COMMUNITY groups in Uttlesford have been awarded funding to help tackle climate change.
The latest round of Uttlesford Council’s Zero Carbon Communities Fund supported 17 groups across the district.
Now in its fourth year, the programme has awarded nearly £80,000 this year to a range of schemes focused on sustainability, biodiversity, and energy efficiency.
Neil Reeve, councillor responsible for environment and climate change at Uttlesford Council, said: "We are delighted to distribute this significant amount of funding to even more local environmental projects.
"It builds on the success of previous rounds, and it was encouraging to see such strong applications.
"Many not only focused on reducing carbon emissions but also included wider community engagement and positive steps to restore habitats and improve local rivers."
The following projects have been selected for funding:
- Chrishall Parish Council: £3,000 for an ecology restoration project, including baseline biodiversity surveys of village ponds.
- Dig It Community Allotment: £3,000 to expand the Crocus Fields allotment in Saffron Walden and offer sustainability education sessions.
- Ecclesiastical Parish of Thaxted PCC: £2,500 towards a feasibility study for installing solar panels on the church nave.
- Elsenham Bowls Club: £6,500 to replace the club’s electric heating with an air source heat pump.
- Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group East CIC: £9,770 to restore a woodland section of a River Pant tributary in Great Sampford.
- Great Chesterford Community Orchard: £2,500 to promote wildlife and pollinator support in the orchard.
- Great Chesterford Parish Council: £10,000 to install solar panels on the village nursery.
- Hadstock Village Hall: £6,500 for underfloor insulation.
- Newport River Group: £10,000 for the Newport Marsh restoration project.
- St Botolph’s Hadstock PCC: £1,903 for an energy use assessment and improvement report for the church.
- Stebbing Parish Council: £4,000 to restore and enhance a village meadow and orchard.
- St Theresa’s Catholic Church: £7,598 to upgrade lighting to energy-efficient LEDs.
- Sustainable Stansted: £1,361 for waterway health monitoring and a sustainability fair.
- Wholesome Charity: £2,000 to develop a community food garden using composted waste and recycled materials.
- Widdington Village Hall: £3,500 for loft insulation.
- Wimbish Wildlife: £866.30 to expand the population of Scarlet Malachite Beetles to 10 new sites in the village.
- Youngwilders: £4,770 to continue a youth-led rewilding project on 20 acres of former grazing land at Pounce Hall, Sewards End.
The projects were chosen through a full evaluation and assessment process.
Since launching, the scheme has supported 42 projects over three years.
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