Environmental groups celebrate climate challenge fund success

Volunteers and staff from three St Andrews environment groups are celebrating the news that they have been awarded two years of funding from the Scottish Government’s £15.3 million 2018 to 2020 Climate Challenge Fund in order to develop an exciting programme of activities aimed at tackling local carbon emissions.

Under the project title of Community Share for Climate Care, the St Andrews Botanic Garden, Transition University of St Andrews and the St Andrews Environment Network (STANDEN) have been awarded £293,645 to expand their low carbon living programme based at The Kernel, a new community space within the grounds of the St Andrews Botanic Garden.

From here, demonstrations on food growing and energy savings will give local people practical ideas to try at home or they can take part in community growing within a new polytunnel and existing gardens and greenhouses.

A big theme this year is the ‘shared economy’ as the project develops a Tool Library and a Bike Loan and refurbishment scheme whilst building on the increasingly popular skillshare programme. This will be complemented by work with local schools on Climate Change and through helping with the re-use of household goods.

This is the third successive round of funding for the partnership and the group will be looking to record and share their learning through running events and producing materials for other communities facing similar challenges.

Transition University of St Andrews co-chair, Gal Badihi, said: “This new project aims to reduce our communities’ carbon emissions by a further 200 tonnes per year through creating services and supporting residents in their efforts to live more sustainably. Whilst we are reminded almost daily of the threat of climate change this practical programme offers some ideas on how we can change as a community.”

With projects starting in April 2018 the partnership is inviting students, University staff, local residents and groups to get in touch if they would like to be involved in the Community Share for Climate Care project.

Photo caption: Volunteers and staff celebrate the news of the funding award

St Andrews Botanic Garden is an internationally recognised botanical garden covering 7.3ha of ground within the boundaries of St Andrews. It is home to over 8000 plant species and offers an extensive education programme for over 4000 people a year alongside its 24,000 visitors.

Transition University St Andrews is a group of local residents, University staff and students who undertake practical local projects that aim to reduce carbon emissions in the face of climate change. It is one of over 500 local groups that make up the international Transition Towns movement.

STANDEN is a community organisation set up by the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council, supported by Fife Council and St Andrews University, that provides free professional advice on home energy.

Group contacts:

Transition University of St Andrews, Alistair Macleod: [email protected] or 01334 464000

St Andrews Environment Network, Jane Kell: [email protected] or 01334 659315

St Andrews Botanic Gardens, James Hearsum: [email protected] or 07599 201854

Issued by the University of St Andrews Communications Office. Contact Steve Bargeton on 01334 467310, 01334 462530, 07802 376860 or [email protected].