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BLOOMING IN A COMMUNITY GARDEN NEAR YOU Matt Wilcock (06–13)
SUSTAINABILITY AT DULWICH COLLEGE
I am the proud founder and CEO of Leaves Breathe, a social enterprise created from my belief that everyone deserves access to high ‑ quality green space close to their home. Since founding the organisation in 2020, I have focused our efforts across London Zones 1–4, particularly in communities where funding is limited and the need for nature is greatest Leaves Breathe has grown from a lockdown passion into a dedicated professional team of five. Together, we support nearly two dozen community sites across London including council estates, playgrounds and elderly housing blocks. Our operating model, summed up in four words, Blitz, Beautify, Community, Handover, guides the transformation of neglected outdoor spaces into vibrant gardens. Through Corporate Social Responsibility volunteer days, the team leads groups in creating ‘secret sanctuaries’, planting for pollinators and establishing new wildlife habitats in areas where green space can make a profound difference. The impact of this work is both immediate and deeply felt. For many elderly or vulnerable residents, these gardens become essential spaces for wellbeing, offering connection, tranquility and renewed pride in their surroundings. All profits from Leaves Breathe’s sessions are reinvested into the communities they serve, funding further gardening expertise, planting projects and engagement events. Last year I returned to the Junior School during Eco Week 2025. It was a surreal and brilliant full-circle moment, standing in front of pupils who were just discovering the joy of
gardening, the same way I once had.
Despite the frosty weather, the students threw themselves into everything: pruning safely, learning propagation and layering techniques, planting bulbs and herbs, and understanding how each small action supports biodiversity. Watching them prepare soil with such care and position each plant so thoughtfully reminded me why I fell in love with this work in the first place. As they left the garden, many were already hoping to return in spring to see what their efforts would become. That hope, that quiet anticipation for growth, is something every gardener carries. It was inspiring to see it spark in them so naturally. Eco Week was a meaningful reminder of the power of connection: to nature, to community, and to the younger generations who will shape the future of these landscapes. Leaves Breathe started with the simple goal of helping people reconnect with green spaces. Now, whether I’m working with a corporate team on an estate in Kennington or planting herbs with pupils in the Junior School garden, that goal stays the same. One garden at a time, I get to watch communities and people, breathe a little easier.
At a leading event focused on design, development and sustainability of ewducation environments, the College was awarded with ‘Independent School Project of the Year 2025’, recognising the commitment to embedding sustainability across the College. The recent completion of the Raymond Chandler building was key to this. This building is a net zero building in construction and operation, encompassing a total of 570kg CO2/m2, which successfully falls below the Net Zero Carbon requirement of 600kg CO2/m2. We have been recognised as one of the ‘Best of the Best: Green Initiatives’ in the Week’s Independent School Guide. The judging panel said: “Sustainability infuses every aspect of life at Dulwich College. In April 2025, three solar-PV arrays supplied 30 per cent of the school's electricity, while the new DC ‘Free Swap-Shop’ lets staff exchange furniture, stationery and household items, encouraging a circular economy and slashing waste. Pupils drive change, too. In February, Year 6 students curated displays linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, spotlighting issues from plastic pollution and fast fashion to homelessness and proposing practical solutions. Building on that momentum, two Year 13 pupils organised a sustainability conference that drew peers from across London to share ideas. Through its buildings. culture and student voice. Dulwich College is inspiring future green leaders”.
The College has a team dedicated to improving all aspects of sustainability. Here they reflect on some of our recent projects that have achieved recognition beyond the College gates. Sustainability is integrated throughout the College, from infrastructure changes to student-led initiatives. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and by setting short, medium and long-term goals and have set an ambitious target of leading sustainability within the education sector. These goals are intended to help manage our carbon footprint either directly or indirectly and in particular seek to reduce our greenhouse gas or ‘Scope’ emissions’. With the aim of achieving net zero by 2045, we have set short-, medium-, and long-term goals to work towards. We are particularly proud of the Dulwich College Solar Project which won the Energy Efficiency Project of the Year at the 2025 Energy Managers Association (EMA) award ceremony. The award recognises Dulwich College’s solar photo voltaic (PV) installation of September 2024. The estimated annual generation of this installation is an impressive 412,000 kWh which has reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 80 tonnes per year. As a consequence the college is now 20% less reliant on the national grid. The Laboratory and Lord George Buildings both feature solar panels with the Laboratory in particular featuring solar arrays on all available roof spaces.
leavesbreathe.co.uk matt@leavesbreathe.co.uk
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