A small grants programme for residents and businesses in the Kirkstall Valley who want to to maintain or improve the local environment is open for its second round.
The first round of applications led to an interactive awards evening, during which four grants were awarded along with knowledge, contacts and mentors to support projects in the Kirkstall Valley Area.
Award winners included:
Julie Botham – Bramley Bloomers Edible Beds
Current plan is to source three areas in Bramley that the community can access and maintain to grow vegetables and benefit from.
They will use sustainable and eco friendly methods of growing and work across generations, to learn from and inform their work.
Angela McConnell – Broadlea Better Community Residents and Tenants Association
Running a series of workshops throughout August to build Bug Houses with families who usually attend the homework club.
These will then be put in gardens to look after the wildlife in the area of the Broadleas.
The Bug Houses will be checked on a regular basis with the children and find out which insects are living in the Bug houses and to teach the children all about the insects and Bugs that we don’t see everyday.
Grace Hills – Eden Crescent
Grace has been engaging the community in Eden Crescent and teaching children how to grow things such as trees, plants and vegetables.
Grace is going to use this funding along with her neighbours to continue planting to combat climate change and working together to shape the neighbourhood and make it greener.
Nicola William, Armley
Nicola is working along with the community to encourage the hedgehog population to recover.
She will be running workshops to build sustainable hedgehog homes and also sharing the importance of creating access routes, introducing plants that attract bugs, footprint tunnels (which help record hedgehog activity) and hosting garden habitat seminars to educate and encourage communities.
Nicola has already attended Kirkstall Festival with an estimated attendance of 25,000 to share her knowledge.
A spokesperson for Kirkstall Valley Development Trust said:
“We are really proud of their achievements so far and are looking forward to seeing how their projects take shape and hearing the feedback to the next round of applicants in October. “
Applications for the next round of awards in October are now open. Proposals from people of all ages, especially those who are new to the world of grant funding and applications, are very welcome.
Applicants can apply via the grants scheme website. People who have any questions, or who would like some support with the application process, can e-mail getinvolved@kirkstallvalleygrants.org or call Open Source Arts on 0113 246 8975.
The scheme is sponsored by Power to Change, and co-ordinated by Kirkstall Road-based Open Source Arts and Kirkstall Valley Development Trust (KVDT), Kirkstall Valley Grants officially launched in June 2019.
Community space
KVDT has signed the lease on itscommunity space – the unit next to Pure Gym on Kirkstall Bridge Retail Park.
Local business Eco-Loft has fitted toilets for free and Abbey Museum has donated furniture. Electrics and water are being sorted but the group needs help to decorate.
If you can help with that or have any projects / activities you would like to deliver in the Unit from September, contact Adele Rae on adele.rae@kvdt.org.uk – 07900 986570
