It’s great news for the environment as 38 projects (totalling £344,608) are set to receive funding from the second round of Warwickshire County Council’s Green Shoots Community Climate Change Fund.
Warwickshire County Council is very pleased to announce the fantastic climate change mitigation and adaptation projects that will be receiving the remaining money from the £1 million fund. This announcement follows the evaluation of the 104 applications which have been received to the second round of funding since it re-opened in June 2022.
The 38 successful schemes cover a wide array of initiatives to address climate change. Some of the projects include:
- Fruits for Future, a project by the Woodside PTA, which aims to engage children and the wider community with the natural world, creating a community orchard and using a local school as a sharing hub.
- The Maxstoke Village Hall energy-efficient, sustainability project, aims to modernise the village hall, by replacing old fittings and installing energy efficient and environmentally friendly, hot water, lighting and space heating systems, to create a warm welcoming environment for all.
- St Pauls School Recycling Shop, which aims to create a second-hand uniform shop in a repurposed shipping container at the School. The shop would also contain world book day costumes, Christmas jumpers and bookbags.
- Warwickshire Cycle Buddies by Clean Air Warwickshire which aims to encourage more people to cycle their local journeys. The scheme buddies up more nervous novice cyclists with more experienced cyclists, ultimately giving them the confidence to ride on their own. As a result, participants feel able to switch some of their car journeys for bike.
Importantly, and in line with the aims of the second round of funding, a large number of the projects funded will bring direct benefit to the Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire Boroughs, which had received less funding in 2021 as part of the first round
Cllr Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and the Environment, said: “The huge response rate that we had to the second round of our Green Shoots Fund is a shining example of the power of our communities in Warwickshire, coming together to find their own solutions to the climate emergency that we are all facing.
“The £1 million that we have made available, is the largest fund offered by any local authority in the UK and the fact that we have already been able to allocate this funding to projects across Warwickshire is a shining example of how committed our communities are to playing their role in facing the challenges of climate change through direct strategic action.
“Climate change affects us all and that effect will be felt more profoundly across the next decade unless we take decisive and collective action to reduce our carbon emissions, help our environment adapt to the changes we know will happen, and all live more sustainable lives. It is this that was at the heart of our Green Shoots Community Climate Change Fund.
“There is already a lot of fantastic work going on across Warwickshire to help reduce carbon footprints and minimise the effects that we all have on our fast-changing climate. Thanks to the Green Shoots Fund, there are now 107 more projects and initiatives that will each contribute to making a difference and to making Warwickshire sustainable now and for future generations.
“On behalf of all of Warwickshire, I would like to thank all the community and voluntary groups that have taken the time to apply for funding and congratulate those who have been successful. I am looking forward to seeing all these fantastic new ideas realised thanks to the second round of Green Shoots Funding.”
A full list of projects that are set to receive funding in the second round of the Green Shoots Community Climate Change Fund can be found below:
High Value Projects – Up to £25k
Active Travel
- Heart of England Mencap – Cyc-Ability: Accessible Cycling for All Abilities
Ecology
- Woodside PTA – Fruits for Future
- Warwickshire Wildlife Trust – #TeamWilder in North Warwickshire
- Forest of Hearts – Resilience Gardens
- Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council – Anker Footpath Project
- Nuneaton Community of Christ – Green Space Community Garden
- Friends of Exhall Juniors – Exhall Junior School wild area
- South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust – Wildflower corridor in Warwick Hospital
Property: insulation, lighting and heating
- Together for Change Coventry and Warwickshire – Camp Hill Nuneaton, church Hall and gardens
- Shri Guru Tegh Bahadhur Gurdwara on Behalf of the Sikh Mission Resource Centre – Insulation of the Walls and Ceiling of the Sikh Mission Resource Centre
- Together for Change Coventry and Warwickshire – Saints Nuneaton
- Wembrook Community Centre Ltd – Warm and Well
- St Esprit Church – St Esprit Church Heating
- Wolvey Village Hall Foundation – Wolvey Village Hall Environmental Improvements
- Southam Church and Community Project Ltd – Graham Adams Centre Building Improvements
Renewable energy
- Stockingford Community Centre – Going Greener at Stockingford Community Centre
- Higham Lane Leisure Association – Ambleside Community Sport Club - new pavilion
- Bretford Village Hall- Voluntary Management Committee (BVH-VMC) – Bretford Village Hall Environmental Project
- Stretton-on-Fosse Village Hall Committee – Insulation for Stretton-on-Fosse Village Hall
Training and Awareness
- Warwickshire Climate Alliance – Easy Eco Roadshows
Lower Value Projects – Less than £5k
Active Travel
- Clean Air Warwickshire – Warwickshire Cycle Buddies
Ecology
- George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust Charity – No-Mow and Wildflowers on George Eliot Hospital Site
- Weddington Community Allotment Association – Weddington Allotments Climate Change Resilience Project
- Holy Trinity Church Attleborough – Holy Trinity Church Attleborough Labyrinth
- New Start Community Group – Happy and Glorious Tree Planting in Attleborough Village
- Bulkington Volunteers – Bulkington Village Centre Regeneration
- Thurlaston Parish Council – Beech Drive (Thurlaston) Pocket Park
- Wolverton Parish Council – Wolverton Churchyard Jubilee Sanctuary Garden
- Sydenham Neighbourhood Initiatives - SYDNI Centre – Memorial Orchard
- Park Hill PTA – Pond Refurbishment Park Hill Junior School
Street Lighting
- Marton Parish Council – Energy saving streetlights for Marton
Property: insulation, lighting and heating
- White Hart Community Group – WHCG Sustainability
- Maxstoke Village Hall – Maxstoke Village Hall - Our energy-efficient, sustainability project
- Ansley Parochial Church Council – LED lighting for Ansley Church
- Manor Court Baptist Church Nuneaton – MCBC Lighting Upgrade Project
- Newdigate sports and Institute a registered charity – Newdigate sports and Institute sports pavilion
Training and Awareness
- Bar Zero – Thermal Imaging Camera
Waste
- St Pauls C of E Primary School PTA – St Pauls School Recycling Shop
For more information about the scheme, visit: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/greenshootsfund
The Council is currently engaging with residents around the draft Sustainable Futures Strategy. Anyone can find out more and have their stay here: https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/insights-service/sustainable-futures-strategy/
Look out for a new podcast series at the start of 2023, titled Sustainable Warwickshire, which will feature some of the organisations, groups and projects taking place around Warwickshire to reduce carbon emissions and increase biodiversity. If there is anything happening in your communities that you think could be talked about as part of this podcast series, please email: climateemergency@warwickshire.gov.uk
Planning a more sustainable Christmas in 2022? Here are some useful tips: https://www.warwickshireclimateemergency.org.uk/news/article/84/have-yourself-a-sustainable-little-christmas-in-2022
For more information about how Warwickshire County Council is facing the challenges of the climate change emergency, visit: https://www.warwickshireclimateemergency.org.uk/
Get the latest news about how Warwickshire County Council and partners are facing the challenge of the climate emergency and how you can get involved: http://eepurl.com/hrk-zf