Ipswich Borough Council’s Environmental Protection team is supporting Clean Air Day 2025 on Thursday 19 June with a series of impactful activities aimed at raising awareness about air pollution and promoting healthier, cleaner air for all.
This week’s initiative is part of a broader campaign by the team to keep individuals and communities in Ipswich informed about air pollution and its impacts, and the steps they can take to make a difference.
Today, they hosted an information stall at Ipswich Hospital (pictured), featuring educational materials, interactive activities for children, and practical advice on reducing air pollution and personal exposure. An anti-idling event was also taking place at the hospital, encouraging drivers to switch off their engines when stationary to help reduce harmful emissions.
Earlier in the week, on Tuesday 17 June, officers delivered a webinar on air quality to healthcare professionals at Ipswich and Colchester hospitals. This event was organised and presented in partnership with Ipswich Hospital, Colchester City Council, Suffolk County Council, and East Suffolk Council,
Also on Tuesday, two of the team paid a visit to Castle Hill Primary School to give a presentation on air quality to 240 pupils there. This followed other ‘back to school’ days for them last month during Walk to School Week (19–23 May), when they joined morning assembly sessions at Cliff Lane Primary School, St Pancras Catholic Primary School and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School.
Meeting nearly 500 children at all three schools, they asked them to think about what they could do to help improve local air quality and make pledges to undertake these initiatives on Clean Air Day.
The officers also took the opportunity to do some anti-idling awareness work outside the school gates at St Mary’s and St Pancras, encouraging parents to switch off their engines when they are parked near a school for the benefit of the children’s health, and that of the natural environment.
“Air pollution affects everyone, but especially vulnerable groups like children, elderly people, and those with health conditions,” said Councillor John Cook, Ipswich Borough Council’s portfolio holder for Communities and Sport.
“On Clean Air Day we’re raising awareness of the vital work we do monitoring and managing air quality across the Borough. We’re also inspiring local people and organisations to take action that benefits both our health and the environment. All of us who live and work in Ipswich have a responsibility for reducing pollution in the air in our town.”
Councillor Lucy Trenchard, Ipswich Borough Council’s portfolio holder for Parks and Climate Change, adds: “It’s one of our five key Priorities to take practical and decisive action on the climate emergency and to become a carbon neutral council by 2030. We are already seeing small, but noticeable improvements year-on-year for measures such as greener transport, protecting and increasing biodiversity, and waste reduction and recycling. Alongside the hard work the Council is doing, every individual effort counts and contributes to reducing Ipswich’s carbon footprint.”
In addition, throughout this week of Clean Air Day, the Environmental Protection team has booked-in inspections of permitted industrial processes with local operators of cement manufacturing, vehicle respraying, dry cleaning, and unloading of petrol at petrol stations. These will ensure operators are complying with permit conditions that help to minimise emissions and improve air quality.
Clean Air Day, coordinated by the environmental charity Global Action Plan with support from Health Equals, is the UK’s largest air pollution campaign. This year’s theme emphasises that air pollution impacts us from our first breath to our last, urging individuals and communities to take meaningful steps toward cleaner air.
Plenty of practical advice on taking action against air pollution, at home and on the road, is available at: What can I do to help to Improve Air Quality? | ipswich.gov.uk