More than 170 charities and community groups awarded £1.5m climate change funding

More than 170 charities across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been awarded funding to support climate action projects.

The money has been handed out through the National Lottery Community Fund’s Together for Our Plant Fund and totals £1.53m.

Scotland

In Scotland, £1mis being shared by 112 charities and community groups for projects ranging from recycling schemes to community gardens.

This includes a £10,000 award to environmental charity Earth in Common to plan community workshops to promote climate action in Leith.

“Through this project we will deliver an exciting, enjoyable and educational range of green activities and learning opportunities in a festive atmosphere on our pioneering urban croft, with and for the people of Leith,” said Earth in Common chief executive Evie Murray.

Another is Repairs, Upcycling and Skills Training (RUST) in Renfrewshire, which will deliver wood work training workshops to repair items that would ordinarily be taken to landfill sites.

We hope those who take part enjoy learning new skills and become ambassadors for our charity and champions of sustainability,” said RUST co-founder Anita Carvalho.

Wales

Meanwhile in Wales, 34 community groups and charities are to share more than £300,000 through the Together for Our Plant fund.

This includes £10,000 award for Sirhowy Hill Woodlands Community Hub in Tredegar to develop a community hib around a tree nursery, community garden and woodland school for children.

“We are so happy to have received National Lottery funding for our community hub project, said secretary and director of the Hub, Susan Arnold.

“Somewhere where we can sow, grow and learn together, sustainably tackling climate change through producing wholesome local organically grown food, native locally sourced trees and where local youngsters can learn through play and fun to appreciate and value nature hopefully becoming its custodians in the future.”

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland 30 charities are to share £230,000 in Together for Our Plant funding.

Causeway Urban and Rural Network (CRUN) in Coleraine is among recipients. It will spend its £6,200 award to teach people to repair and upcycle clothes and to build furniture from items that were going to landfill.

“We also plan to work with local charity shops to sell the furniture or people can give it to friends or families, it really is for the collective good - saving money, helping each other and supporting the environment,” said CRUN project manager Ann McNickle.

Last November the NLCF announced that £382,000 had been handed to 45 charities through the Together for Our Plant fund, which was created to coincide with the UN Climate Change Conference, held in Glasgow.