Grants of up to £20,000 are on offer for projects across Greater
Manchester pioneering innovative solutions to prevent waste and
increase recycling.
In the last four years, the Recycle for Greater Manchester
Community Fund has supported an incredible 89 projects with
£880,000 of funding. Now in its fifth year, the scheme - one of
the largest of its kind in the country - is back with a new name:
the Renew Community Fund.
With the new name comes a refreshed purpose. The fund is looking
for projects that can help bring the Renew principles to
communities across Greater Manchester.
Two different award categories for the fund are available:
- Small grants between £2,000 and £10,000, with a total of
£180,000 available
- Large grants between £10,000 and £20,000, with a total of
£40,000 available
The fund is available to groups in Bolton, Bury, Manchester,
Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford. It
is not available to groups from Wigan as they operate a separate
waste disposal arrangement.
All community, voluntary and faith groups, schools, colleges,
universities, charities and other non-profit organisations are
eligible to apply. Applications open at 12pm on Tuesday 22 April
on the Renew Community Fund
website, and close at 12pm on Friday 30 May.
Cllr , Greater Manchester lead for Waste and Recycling,
said:
“The Renew Community Fund aims to increase the number of projects
providing repair and sharing services to make it easier to get
your items repaired or to buy something second hand
“When we fix something, borrow something instead of buying it, or
buy second hand instead of new, we're keeping these items in use
and saving precious resources. SUEZ has achieved this on an
industrial scale at the Renew Hub and in doing so has raised
£880,000 that has gone back into local communities.”
Like the Renew Hub in Trafford Park operated by SUEZ recycling
and recovery UK projects should focus on activities that help to
make fixing, donating, sharing, borrowing and buying pre-loved or
second-hand items a normal part of everyday life.
Projects that have been awarded funding in previous years include
the Manchester Library of Things in Levenshulme, where residents
can borrow most types of power tools and household equipment
rather than buying their own.
Other projects set up include bike repair, laptop repair, repair
cafés, and school uniform redistribution services - which enable
families to share school uniform to families in need. These
projects are far-reaching, not only helping to reduce the amount
of waste thrown away, but they also provide support for families
in need, by giving them access to affordable bikes, laptops and
clothes.
Claire , Renew Manager from SUEZ,
said:
“We are proud that the Renew Community Fund will continue to
support repair and reuse projects in the local community. The
benefits are significant, not only in reducing what we throw away
but providing more affordable household items for families and
offering the opportunity to learn new repair skills and bring the
community together. I'm looking forward to seeing the innovative
projects applying for this year's fund. Our vision is to see a
repair café or sharing service like the library of things on
every high street.”
Notes to editors
- The Renew Community Fund is part of the Greater Manchester
Environment Fund (GMEF) which has been established to provide
more sustained investment in projects which contribute to
creating a cleaner, carbon neutral Greater Manchester and to
attract private investment. The environment fund, managed by
Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) aims to target funding to
projects which improve nature, waterways and green spaces.
- Renew, Greater Manchester's reuse initiative, is one of
SUEZ's social value commitments set up to get the most out of
Greater Manchester's waste. Renew takes donations from residents
at recycling centres, and fixes and upcycles them ready for
resale online and in store. In doing so, key resources are
captured and used to generate money that goes back into Greater
Manchester communities. If the donations were not upcycled, items
would otherwise have gone to waste.
