An investment of £165,000 from the Zero Waste Community Fund 2025/26 will enable twelve community groups in the Liverpool City Region to spearhead efforts in waste reduction, reuse, and recycling.
The successful projects encompass diverse activities like educational workshops for schools, electrical repair hubs, food waste reduction cookery classes, clothes and textile upcycling, furniture restoration, and community food growing and composting schemes.
Lesley Worswick, Chief Executive of MRWA, praised the initiative, saying: “The Community Fund is instrumental in enabling local groups to become environmental leaders, ultimately contributing to a healthier region. It’s heartening to see a growing appreciation for the value of our natural resources. The inspiring and diverse ideas presented this year made for a tough selection, highlighting the dedication within our communities. We know these projects have the potential to create lasting change and embed positive habits.
“We wish them all the very best and eagerly await the results of their hard work.”
The twelve successful 2025/26 Zero Waste Community Fund organisations have got until March 2026 to deliver their projects.
The successful projects:
| Organisation and Project | Material focus | Project Summary |
| The County of Merseyside Guide Association Guiding towards Food Waste Zero | Food and Plastic | A collaboration between the Guiding Association and a food skills expert – training Guide and Brownie Leaders across Merseyside in practical skills like reducing food waste through improved cooking, growing food, and composting, aiming to influence positive changes at home. |
| D HUB 67 C.I.C. Full Circle Project | Food, Plastic, and Textiles | The project will establish a community garden to grow food and enhance biodiversity. This produce will then be used to showcase cooking skills in creative and healthy meals, while also demonstrating proper food storage and preservation methods. Additionally, community swap events for textiles will be organised, with any surplus materials being repurposed and repaired into useful items. |
| Earth Moves Earth Moves | Food | The project will actively involve local people through hands-on workshops and the creation of a Hügelkultur bed using organic waste. This process will be carefully documented, and accessible resources will be developed to inspire and enable local schools, community members, and environmental groups to replicate this sustainable gardening technique. |
| Faiths4Change Transforming Throwaways to Treasures | Food, Plastic, and Textiles | This project contributes to the region’s climate change strategy by facilitating practical sustainable activities, notably reuse and repair workshops tailored for young adults. A final event will be held to disseminate the project’s findings and explore potential avenues for building upon its successes. |
| Friends of Bowring Park Reclaim & Sustain Project | Food, Textiles, and Electricals | Building on the success of the previous ‘Fix-it’ pilot, this project will scale up and replicate its model across various Liverpool communities, employing diverse approaches to repair and reuse. Activities will include a range of workshops focusing on food waste prevention, bike repair, clothing reuse and repair, and electrical item repairs, alongside awareness campaigns and accessible resources. These efforts will be supported by a Fix-it Festival and a Zero Waste celebration, showcasing repair activities and offering drop-in repair services. |
| Friends of South Park Let’s Grow! Not Throw! | Food, Furniture, and Plastic | The project will foster skills development and create employment opportunities for the local community and volunteers through practical training in woodwork, cooking, upcycling, and community composting & gardening. |
| Forum Creative Enterprise Charity Waste to Taste | Food and Plastic | This initiative will empower young adults in Liverpool who have been homeless by equipping them with crucial independent living skills, including practical cooking abilities, knowledge of balanced nutrition and food management, and valuable skills in composting and growing their own food. |
| Groundwork Merseyside Mint Meals, Minus Waste | Food | This project, in partnership with South Liverpool Homes, will take a practical and community-oriented approach to improving food-related skills. Through workshops and shared resources, residents will learn about smart shopping, effective planning, optimal food storage, healthy cooking, appropriate portioning, and inventive ways to use leftovers. Community composting will also be a key element. |
| Hazelhurst Studios Runcorn Repair Cafe | Furniture, Plastic, Textiles, and Electricals | The project will establish a monthly repair café and a community PAT testing service, empowering local residents with practical repair skills through guidance from local specialists. A media campaign will raise awareness and reinforce key messages. The project will culminate in a community event showcasing its successes and facilitating future planning. |
| Squash Liverpool CIC TREASURE – Food and Textiles for Real | Food and Textiles | Empowering young adults to make informed choices about fast food and fashion, this educational program will cultivate skills in growing, cooking, managing, and preserving food. It will also teach valuable techniques for clothing repair and reuse. Learning will be brought to life through interactive training workshops, impactful large-scale community events across Liverpool City Region, and enriching visits to local community projects. |
| Syrian British Cultural Centre CIC From Waste to Creativity: Empowering Communities through Recycling and Innovation | Food, Furniture, Textiles, and Electricals | This project will champion responsible waste management throughout the Liverpool City Region, engaging schools and community centres. Key activities include an Eco Innovation Lab, a Recycle & Repair Programme, a Green Entrepreneurship Academy, and impactful events designed to foster lasting behavioural change. The project aims to significantly reduce textile waste through repair and reuse workshops, extend the lifespan of furniture and electrical appliances via refurbishment initiatives, educate communities on effective food waste reduction techniques, and promote the adoption of eco-friendly alternatives. |
| Willowbrook Hospice Willowbrook Waste to Community Uses Challenge | Furniture, Textiles, and Electricals | This initiative will offer opportunities for repairing, repurposing, and reselling items through Fix-it cafes, mending, repair, and upcycling workshops, and clothes swapping events specifically for hospice patients and their families in Liverpool. The project will also train volunteers in repair skills and host engaging competitions, culminating in a public Re-Fashion show. |