Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Cabinet approves more funding for the next round of the Community Climate and Nature Fund

On Monday 7 April, Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Cabinet approved more funding for round three of the Community Climate and Nature Fund (CCNF).

£150,000 has been allocated from the Climate Change Reserve to the CCNF, previously known as the Community Climate Change Fund (CCCF), for the next round of funding.

The fund will provide opportunities for the following groups to apply for grant funding:

• Town and parish councils
• Properly constituted community and charity groups operating within the Stratford-on-Avon District
• Sports clubs

As part of the grant application process, the Climate Change Reserve Eligibility and Financial Approval Procedure (CCREFAP) sets out the types of projects that are eligible for funding.

These include:

• Physical interventions that generate renewable energy, reduce waste or reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, transport, commercial and industrial processes
• Community initiatives/interventions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or promote greener lifestyles
• Delivering projects which enhance biodiversity in an area
• Funding towards measures which provide adaptation to Climate Change
• Research including feasibility studies

Cllr Susan Juned, Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council said: "Following the success of the previous rounds of funding, we have increased the amount of funding available for this third round and hope to be able to support more projects with this larger budget.

"Also, by targeting these specific groups, the fund can ensure that its resources are directed toward initiatives that have a greater impact, addressing gaps that might otherwise go unaddressed or may not have access to other funding sources and would not otherwise be delivered.

"As a District Council we will continue to support the delivery of a wide range of high quality, community-led climate and nature focused projects. These will aid the District in moving towards the long-term goal of becoming a more sustainable and wildlife friendly authority."

Applications for round three of the funding will open in May, please check the District Council website for further details - Stratford-on-Avon Community Climate Change Fund | Stratford-on-Avon District Council

Below is a list of all the projects funded from the first two rounds and here is a link to some case studies of the projects Community Climate Change Fund Case Studies | Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

Below are the funded projects from Round One

• Great Alne Parish Council - Development of a community flooding scheme - £4,000
• Napton Parish Council - The replacement of sodium bulb floodlighting with LED - £10,000
• Bidford Parish Council - Establishment of a community fridge and cafe - £4,500
• Great Alne Parish Council - Installation of a mobile rainwater harvesting system - £1,842
• Snitterfield Village Hall - Installation of an air source heat pump - £4,696
• Bearley Parish Council - The replacement of conventional streetlight bulbs with LED - £2,065
• Warwickshire Cycle Buddies - Development and delivery of a help to cycle scheme - £2,174
• Shotteswell Village Hall - Installation of a battery storage system to operate alongside a solar panel system - £2,500
• Great Alne Parish Council - The commissioning of a feasibility study for a Greenway between Great Alne and Alcester - £10,000
• Stratford Town Hall - The commissioning of a decarbonisation feasibility study - £2,360

Below are the funded projects from Round Two

• Upper Lighthorne Parish Council - Community action to increase the local hedgehog population - £1,042
• The Bear Pit Theatre - Upgrade of theatre stage lighting from tungsten to LED - £4,980
• Tiddington Village Residents Association - Water quality monitoring and improvement in the River Avon - £1,392
• Kineton Village Hall Association - Insulation of the Village Hall - £9,850
• Ilmington Community Shop - Solar panel installation - £6,000
• Stockton Village Hall Committee - Solar panel and battery storage installation - £7,750
• Shottery Memorial Hall - Solar panel and battery storage installation - £5,500
• The Shakespeare Hospice - LED lighting upgrade at Avenue Farm site - £4,790
• Warwickshire Rural Hub - Creation of an online hub for the South Warwickshire Area Network for Wildlife (SWAN) - £4,370
• Shipston-on-Stour Town Council - Increasing biodiversity at Cornmill Meadows - £1,620
• Stratford Sports Club - Installation of SmartCellar technology - £1,085
• Tysoe Village Hall Trust - Installation of 2 destratification fans at the Village Hall - £2,152
• Escape Arts - Provision of sustainable cooking workshops, two new accessible community growing spaces, and installation of a rainwater harvesting system - £5,426