waste oil in Sussex, apples in Hackney, and roofs in Kings Cross
It’s been a busy week for Big Green Challenge Finalist launches. Last Friday the WORPP team launched their project in Sussex, where the project team, prison staff and trainees presented the idea to attendees, who I was very pleased to see included a good contigent from West Sussex Council. On Saturday Hackney City Farm launched their project with a day of apple related learning and fun. I hear from my colleague Kerry that it was a very buzzy event, with lots of people attending, getting involved in the apple themed games and finding out about the project. On Tuesday Global Generation launched their project with a day of building planters for the roof of Wolff Olins, a major brand/marketing business based in Kings Cross, followed by a lively evening event at the Hub. It was great to see the staff from Wolff Olins showing a genuine active interest and working with the young Generators throughout the day, and to hear from the young Generators about what the project means to them.
Meadows launch
On Friday I visited the Meadows Ozone Community Energy team at the launch of their Big Green Challenge project at Bridgeway Hall in the Meadows area of Nottingham. Some very talented school children sang, local MP Alan Simpson appeared as Green Energy Man to tell everyone about the project, and the Meadows Ozone Community Energy team talked with local residents about the project - over tea and (yummy) cake in the Hall and outside with passers by. There seemed to be a good reaction to the project, with lots of people signing up for home energy audits and more information on the green loans.
Meadows Ozone Energy team talking with residents
New Department of Energy and Climate Change
The latest Government re-shuffle has some potentially big implications for those working to tackle climate change, in the guise of a new Department of Energy and Climate Change. The new Department will be headed by Ed Miliband. This is promising news for our Big Green Challengers, as he was previously Minister for the Cabinet Office, which included responsbility for the Third Sector. Let’s hope this means he will have the confidence to recognise the role community-led groups can play in tackling climate change, not just in raising awareness but in devising and implementing innovative, relevant solutions. The details, and the real potential impact, of the new Department are still to be revealed, but this is certainly a welcome piece of news.
Round up of opportunities
Quite a few opportunities that might be relevant to the type of people and groups that have been taking part in the Big Green Challenge have landed in my in-box recently so I thought I’d round them up here.
Before I do I also want to remind you about the Low Carbon Communities Network conference taking place this Saturday, which I blogged about back in June. This is a really exiting and growing network of like minded community groups, and the conference should provide lots of inspiration. The main events are taking place in Llangollen in Wales, with Hyde Farm CAN (one of our Big Green Challengers) hosting a linked event in South West London.
So about those other opportunities:
Mind has announced the launch of Ecominds, an open grants programme being run as part of the Big Lottery Fund, Changing Spaces programme. From the guidance: “The programme has £7.5 million to distribute to around 125 new and existing projects focusing on mental health and the environment around England over the next five years.”
The BURA Awards for Community Inspired Regeneration are seeking entries from grassroots projects making a difference to their local communities. Sounds promising! The closing date for these awards is 15th October 2008 so you have just a couple of weeks to get entries in.
One Planet Culture (OPC) launched on 25th September on the Capacity Global website. It’s a new resource for ”armchair activists” with a passion for film, arts and media. From DIY film events to green reads and the latest news and reviews, OPC aims to offer inspiration and information to help people and the planet. The resources has been funded by Every Action Counts. Capacity Global was founded by one of our Big Green Challenge Judges, Maria Adebowale.
The UK Youth Delegation (UKYD) is now accepting applications to participate at the Fourteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Fourth Conference of the Parties serving as Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP14 and COP/CMP4). Hmmmm. Luckily they translate this into real language and explain that they are looking for young people (age 18-26) to travel to Poland this December to help the first ever UK Youth Delegation have a strong voice in the negotiations. Deadline for applications is October 10th. There are a series of questions you need to answer to apply to join the delegation. For more information email ukydpoznan@gmail.com
The Centre for Public Policy at Northumbria University are hosting a public debate on sustainable development on October 7th at 7.30pm. To register contact Oliver Moss at Northumbria University: email: o.moss@unn.ac.uk; Tel: 07809213214.
