£2 million funding to be distributed to local Climate Emergency projects

Cheshire West and Chester Council has supported 21 projects through a £2 million Climate Emergency Fund this financial year.

The second round of the Climate Emergency Fund will provide a financial boost for local organisations and Council projects that can reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, reduce litter and improve biodiversity.

The fund has been set up as part of the Council’s work to tackle the Climate Emergency and both local organisations and Council services, delivering projects that meet set criteria, were able to bid for funding.

The successful applicants include the following.

Community-led bids:

•           Chester Sustainability Centre

•           Eco Communities Community Interest Company

•           Farndon Parish Council

•           Forest City Projects

•           Hospice of the Good Shepherd

•           Jessie Hughes Village Hall

•           Weaver Sailing Club

Council and Council company bids:

•           Avenue Services Low Carbon Project

•           Cheshire West and Chester Council: Electric Taxi Infrastructure Project

•           Cheshire West and Chester Council: Green Homes Grant Match Funding

•           Cheshire West and Chester Council: Guilden Sutton Depot Electric Vehicle Charging Project

•           Cheshire West and Chester Council: Highways Fleet Upgrade Project

•           Cheshire West and Chester Council: Low Carbon Business Fund Match Funding

•           Cheshire West and Chester Council: Mersey Forest Trees for Climate Match Funding

•           Cheshire West and Chester Council: Northgate Car Park Sustainability Upgrades

•           Cheshire West and Chester Council: On-Street Residential Charging Project        

•           Cheshire West and Chester Council: Wildflower Programme

•           Qwest Services: Barrow Church of England School LED (Light Emitting Diode) Project

•           Qwest Services: Community Building Energy Audit

•           Qwest Services: Hoole and Willaston Schools Decarbonisation Projects

•           Qwest Services: Kingsley Community Primary School LED Project

Councillor Matt Bryan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and the Climate Emergency, said: “We had a great response to our second call for projects and organisations to apply for this funding. There is a diverse mix of projects that will benefit from this support - from nature enhancement projects through to energy efficiency and infrastructure improvements. These will all play their part in reducing carbon emissions in west Cheshire and helping us to achieve our target of the borough becoming carbon neutral by 2045 and the Council, as an organisation, by 2030.”

The first round of the Climate Emergency Fund was announced in autumn 2020, with 11 projects awarded funding to deliver low-carbon outcomes. The funding plays a key part in the Council’s Climate Emergency response plan which sets out how the Council, businesses, residents and communities can all play their part to tackle the Climate Emergency.

One project that secured funding during the first round of the Climate Emergency Fund was Passion for Learning, a local charity that supports children with their learning. With the funding they were able to purchase an electric car that they are using as part of their work, when visiting schools.

Diane Clark, Chief Executive Officer at Passion for Learning, said: “Our Enrichment Clubs are all about learning through play and experience. We are keen to make the children knowledgeable about their world and the challenges that their generation will face in the future. The children have been really excited by the electric car and it stands at the centre of a range of experiences, trips and activities that will bring Climate Emergency issues to life for them. Undoubtedly this funding has provided us with this wonderful illustration of the way in which our choices can make a genuine difference to the future.”

Further rounds of Climate Emergency funding will be available from 2022 to 2024 and will be announced online:

www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/climateemergency 

Pictured - Passion for Learning's electric car.