THE BIRDS AND THE BEES MAKE HULL RESIDENTS GO GREEN

A wide ranging environmental scheme launches in Hull today that includes plans for local residents to keep chickens and bees to help fight the impact of soaring food prices.

The Green Prosperity project has today received £812,956 from the Big Lottery Fund to help over 20,000 residents of Southcoates East and Longhill to tackle rising food and energy bills. As well as people producing their own eggs and honey, the funding will be used for a number of other exciting elements including the building of a demonstration Eco house, fitted out by local people, to showcase a variety of energy saving measures.

A waste reduction scheme will help families cut costs through home information visits and has set the target of a five per cent reduction in the levels of domestic waste in the project area.

Jan Boyd, Chief Executive of Environmental and Management Solutions which will be delivering the Green Prosperity project, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to work with local residents and partners to develop a range of projects bringing communities together to tackle inequalities.

“The Big Lottery Funding will make a huge difference and we aim to make every penny count in inspiring residents and supporting them to become sustainable.”

A total of 12 projects across England have today received up to £1million each from the Big Lottery Fund’s Communities Living Sustainably initiative which is focused on inspiring people to reap financial, environmental and health gains by adapting the way they live, work, and connect together.

Vanessa White, Big Lottery Fund Head of Region for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “This project will help to make green and sustainable living like second nature for communities across Yorkshire and the Humber and go a long way towards helping people reduce their food and fuel costs.”

“With adverse weather affecting crops globally – which is likely to cause an increase in food prices in UK supermarkets*- and with fuel bills predicted to rise this winter, now is the time to encourage people to take small steps towards sustainable living at a local level which will help people cope with these added pressures during the recession.”

Supporting the groups each step of the way will be a partnership, led by Groundwork UK and including BRE, Federation of City Farms, Energy Savings Trust and nef. It will offer advice and guidance and also establish a learning support network to capture and share learning with other communities and inform the future development of investments of BIG’s Sustainable and Resilient Communities strategy. (www.communitieslivingsustainably.org.uk)

Communities Living Sustainably is part of the Big Lottery Fund’s £50m Sustainable and Resilient Communities strategy, which aims to encourage behaviour change among individuals and communities so they can cope better with the environmental, economic and social impacts of a changing climate. Vulnerable people, including those on low-incomes or older people, are less likely to cope with the negative effects of climate change such as floods, heat waves or severe cold weather.