Community groups have shared £5,000 in grants to tackle waste and promote recycling.

Kirklees Council has awarded up to £1,000 each to six local organisations under its Zero Waste Community Grant launched in April 2024.

The grant was open to Kirklees community groups, voluntary organisations, registered charities, community interest companies and small businesses located in, and serving, Kirklees communities.

The successful organisations were:

  • St Stephen’s Church in Lindley: To provide a community recycling scheme for medicinal blister packs and unusual plastics and a collection tub for textiles, shoes and sports items for the Christian African Relief Trust;
  • Parents, Teachers and Friends Association at Nields Academy in Slaithwaite: A project to compost all the school’s food waste;
  • Thread Republic: To run an upcycling competition for professional makers and design students as part of Sustainable Fashion Week in September 2024;
  • River Holme Connections in Honley: To fund the recycling of approximately 7,000 plastic tree guards and 3,600 hedge guards;
  • LS2Y Community Services (The Chestnut Centre, Deighton): To improve internal systems for recycling and waste reduction, and to host clothing repair workshops for the local community;
  • Rainbow Baby Bank in Heckmondwike: The purchase of a PAT tester to enable the safety testing and reuse of donated electrical items.

Clr Munir Ahmed, Cabinet member for environment and highways, said: “The Zero Waste Grant initiative is a small but important step toward creating a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future for Kirklees.

“I’m thrilled that the winning participants can turn their ideas into reality, increase recycling and join us in our journey to Net Zero 2038.”

Samantha Cottam, of Rainbow Baby Bank, said: “We’re delighted with the funding from Kirklees Council and excited for the impact it will have.

“In the past, we have had to dispose of donated electrical items but now, with the PAT testing device, we can re-donate the safe and useable devices, or sell them in our charity shop, so there is less landfill waste, and our users benefit from usable electrical goods – it’s a win, win!”

The Kirklees Council Resources and Waste Strategy 2021-2030 can be viewed at Resources and Waste Strategy 2021-2030 | Kirklees Council

 

Council plans bin collection changes in Huddersfield to cut number of missed bins and complaints