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ENVIRONMENT
Climate change grants at grassroots level
The Somerset Climate emergency Community Fund has given out grants totalling £1 million to local communities to help them tackle the impacts of climate change in their area. Somerset County Council leader David Fothergill announced the scheme last year to encourage innovative community projects that share the council’s vision of working towards a climate resilient Somerset. Community organisations and city, town and parish councils were invited to bid for grants of between £5,000 and £75,000 for projects that can make a real difference, reduce carbon levels locally and improve our environment. A joint initiative in Bruton and Castle Cary receives £75,000 for a scheme to retrofit high-quality low-carbon improvements to local housing. The Bruton Town Council-led project, which has been developed jointly with Castle Cary Town Council, one Planet Bruton, Greener Cary and the Centre for Sustainable energy, will give independent advice to homeowners about the best and most carbon-efficient way of improving their homes, at the same time as working with local builders to develop their expertise in low-carbon retrofitting. The project will run for 18 months and combine the professional expertise of the Centre for Sustainable energy with detailed local knowledge and will employ a professionally qualified co-ordinator. Bruton mayor ewan Jones said: “retrofitting home improvements that save energy offers the greatest return on investment of all carbon emission reductions – while delivering warmer more comfortable homes, where families can live more healthily. Like many Somerset towns, Bruton has a high proportion of older, much loved but ‘hard to treat’ traditional buildings. retrofit Bruton & Cary will help to build the local skills that will create local jobs as retrofitting accelerates.” Frome Town Council has also received £75,000 to pay for a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and employ a resilience engagement officer for two years. The LCWIP will create detailed and joined-up infrastructure designs that plan safe walking and cycling routes around and through the town. The council says having an LCWIP will
Trust appeals for funds
SoMerSeT Wildlife Trust has launched its 2021 Somerset Nature reserves Fund appeal to support the maintenance of its nature reserves across the county, which costs about £2,000 a day. The trust’s reserve managers are now starting another season’s habitat work without having been able to complete much of the work from last year, when volunteers were unable to help. With the added problem of ash dieback, the trust has had to bring in contractors at considerable expense to help them keep on top of things. Chair of trustees, Graeme Mitchell, said: “There’s never been a year where donations to our Somerset Nature reserves Fund have been more vital. our planned reserve management budgets simply weren’t designed to support the amount of additional costs we’re facing. “Visitor numbers have almost doubled on our nature reserves
Retro-fitting work will improve older homes, says Bruton Town Council
unlock further funding to make these designs a reality. Councillor Paul horton said: “Increasing walking and cycling will benefit everyone in Frome by reducing traffic and congestion, improving air quality, lowering the risk of ill health, and enhancing both mental and physical well-being. “Frome Town Council will be inviting residents to contribute to the development of this plan, to make this a community wide project.” The project will start in May and will be completed by the following spring. The resilience engagement officer will support the people of Frome to become a resilient, healthy, connected community. elsewhere, parishes including Cheddar, Buckland Dinham and Baltonsborough received funding for solar panelling; Coleford to improve two playing fields and create new allotments and Shipham for an environmental improvement plan at the village school.
during lockdown and, whilst it’s brilliant to see so many people out enjoying nature locally, of course more visitors mean more maintenance work, with wear and tear on paths, boardwalks, stiles and hides needing constant repair. “We have also had to repair damage and deal with fly-tipping as a result of those few who don't treat our reserves with respect. We’re playing a massive game of catch up. “We want to thank all our supporters for everything they’ve done to help the trust in recent times. It’s hard to ask for help again but we need people to get behind us and support the fund this year. “We are committed to doing our best to maintain our nature reserves – for the wildlife that call them home, the wider ecology of the county, but also for everyone who lives, works and visits Somerset.”
Details: somersetwildlife.org/naturereservesfund or call 01823 652429
MENDIP TIMES • MAY 2021 • PAGE 7
