We Live and Breathe: Campaigning for better air quality with Love Ssega

This partnership aims to improve people’s health by holding local councils to account on their policies to address air pollution.  

Purpose are a storytelling and public mobilisation agency. They are working closely with Love Ssega – a musician and activist from South London – to engage people in Lambeth and Southwark on how air pollution affects their health and environment. 

We’re focusing on the people who are most affected by air pollution to make sure their voices are heard when demanding action.  

The partnership follows Love Ssega’s Airs of the south circular campaign in Lewisham, which demanded action to improve air quality around the south circular in London in the lead up to the Mayoral elections.   

The campaign will include activities such as: 

• An event, inviting communities in Lambeth and Southwark to join in outdoor activities, enjoy music and learn more about air pollution. The day will include a musical performance featuring Love Ssega, advocacy and activism workshops, and an opportunity to sign petitions calling for improvements in air quality.  
• An open letter: We’ll invite people to hold the Lambeth and Southwark councils to account on their manifesto promises for air quality and the environment.  
• A song and music video by Love Ssega, to raise awareness of the health effects of air pollution. 
• Speaking to young people about air pollution: Young people are one of the groups that are disproportionately affected by air pollution. As part of the campaign, Purpose will use TikTok, a channel that young people have told us is how they want to receive information to encourage them to think about their local environment. 
• Education: Purpose will develop educational materials for community groups and schools. 
• A website: Purpose will create a website to host information about air pollution, the campaign, and details about the event.  
• Street art and flyers, raising awareness of the health effects of air pollution. 

Aims of the partnership

By raising awareness of the health effects of air pollution – and campaigning for improved air quality – this partnership aims to improve health in Lambeth and Southwark. We want long term change to be representative of those whose health is most affected by poor air quality. 

Evidence shows people who are most affected by poor air quality are often unaware of how it affects their health. This includes children, older people, people with lung and heart conditions, and people living on lower incomes.  

We want to ensure people are aware of the issue and then equip them with opportunities to engage and act. This partnership will use a creative, local campaign to focus on two opportunities:  

• Short-term engagement that goes beyond awareness to equip communities with actions they can take to improve air quality.   
• Leveraging the 2022 local elections for longer–term change.  

Connection to our strategy

Amplifying the voices of people who are most affected by air pollution is a priority for our programme. This partnership is an opportunity to test some of the insights we’ve learned about how to engage people on the issue of air pollution. 

For example, through our work with The Social Innovation Partnership (TSIP) we learned that people who are disproportionately affected by air pollution want to be made more aware of solutions and ways they can get involved in solutions. 

We also know from research by Rooted by Design and DXW, which focuses on the air pollution alert system, AirText, that residents feel there is not enough information about air pollution in public spaces, and they want clearer and longer-term solutions for poor air quality. 

We’re proud to be working with Purpose and Love Ssega, an artist from South London who is passionate about using his creativity and platform to promote new campaigners and activists working to improve air quality.  

Impact on Urban Health is part of Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation and is independent of any political party or politician. Air pollution causes severe health outcomes throughout Lambeth and Southwark, and we believe that all political parties and councillors should be informed about – and aware of solutions to – poor air quality.