Linking people and the environment

Forth Environment Link (FEL) is a Scottish environmental charity, based in the Forth Valley, leading the way on connecting people and place on actions which make a positive response to the Climate Emergency.  We support more day to day journeys on foot or by bike; we encourage more local food to be grown and eaten in our communities; and we help increase the lifespan of our everyday items.  

Our Vision

Increasing opportunities and support for communities to live in a way that reduces their impact on our planet, improves their health and provides meaningful opportunities to share skills and knowledge.

Our Mission

We will put healthy people and a healthy planet at the heart of our work – and so address the whole climate agenda and get climate action projects which impact across the generations and reach all of our diverse communities.

Our Strategic Objectives

To deliver our ambition we focus on four main areas:

• Active Travel
• Food & Growing
• Reuse & Repair
• Volunteering

Our Activities

• We are community led – our projects, partnerships and priorities are shaped by and developed for the communities within which we work. 
• We value the planet and each other. This underpins everything we do. 
• We are enabling - what we do is practical, easy to understand and accessible to everyone.
• We are collaborative - we like to work in partnership because we believe we are stronger together. 
• We love new ideas; innovation is at the heart of our work and is what pushes forward new ideas that inspire change. 
• We are passionate about what we do and it shows in our work and in our team's activities.

FEL operates from multiple bases:  our main office is in Stirling’s Third Sector Hub, our Active Travel hubs are located in Falkirk, Stirling, Forth Valley Royal Hospital and Lornshill Academy (Clackmannanshire); and our Community hub is on Falkirk High Street.

Our History

FEL began as the Kippen Nature Club in 1989 with the aim of teaching children about biodiversity and nature.  In response to community need and interest, the organisation grew in both mandate and geography, expanding to include adult education and demonstration projects.  In 2005, Forth Environment Link - a company limited by guarantee with charitable status – was created.

In 2008 Forth Valley Food Links merged with FEL, bringing an additional focus on sustainable local food production and consumption.  In 2012 FEL took over the hosting of Cycle Stirling bringing a new cycling focus to our work and in 2013 Stirling Cycle Hub was formed to increase awareness and participation in cycling and cycling related activities in the area.