Funding for Community Groups

• Biodiversity projects
• Historic Building projects
• Public Amenity projects

• Latest News
• Reform of the scheme
• Other Funding Sources

The Green Business Network (GBN) is an award-winning Environmental Body approved by ENTRUST, the regulator of the Landfill Communities Fund. As such, the GBN can apply to and receive funding from landfill operators, for community projects.

Communities located near to landfill sites can work in partnership with GBN to fund social and environmental improvements. This has enabled nearly 150 local projects in Calderdale, Kirklees and beyond to get off the ground, securing total funding of £2.5 million during the last six years. The GBN was also one of the first 20 organisations in the country to successfully register a new category DA (biodiversity) project. It is now at the forefront of the latest impetus for youth volunteering.

In follow-up to a tour of projects in June 2003, Biffaward wrote to confirm "the numbers, breadth and importance of GBN's work, partnerships and projects for the local communities in the region." In further recognition of this, projects that the GBN has helped through landfill tax funding have won an annual "Biffaward Award", an RSA accredited environmental award, no less than three times.

Historically landfill tax monies could be used to fund recycling and re-use projects. Through this the GBN funded such projects as The Change Project, a reusable nappy laundering service, an office furniture recycling project with Pennine Magpie, a domestic furniture recycling service with SVP Ozanam, and many of the GBN's own projects (see Projects page). Under the current landfill tax regulations, there are three main types of project that can be funded, which can be categorised under the following headings: Biodiversity projects, projects to restore or protect Historic Buildings, projects that provide or maintain Public Amenities.

In October 2005 through the GBN's tenth anniversary celebrations £10,000 funding was offered for the best project in Calderdale, under each of these categories:

Best Biodiversity Project

There was such a high standard of entries in this category that the judges found it impossible to decide between the top two projects, so we gave a £10,000 grant each to:

Beechwood Park Local Nature Reserve regeneration.
Beechwood Park in North Halifax has recently been designated as a Local Nature Reserve. The large wildlife area is home to many different species, including deer, foxes, breeding birds, butterflies, toads and wildflowers. The grant funding will be used to repair footbridges, clean and renovate the park's two ponds, and clear vegetation in the stream running between them, and to install interpretative panels designed by local children. The proposal has the full backing of the local community, who along with other volunteer groups, local schools and other local organisations are keen to get started on the work.

The Beechwood Park Local Nature Reserve

Calderdale Seeds Project, a project to regenerate Calderdale's haymeadows.
The Calderdale Seeds Project aims to regenerate existing hay meadows, and create new upland ones, using locally sourced seeds, on carefully matched sites in Luddenden Dean. Upland hay meadows are an important resource since many upland birds, such as the Twite, will choose their nest site according to the local abundance of seeds and invertebrates during the breeding season. Hay meadows have now become a scarce resource, and in the longer term, the project aims to restore up to 90 hectares of hay meadows to Calderdale. It will also provide examples of best practice for other landowners, link local producers of hay with local users and offer a valuable educational, training and volunteering resource to local schools, colleges and communities. Three suitable sites (over 5 fields) have already been identified for sowing in Spring 2007, possibly to include a demonstration event.

Upland haymeadows adjoining Midgley Moor, Luddenden Dean

Other biodiversity projects include:

• Ringstone Improvement Project, the first purpose designed nature reserve in the area, for a wading bird of national significance, supported by Marshalls plc, Hanson Environment Fund, Yorkshire Water and the RSPB Regional Office.
• Balsam Eradication at the source of the River Calder in association with Calder Future.

The Ringstone Improvement Project

Best Historic Building Project

• The Heart Project in association with The Pitstop Project, and the "White Windows" Leonard Cheshire Home (1768, Grade II listed). Supported by Grantscape.
• The Blackley Centre (dating from 1789, Grade II listed).
• Todmorden Unitarian Church (1869, Grade I). In association with the Historic Chapels Trust, the GBN helped one of Britain 's finest non-conformist churches, be restored to its former glory.

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Best Public Amenity Project

The £10,000 funding awarded to the People's Consortium of Siddal, Backhold and Exley will go towards ambitious plans, already well advanced, to improve the local recreation park and develop safe facilities for play and recreation. The project aims to make the park accessible to all, with a children's play area; a zone for older children, with a five a side football pitch and teen shelter; a refurbished bowling green ; and, environmental areas, which can be used for schools projects. The funding from the GBN will be used for a new sports surface, benches, bins, plants and bulbs.

Play area at the new park

Other public amenity projects that the GBN has helped fund include the £100,000 Ravenscliffe Therapeutic Garden. The garden at Ravenscliffe has an amphitheatre for amateur dramatics seating 50, a winding tree walk with ramps, steps and handrails, as well as interactive Biffaward 'pods' with sound, air and tactile features. View 360° images and other photos of the Ravenscliffe Therapeutic garden by clicking here.

You can now download a copy of the GBN's Community Garden case study, by clicking here.

We have also produced a case study of the 'Wild Garden' developed at Ferney Lee School. If you are interested in reading it, please click here.

Other projects include:

• A community café at King Cross for The Next Step Trust (through £19,600 funding from the Hanson Environment Fund). For more information please see our Autumn 2006 news story .
• £25,000 funding for NEWTS (Nature and Education Working Together for Schools) from the SITA Trust for a new community space. For more information please see our Summer 2006 news story .
• £6,400 funding for 'mini' Calder Futures at Mixenden and Elland Park Lock (co funded by Marshalls plc)

Latest News

The most recent projects that have benefited from GBN assistance under the Scheme are:

A major upgrade of Shade Recreation Ground in Todmorden (The Space4Shade Project).

• Community Path from Mount Tabor to Wainstalls. Funding will be used to complete work already carried out on the path and to also provide interpretation boards at the start and end of the walk.

• The Boothtown Partnership community changing rooms. For further details please see our April 2004 Newsletter .

• Calderdale Urban Eco-Park (Shibden)

• All Saints High School, Sheffield: community aspects of Specialist Sports College status. To find out more about the school please click here.

• A major project to clean up fly tipping at Todmorden Moor, with funding from WREN. Please click here to find out more about Todmorden Moor Restoration Trust.

 If you would like to find out if your project is eligible for funding, please contact the GBN.

For GBN's own projects that have benefited from landfill tax funding see the GBN Projects page.

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Reform of the LTCS

The Landfill Communities Fund is reviewed annually by Government. The LTCS website www.ltcs.org.uk includes the latest information on the reforms and links to relevant stakeholders' websites. It is also possible to search a 'facts and figures' database for outlines of many LTCS-assisted projects, including those where GBN has helped secure funding.

Other Funding Sources for Community Groups

A useful starting point for funding sources other than the LTCS is Calderdale Council's 'Calderdale 4 Community' website. See also our 'Useful Links' page.

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