10 sessions this term. 2 x Climate Salons take place. April – June 2027: Term 3 sessions delivered, 10 sessions per term, with 2 x extra day-long rehearsals before performance. 1 x Climate Salon early in the term. June 2027: Performance takes place. July 2027: Final film edited and evaluation process completed.
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details (LINK).
We would need funding to cover additional staffing costs for young people and families manager and climate action coordinator to attend the capacity building workshops. We would also need a small budget to pilot a short version of the workshop model in order to gain more young people’s voices into the programme and time to build deeper relationships with partners to establish stronger connections and secure their commitment to the programme. We would also need some time for the Creative and Community Director to reach out to dancers and film makers to get creatives onboard and to film a short promotion video to help to boost interest in the project. We would also run a series of consultation sessions across our local area to ensure our programme ideas respond directly to the needs and interests of local young people. The costs would, therefore, approximately look like: Young People and Families Manager, 5 days @ £200 per day: £1,000 Climate Coordinator, 5 days @£200 per day: £1,000 Workshop facilitator for 5 pilot workshops @£175 per workshop + 1 planning day @£200: £1,075 Workshop assistant for 5 pilot workshops @ £80 per workshop: £400 Space hire for 5 pilot workshops @ £100 per session x 5 = £500 Creative and Community Director programming time @£250 per day x 2 days: £500 Facilitator for consultation session at £150 per session x 10 + 1 planning @ £200: £1,700 Refreshments/pizza for consultation sessions @£100 per session x 10: £1,000 Promo film created from footage from pilot workshops & talking heads & other dance and climate footage created by professional film maker: £1,500 Direct project costs total: £8,675
If you selected “Other”, please specify below.
