Community groups across the county have been awarded a share of over £90,000 of National Lottery funding to deliver a diverse range of projects to help tackle the causes of climate change and bring multiple benefits to their local area.
The projects being funded include local food growing, waste reduction, low-carbon transport schemes, and community solar energy installation and connecting hydro power to the national electricity grid. A shared objective of all the projects is to highlight the actions that everyone can take to help prevent climate change and protect nature.
Castle Hill Trust, in partnership with Friends of the Earth will develop a community renewable energy facility at the Maryport Settlement aiming to become an exemplar project to encourage the local community to move towards more sustainable lifestyles and work with local businesses and organisations to raise awareness of climate change. Cath Gourlay from the Castle Hill Trust said ‘This funding will allow us to begin to realise our aim of introducing sustainable technologies to the Settlement to provide our own energy and reduce our carbon output. We aim to showcase the Settlement as a place where small changes can lead to mighty outputs.”
Renewable energy development will also be enabled by Botcherby Community Association in Carlisle with a grant of £14,400 funding a solar PV installation; and Heron Corn Mill will connect their existing hydro generation to the National Grid, selling on their surplus power and developing the project as a model of best practice and sustainability, integrating that into their education work.
Low-carbon transport will be the focus of two projects – one in Staveley and one in the Cartmel area. Sustainability and Energy Network in Staveley (SENS) will work to research low carbon visitor transport solutions in the Lake District and Peninsula Environmental Action Together (PEAT) have been awarded £7,000 to develop a sustainable travel network with engagement to young and older members of the community.
The Eddington CIC in Kendal have been awarded funding to support a Project Manager to continue development the of the centre, already home to the Waste into Wellbeing Café, as a sustainability hub. Director of the CIC Jo Haughton said “This funding will help to kick start our programme of activity working towards a collective vision with partners and the community of Kendal to develop and operate a sustainability hub – a ‘one-stop shop’ for climate action and inspiration – with Kendal Peoples’ Cafe at its heart. Our programme of activity will support and inspire people to transition to healthier, greener lifestyles in a warm, fossil-fuel free welcoming space.”
A new partnership of three groups in Penrith – Penrith Action for Community Transition (PACT), XR North Lakes, and Bluejam Arts – will build on the success of the Green Screen programme at Penrith’s Alhambra Cinema, recruiting young people to curate a film programme and speakers. Karen Johl, speaking on behalf of the partnership, said “We are excited to start work on The Green Screen Youth Project as part of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Youth Climate Action programme and are very grateful for the funding provided.”
Cumbria Clothing Collective which aims to reduce clothing waste through clothes swaps, repairs, recycling and responsible disposal have been awarded £6,500. Gail Gravett from the project said “This grant allocation will enable us to promote our mission to reduce Cumbria’s clothing waste one item at a time and to make a significant difference to how much clothing ends up being dumped in landfill over the coming years.”
Riversmeet, a network of small holders near Cockermouth, will use their £4,000 towards the establishment of an agroecological farming site to expand learning around sustainable farming through open days and taster sessions.
Four projects focussing on low-carbon food have been awarded just over £15,300. Netherall School Eco Group will use their funding to grow fruit, vegetables and herb, plant trees and wildflowers, produce compost from the school canteen and improve recycling facilities around the school. Full of Noises will landscape an area in Barrow Park to grow food, build wildlife habitats, monitor biodiversity, and composting and use the space for workshops and performances. Mycelium Thinking plan to develop low-carbon food growing, specifically mushrooms, using a community engagement approach, promoting a grow-your-own ethos, exploring how fungi can create a link between afforestation and sustainable farming practices. Last but not least, Carlisle One World Centre will work with women from diverse backgrounds to introduce sustainable living through low-carbon cooking and other energy saving measures.
The funding, most of which was provided by the National Lottery Community Fund with contribution from Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council is administered by Cumbria’s climate change charity, Cumbria Action for Sustainability on behalf of Zero Carbon Cumbria, a partnership of over 80 organisations working together to tackle climate change in the county.
For more information about these projects, see https://zerocarboncumbria.co.uk/action/climategrants2024/