Community Fund News 2019-20

COMMUNITY FUND NEWS 2019-2020

Eleven local community groups have been awarded a share of £115,000 to help the Liverpool City Region reduce, re-use and recycle more.

The money has come from the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA) and Veolia Community Fund 19/20 which was set up to help support waste prevention, re-use and recycling initiatives. The eleven organisations came through a two-stage process to clinch the funding which will give them the financial resource to deliver waste-reducing behavioural change projects across the region.

Programmes include cookery clubs to reduce food waste, community recycling hubs, sewing classes and craft clubs, a recycling guide, upcycling and restoration of unwanted furniture, clothes recycling and a school uniform exchange*.

Project applications had to tackle one or more of the four priority household waste materials which have been identified by MRWA as key, namely Food, Plastics, Textiles and Furniture. An analysis of waste in the Liverpool City Region highlighted that a greater amount of these materials could be re-used or recycled. Projects can also include other household waste materials, for example paper, card, metals.

Councillor Tony Concepcion, Chairperson of MRWA, said: “The best Community Fund projects are those that help deliver re-use and waste reduction messages directly to local residents – using groups’ expertise and on-the-ground knowledge of particular areas and the people who live there. I wish these projects all the best and look forward to seeing the impact they have.”

Faiths4Change is one organisation to have benefited from the Community Fund. They have received just under £8000 this year to deliver Green Up Northwood, which will include a recycling guide made by and for local residents, community hubs with a swap shop and repair clinic, and community cooking with the Men Can Cook programme.

Liz Atherton, Arts & Wellbeing Project Co-ordinator at Faiths4Change, said: “Funding from MRWA and Veolia has enabled us to deliver waste reduction and recycling messages to the Northwood community to help change people’s behaviour. By bringing together old and young, groups, schools, and organisations from across Northwood we create a really positive environmental noise about, with and for the area.

“Ultimately our work is about helping to build community spirit, break down barriers and provide educational benefits to enable all to improve the environment for future generations.”

The successful projects:

  1. British Dietetic Association – Let’s Get Saving in Merseyside. Training community clubs and schools to raise awareness of and to help reduce household food waste.
  1. Community Integrated Care – Recycling Specialist. To recruit a Waste Prevention Specialist at one of Britain’s biggest social care charities.
  1. Halton Play Council – Recycling for Craft Groups. The Runcorn-based project will deliver workshops for the local community in sewing (for clothes repair and alternations) and crafts, to help increase re-use of unwanted items.
  1. Faiths4Change – Green Up Northwood. Four environmental champions will work with the Kirkby community to help reduce waste using a ‘Green Up Northwood’ recycling guide.
  1. Centre 63 – Remake Yourself Hub. Refurbished furniture from house clearances will be distributed free of charge to local residents in need. Will also run demonstrations on how to upcycle unwanted furniture.
  1. Bulky Bob’s – Amazing Rugs. Rugs collected as part of the bulky household waste collection with Liverpool Council will be deep cleaned with the majority given for free to people in need, and some sold at very low prices to low income families.
  1. Emmaus Merseyside – Recycle Plus. The money will be used to furnish new premises in which donated and reclaimed furniture will be upcycled and restored, as well as run a school uniform exchange scheme.
  1. Feelgood Factory – Eat Well Waste Less. Will run a series of workshops in order to teach people how to cook family meals from scratch using fresh ingredients, using up leftovers and correct food storage.
  1. Sefton Council for Voluntary Service – Material Matters. A partnership between Sefton CVS, Southport Foodbank and South Sefton Foodbank will form the basis of a collaborative venture working alongside and engaging with the School Uniform Banks. The aim of the project is to develop an infrastructure that will support ease of access to second-hand clothing and bedding for individuals at risk of social exclusion.
  2. Changing Communities CIC – ReStore St Helens. The money will be used for staff support at the ReStore shop in Sutton which sees volunteers upcycle donated/unwanted furniture which is then sold to the general public.
  1. Wirral Environmental Network – Wirral Furniture Reuse. This multi-agency project will host furniture swap days at community centres across Wirral as well as train local residents to restore furniture through techniques such as cleaning, sanding, repairing and painting.