NLWA (North London Waste Authority) says it set up the £250,000 Fund to maximise the efforts of local groups tackling waste prevention problems at the grassroots.
The North London Community fund helps community not-for-profit organisations develop new initiatives, innovate their strategies or grow their existing activity to reduce the volume of waste generated in London each day.
Last year the authority says it significantly boosted its annual grants pot and the total funding has doubled to £250,000 this year.
Twelve funded projects are geared around combatting waste in its different guises, from bulky waste to food and textiles, compost to paint and nappies, NLWA says, and five further organisations are being funded to deliver projects around electrical repair.
NLWA’s Chair, Cllr Clyde Loakes, commented: “Supporting local grassroots organisations is so much more than funding waste prevention initiatives we care about. It’s about enabling whole communities to deliver lasting change on the ground that promotes resource efficiency, reduces waste generation and ultimately minimises climate impacts.
“If we work with residents and organisations at a community level, we’ll develop a deeper understanding of the waste issues people are facing in north London, and beyond. That’s why we’ve increased the funding again this year, and to our knowledge, it’s the biggest grants scheme of its type in the country.”
An example of projects being funded this year includes the Octopus Community Network which is set to form a network of three neighbourhood-based food waste “Compost Hubs” in Islington on three estates.
Another is the Artist Hive Studios CIC based in Upper Edmonton which will offer a “Repair, Restore, Reuse” workshop programme for communities in Enfield, aiming to teach residents the fundamentals of sustainable design to tackle waste.
The North London Community Fund was established in 2017 to support waste prevention initiatives happening locally.