Campaigning

The government and the NHS are working together to save the NHS. They have launched a consultation to find out what people think about the NHS and what needs to change. Read on to find out how you can take part and why it’s so important for the future of the NHS.

Maksim has asthma and was only nine years old when he first started campaigning for every child’s right to breathe clean air. He first got involved when his mum Julia helped to launch a successful battle to prevent the local council from building a car park next to his primary school in Manchester City Centre. Maksim, now 14, has become one of Asthma + Lung UK’s most dedicated campaigners for clean air since then. Here he tells us about his journey to joining the fight for clean air.

Our research reveals that many people with lung conditions are being diagnosed too late, misdiagnosed, or are not getting the right treatment, leading them to become seriously ill and in need of hospital care. We’re issuing a plea to our new government to tackle this urgently.

Last week, communities across England voted for their new Metro Mayors. Here in the Clean Air team at Asthma + Lung UK, we’ve been busy making sure that mayoral candidates understood the need to protect everyone’s lungs from toxic air. Read on to hear what we’ve been doing across the UK to keep the pressure on for clean air in our communities.

Road traffic is one of the leading sources of air pollution in the UK’s towns and cities, and urgent action is needed to clean up the way we travel. However, some communities are disproportionately affected by toxic air and are being excluded from policies designed to tack air pollution. Chloe from our policy team talks us through our new work with IPPR and Transport for All showing how clean air zone policies can be implemented to ensure no one is left behind.

On 2 May, communities across England will head to the ballot box to vote for their new Metro Mayor. Here in the clean air team at Asthma + Lung UK, we’re campaigning for mayoral candidates to protect everyone’s lungs from toxic air pollution.

This October, we hosted our first Birmingham Clean Air Community Conference. In partnership with the Clean Air Justice Network, the event brought together inspiring people from all over the city to fight for clean air. Maddy from the Clean Air Team tells us all about this fantastic day.

E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, can be a useful tool to help quit smoking, but they don’t come without risks. Laura from our policy team discusses the challenges of disposable vapes and what the government needs to do about them.

Ten-year-old Nancy, who has asthma, was delighted to go to No 10 to help hand in our petition calling for the Government to set up a Cleaner Travel Access Fund. Here she tells us what it was like going to Downing Street and why she wanted to support our campaign for cleaner air.

Respiratory care in the UK is in crisis. People with lung conditions are suffering – and even dying - needlessly. That’s why we’ve launched a new campaign to ensure people living with lung conditions get the care and treatment they desperately need. Our CEO, Sarah Woolnough, explains why we need to do more to get the government’s attention, and how you can help.

It may be easy to overlook the power of the humble bus but they’re a vital tool for cleaner air in our cities. There are major issues with Glasgow’s transport system that we urgently need to fix to tackle toxic air in the city. Maddy from the Clean Air team explains why the fight for better buses in Glasgow is a fight for clean air too – and how you can get involved.

Someone dies from a lung condition every five minutes in the UK. And millions more live with debilitating symptoms. Our new report, written with PwC, reveals the huge financial cost of lung conditions to the UK economy. It shows how increased investment in lung health research could lead to huge savings and increased productivity, and protect the future of the NHS.