Local projects cutting carbon or tackling fuel poverty while improving our local environment can now apply to the Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE) Fund grant programme.
This popular grant programme is back for a tenth year, thanks to funding from BWCE as part of the work it does in supporting local communities.
Applications for grants of up to £5,000 are invited before the 4 November 2022 deadline.
Award-winning BWCE was set up in 2010 to own and develop renewable energy projects and has since become one of the largest community-owned energy companies in the UK. As a Community Benefit Society it gives surplus income to the BWCE Fund, which has asked Quartet Community Foundation to administer the BWCE Fund grant funding programme, giving grants to community groups and local environmental organisations.
Earlier this year 11 B&NES projects received £31,706 in funding to lower carbon emissions and address fuel poverty. These grants supported:
Energy efficiency in community buildings through helping to replace boiler systems with sustainable alternatives (First Steps and Freshford Memorial Hall), installation of an air source heat pump in a new community café (Bath City Farm) and additional building insulation (Percy Community Centre)
Sustainable food growing through a sustainable water supply system (Corston Community Orchard), a food garden (B&NES Carers Centre) and a solar powered barn (Middle Ground Growers)
Environmental educational through building support for climate action in local families and schools (FACE), helping younger children to repair, reduce and reuse (Bath Share & Repair) and running repair-and-reuse cafe community events (Trowbridge Environmental Community Group)
Domestic energy efficiency through household energy surveys (Zero Carbon Compton)
Sophie Hooper Lea, Chair of Trustees for BWCE Fund, said: “We are in the midst of a climate crisis and a cost of living crisis, and we need to do everything we can to address them both. The BWCE Fund offers grants to local projects that make a tangible difference to our local communities by reducing carbon emissions or tackling fuel poverty. The funds are provided by BWCE, a member owned social enterprise that provides clean, renewable, community energy .”
Thanks to BWCE, since 2015, the fund has awarded 82 grants worth almost £250,000 through this grant programme”.
Quartet Community Foundation’s Philanthropy Manager,
Angela Emms said: “We’re delighted to be working with the BWCE Fund. As the impact of the cost of living crisis is increasing, this grant programme has the double benefit of supporting projects which reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. Carbon reduction does not just relate to energy projects; it might include local food, sustainable transport or waste reduction or indeed any activity that reduces carbon emissions. This year we would particularly welcome applications relating to fuel poverty/affordable warmth, ensuring that everyone can access and afford energy this winter.”
Case study – A sustainable water supply for a new Community Orchard
Earlier this year Corston Community Orchard in received £1,880 through the Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) grant programme. The grant helped them establish a rainwater harvesting, storage and distribution system to ensure there is a sustainable and sufficient water supply so that the newly planted trees and hedging can thrive.
Katharine Evans, Secretary of Corston Community Orchard:
“In January 2022 a team of more than 100 volunteers, came together to plant 81 fruit and nut trees. The 69 fruit trees are a mix of apples, pears, crab apples, cherries and plums, and the 12 hazels a mix of filberts and cobnuts. All have been suitably protected against the local deer population – roe deer and muntjac! Volunteers also planted 300 native copse trees and 220 metres of native hedging.
The project was initiated by a small group of local people who wanted to do something positive for the environment and their community. In autumn 2020 we approached the Deputy Land Steward for the Duchy of Cornwall, the major landowner in the village, and were offered a 3.8 acre field that had housed horses.
The field without the horses, quickly turned into a wildlife rich space with 7 species of bats recorded by the Avon Bat Group and more than 60 plant species identified by Bath Natural History Society botanists.
We are building up a group of committed local volunteers who regularly help with hacking back burdock and other fun activities! We held our first community event over the Platinum Jubilee weekend. More than 100 local people enjoyed live music and cider.
We are really excited to watch the orchard develop and become an increasingly important place for people to socialise, work, learn and enjoy the tranquillity and beauty of nature. We very much welcome contact from other community groups, so we can network and learn from each other.
We are very grateful for the support we have received from the Bath and West Community Energy Fund.”
Find out more and apply before 4 November
Groups are invited to apply to the BWCE Fund grant programme before 9am on Friday 4 November 2021. Interested projects need to apply through the Quartet Community Foundation website: https://quartetcf.org.uk/grants/bath-west-community-energy-grant/
Full details of the grants awarded in previous years can be found on BWCE’s website www.bwce.coop/communityfund/
Comments