WIREDGOV

Helping people to reduce their cost of living and learn new skills to support themselves while looking after the environment, are top priorities for the 30 projects funded yesterday by The National Lottery Community Fund.

Colette Ruddy and Harry Hughes from The Cabbage Patchers busy with some planting. The Warrenpoint group has been awarded a £10,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Together for Our Planet Programme to deliver food-related activities for all ages to promote the links between gardening, cooking and wellbeing.

Over £230,000 has been awarded in Northern Ireland from Together for Our Planet, a National Lottery funding programme to help communities take climate action. The UK-wide programme is helping people grow their own produce, reduce waste, learn about repairing and upcycling and improving their local area.

One of the projects receiving funding is Causeway Urban and Rural Network (CRUN) in Coleraine who have received £6,200 to teach people the skills to repair and upcycle clothes and create items from furniture or household items that were going to landfill.

Ann McNickle, CRUN Project Manager, yesterday said:

“We are so grateful for this National Lottery funding so we can make a big difference through our Trash to Treasure project. We ran a small pilot with young people and one girl had a dress ready for the bin and we helped her turn it into a jumpsuit to wear at the weekend.

“They all became whizzes on the sewing machine and it completely changed their mindset. Instead of them buying something new they swapped with their friends and created new clothes. They saved money and learned skills they now have for life.”

Ann explained that the organisation also is working with Causeway Coast and Glens Council staff who will pass on items that could be upcycled instead of going to landfill. She added:

“We also plan to work with local charity shops to sell the furniture or people can give it to friends or families, it really is for the collective good – saving money, helping each other and supporting the environment. Thank you, National Lottery players, for making this possible.”

Click here for the full press release