Last Friday marked the latest in our series of Playstreet Car Free Days that have been taking place across London over the past 12 months, at these events the roads are temporarily pedestrianised and given over to the children to have a party.

The Playstreet events are targeted at the most polluted schools in London with the hope that the temporary road closure may encourage a permanent road closure to cars. Following these events some councils have already taken the decision to close the road to traffic with during peak hours and some are hoping for a complete ban on cars directly outside the school.

The report from the Guardian last year there are over 800 schools in London that are within 150 metres of nitrogen dioxide pollution levels that exceed the EU legal limit of 40µg/m3 (with schools almost twice the legal limit).

For these Meristem provide Parklets with seating and large variety of trees and shrubs. We also provide garden games and some horticultural exercises, getting children to grow their own herbs from seed, to help teach about the benefits of plants for people and the environment.

These events complement our wider schools initiative, where we provide a holistic service that includes our green screens, planting and also workshops on horticulture and botany - where we aim to influence the next generation to be as passionate about plants as we are!

We have also teamed up with Mums for Lungs, Car Free Day and Playstreets to run a series of presentations on air quality initiatives to council staff, councillors and other organisations across London.

London has been an innovator for these events, and they are now beginning to be replicated worldwide, from Amsterdam to Addis-Abbaba.

This event was organised and funded by Westminster Council.

If you have a school that would like to host a Playstreet please contact us