Funding awarded to ‘pioneering’ environmental projects in Northumberland

Successful community groups in Northumberland are benefiting from financial support from Northumberland County Council’s Environment and Climate Fund to support environmental and climate change initiatives in the county.

After a thorough evaluation process by the Climate Change Team at the Council, 17 projects have been selected from 35 applications for their innovative approaches. This has resulted in £55k being awarded for environmentally conscious projects collectively.

The projects span a wide range of issues, including reducing emissions, supporting community engagement and education, improving the energy efficiency of buildings through insulation and retrofitting, encouraging active and sustainable transport, or upgrading waste solutions to support more reducing, reusing, and recycling.

Each project reflects the Council’s commitment to supporting grassroots solutions that contribute to the larger goal of mitigating climate change and promoting sustainable living practices, fostering a sense of shared responsibility among community members.

Glen Sanderson, Leader of Northumberland County Council and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, commented: “I’m very proud to see the number of exceptional projects come through our Northumberland Climate and Environment Fund.

“These initiatives demonstrate the passion and dedication of our local communities to enhance the county’s natural environment and combat climate change to create a more resilient and sustainable future for Northumberland. “I look forward to seeing these projects come to life.”

The Northumberland Climate and Environment Fund aligns with the Council’s recently adopted Environment Policy Statement which underscores the Council’s commitment to environmental initiatives, emphasising the importance of raising awareness and securing active involvement from individuals, communities, and businesses throughout the county.

Successful projects include:

• Greener Berwick - Repair Cafe with quarterly practical, creative repair workshops including setting up a tool library and storage unit.
• Miscreations Theatre - Creative workshops with eight primary schools across Northumberland for two weeks. Investigating the theme of ‘soil’ where children will have the opportunity to devise shadow puppet scenarios and underground soundscapes.
• Holy Island Village Hall - Battery storage system including an inverter/charger that will allow a battery to be connected to the building’s electrical system with an existing small solar panel array, monitoring system, display and cables, and installation.
• Sycamore Gap Net Zero - Hiring of two professional volunteer organisers and an administrator to facilitate net zero events in Hexham about Climate Change and Biodiversity emergencies.
• Transition Tynedale - Voluntary repair café in Hexham to fix household items.
• Cycling 4 Everyone - Bike repair and recycle scheme.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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