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Grand still up for grabs for green ideas

Grand still up for grabs for green ideas

Scotland’s community groups urged to think green

Former BBC Scotland meteorologist, known affectionately by fans as Heather ‘the weather’ Reid is joined by a buzzy bee and ribbiting frog to urge community groups throughout Scotland, who haven’t yet applied, to enter A Grand Green Idea before the deadline on Sunday October 5.

A partnership between WWF Scotland and People’s Postcode Lottery, A Grand Green Idea is challenging community groups, schools and social clubs to come up with an idea that will benefit their local environment.

This year’s competition has two main categories under which groups can enter their ideas; Climate & Energy - which could include the final piece of funding for a community wind turbine to insulating the local Scout hut; and Wildlife & Nature - which could range from clearing pondweed from a local stream, planting wild flowers to helping bees with pollination or creating an insect habitat like a ‘bee hotel’.

This year will see a finalist from each category receive £1,000 to bring their idea to life and an overall winner receiving an additional £1,000 to really boost their Grand Green Idea in the community.

The competition hopes to convey that small ideas can make a big difference within Scotland’s communities. The winners of last year’s competition, Fife based CLEAR (Community Led Environmental Action for Regeneration) wowed judges with their urban orchard project.

With the help of the £1,000 prize, the community group in Buckhaven transformed public cycle and walk ways into lined orchards which boast Scottish varieties of apple and plum trees, with native planted bluebells, crocus and other flowering bulbs.

Commenting on the project, Heather Reid said:

“A Grand Green Idea is a great opportunity for people to get together and think about their local surroundings and how they can make them more environmentally friendly.”

The competition, which is in its third year, has previously had hundreds of entries from community groups from all over the country and organisers are hoping that this year will be a record breaker.

Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said:

“We’re delighted to be running A Grand Green Idea for the third year and we are looking forward to seeing diverse ideas from local groups across Scotland – if you have a fitting concept please apply soon, before it is too late!

“We are incredibly grateful to players of People’s Postcode Lottery for their ongoing support of this competition. By joining together to support and celebrate our natural environment and resources - the lifeblood of our communities – we can really make a difference.”

Clara Govier, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, added:

“A Grand Green Idea is a fantastic community initiative and I am delighted that People’s Postcode Lottery are working alongside WWF on the competition. I would like to encourage community groups across Scotland to get their thinking caps on now and submit their ideas for local environmental improvement.”

All community groups, schools, clubs and community councils with six members or more can enter the competition. Judging the ideas will be a panel from WWF Scotland and People’s Postcode Lottery, who will be testing entries based on their ability to benefit the wider community, the long term benefit of the project and the ability to involve a wider audience.

To apply for their chance to win, entrants must state their idea in under 500 words before the closing deadline of 5 October 2014. For more information or to enter, visit www.wwfscotland.org.uk/grandgreenidea

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellie Wagstaff .