Why Join the NGAG?

Why Join Us?

Here are a few of the things we do: 

Formed in 1997, NGAG is a small charity with around 100 members and we are governed by a constitution. We have taken forward and achieved the physical regeneration of Newington Green, transforming the area and reclaiming a much-loved Green at the centre of our community. The work included the landscaping of the Green, narrowing roads, widening the footways, a new east/west access path and three new zebra crossings as well as the pedestrianisation of the end of Ferntower Road.

NGAG facilitated a cross-border public meeting to raise the concern of crime in the area, resulting in this Ward receiving the first Safer Neighbourhood Police Team in Islington. We continue to work with the Drug and Alcohol Team and Public Protection Unit.  We have represented the community over licensing hours of local public houses, deal with graffiti issues, and support local traders.

We have successfully pressed for the extension of the Newington Green Conservation Area (12) and a new Hackney Conservation Area (north side of Green). We spent 2 years working with the community to stop a supermarket coming to the east (school) side of the Green. The developer went to Appeal twice. We won.   We worked with Islington Council to achieve Green Flag status in 2006, 2007 and 2008. We also and won Green Heritage Site status in 2007 and in 2008 and were the first site in Islington and were one of only 31 sites in the country in 2007, that were given this prestigious award. We continue to liaise with English Heritage to obtain a blue plaque for one of our famous residents.

We publish our own postcards and seasonal cards to promote the considerable history of this area. In June 2008 we published The Village that Changed the World, a book on the considerable history of Newington Green by Alex Allardyce in celebration of the 350th anniversary of the oldest terrace of houses in England (52-55 Newington Green), the 300th anniversary of the oldest surviving Dissenters chapel in London (where Mary Wollstonecraft’s pew still exists) and 250 years since the arrival of Dr Richard Price at Newington Green.

Although we represent a small, local area, our membership is around 100. The more of you that support us, the more we can achieve, to maintain the regeneration of Newington Green.