Latest news
Graeae Theatre
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Our pay gap data: 2025
We collect data to be able to report on any pay gaps that might exist as part of the annual survey of trustees and staff, which helps us track progress on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within Esmée. This report looks at data gathered in 2025.
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Reimagining leadership in the environment sector webinar
Watch a webinar we held on 29 January 2026 with Common Purpose and Makani Cambridge, who have been leading work to reimagine leadership in the environment sector and promote a more diverse and equitable sector. You’ll also learn about next steps and how you can get involved.
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Overview of grant funding 2025
Overview of the grants we made in 2025, broken down by type of support, amount awarded, and by aim and funding priority. We also share success rates for applications in 2025.
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Updates to Esmée’s Board of Trustees
We welcome Harriet Manners, the great-granddaughter of Esmée's founder, Ian Fairbairn, as Trustee. We also share updates including the appointment of Professor Claire Alexander as Vice Chair of the Bard of Trustees.
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What’s needed for equitable and diverse leadership in the environment sector
In a guest blog, Azzam Al Kassir from Makani Cambridge shares reflections on the work they’ve been leading on with Common Purpose to co-design a leadership programme to support a more equitable and diverse environment sector, and why an ecosystem approach is needed.
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Esmée staff and Trustee diversity data 2025
Analysis from the 2025 diversity survey of Esmée Trustees and staff to help us track progress on diversity, equity and inclusion within the organisation.
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Learning from Esmée’s Blue Spaces programme: Webinar on 11 December
Watch a webinar we held on 11 December to explore learning from Esmée's Blue Spaces programme, which was established to support communities to take action to improve their local freshwaters.
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Blue Spaces: Working in partnership to improve local freshwaters in the UK
The Blue Spaces programme set out to support people and organisations to take imaginative approaches to looking after their freshwater environments. Read our report, which shares the collective learning of everyone involved – from the funding process to the different approaches of the 19 funded projects, and the learning programme co-designed with them.
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Blue Spaces: Reflections on youth leadership, trust and place-based funding
Thalia Papanicolaou from HUDL Youth Development Agency shares her insights into how the Blue Spaces programme unfolded - and why this way of working with young people created such meaningful change.
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