Local recycling groups are being encouraged to bid for cash funding under a scheme launched by waste chiefs today (3rd December).
The money has been made available by Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority (MWDA) in order to encourage waste awareness and enact a behavioural change in residents across Merseyside.
Grants of up to £1000 will be on offer for both new and existing projects.
Carl Beer, Director of MWDA, said: “The work of community groups and local projects are vital if we are to better manage the waste we produce. By getting involved at ground level people can feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment and can make a difference to their surrounding environment.”
The funding is MWDA’s Waste Project Fund for Community Organisations 2007/08.
Previous grant recipients include local recycling organisation Rotters, which provides a kerbside collection of kitchen and garden waste from households in Garston. The waste is composted and sold back to the local community at a minimal charge. Rotters also provides recycling and composting awareness and training for volunteers, local community groups and local schools.
Rosie Aubrey of Rotters said: ‘We were really grateful for the small grant received from MWDA, which has enabled us to reproduce and distribute a School Composting Education Pack to schools across Speke-Garston. We hope that by sharing our composting experience through the handbook that we will help schools to introduce their own composting schemes in a positive way. In fact, some schools have already started composting this term!”
Under the guidelines a project must:
Encourage sustainable waste management e.g:
o review/reduce carbon footprint;
o mitigate against climate change, and/or
o aid tonnage diversion or raise awareness on waste prevention.
benefit your community and Merseyside
make a lasting improvement to your community and neighbourhood and have the support of local people in your area
be from organisations or groups that reside in Merseyside and operate on a non-for-profit basis
be undertaken within the region of Merseyside.
Examples of projects MWDA has supported in the past are:
equipment for testing re-used electrical items
community art projects using recycled materials.
Priority will be given to applications demonstrating new and innovative approaches to sustainable waste projects.
Councillor Kevin Cluskey, Chairperson of MWDA, said: “We have seen some excellent projects over the last couple of years – projects that have made differences not only to waste and recycling, but also helping people to get involved and contribute to the well being of their community.
“This is a great opportunity for local groups to secure funding and if people are involved in recycling or waste projects I would encourage them to apply.”
If you wish to apply to the MWDA Community Fund, please contact:
Waste Project Fund
Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority
6th Floor North House
17 North John Street
Liverpool
L2 5QY
Tel: 0151 255 1444, Fax: 0151 227 1848 or email: strategy@merseysidewda.gov.uk.
Application forms are also available to download on www.merseysidewda.gov.uk.
Applications are only accepted via the application form provided by MWDA and will be subject to evaluation by MWDA.
Completed applications must be returned to MWDA by Friday 18th January 2008 (although projects may go beyond that date).
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Monies will be paid retrospectively on receipt of VAT receipts and invoices for agreed project costs. Additional project costs incurred will not be supported through this fund. Under spent projects will receive actual costs only.
Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority understands that some projects may need support ahead of project commencement. MWDA will be prepared to pay in advance under the agreement of a guarantor.
It is a condition of application success that evidence of purchase for materials used in conjunction with the proposal are retained and presented along with an evaluation report.
MWDA is a local government body consisting of nine elected Members, representing the five constituent district councils in the Merseyside area. It is responsible for organising and managing the disposal of waste collected by the five District Councils of Merseyside and for managing the 14 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) across Merseyside. See more at www.merseysidewda.gov.uk