National lottery funding will support local climate action

Communities across the UK receive funding to support local action on climate change. 

The grants come from the National Lottery Community Fund. Projects include £150,000 for a Circular Fashion Economy concept in Norwich, to expand its clothes-swap shop concept.

A Reduce, Reuse and Recycle project in Edinburgh is also benefitting from £150,000 worth of funding. This will enable the project organisers to support local people to reduce their waste and consumption habits while diverting items from landfills. 

This project is a partnership between Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council Limited (ELREC) and Networking Key Services (NKS).

In a joint statement, Jean-Matthieu Gaunand (ELREC) & Naina Minhas (NKS), said: ‘We are delighted to have received National Lottery funding from the Climate Action Fund. We hope to encourage and support ethnic minority communities in Edinburgh to reduce waste, increase reusing and repairing, and shift to more sustainable consumption.

‘Our two organisations will work together with local ethnic minority communities and deliver a range of activities including clothing repairs and alterations sessions, sewing classes, swap shop events, fashion shows, delivery of rescued food parcels to vulnerable families, leftover cookery sessions, upcycling and composting workshops, educational visits, and more!’

Most of the funding announced today is for emerging ideas to engage different communities and to test new approaches. 

David Knott, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: ‘We know communities have a big role to play in responding to the climate emergency. That’s why, thanks to National Lottery players, we are pleased to be supporting community-led action to address waste and consumption. These projects will bring people together to create a lower waste society, that will not only help us get to net zero, but also support communities to prosper and thrive.’

Photo Credit – Supplied