Green fingered youngsters in East Dunbartonshire will soon be helping to reduce local carbon emissions by growing food and plants, thanks to funding made available through the Scottish Government’s Community Climate Asset Fund (CCAF).
Having applied to the CCAF, the following schools and early years centre received £38,417.47 between them:
- Mosshead Primary School in Bearsden
- Balmuildy Primary in Bishopbriggs
- Craigdhu Primary in Milngavie
- Gartconner Primary and Gartconner Early Years Centre in Kirkintilloch
- Holy Trinity Primary in Kirkintilloch
The funding will be used to provide food and plant growing equipment such as green houses, class planters, gardening tools, seeds and soil. And when the schools and early years centre welcome back all children, the young learners will be growing their own food and learning about tackling climate change through reducing carbon emissions, food waste and food packaging.
Joint Leader of the Council, Councillor Andrew Polson, said, “Growing food is a great way to teach children about reducing waste and carbon emissions and it’s an opportunity for the very youngest people in East Dunbartonshire to play a part in tackling climate change in our communities.”
Joint Leader of the Council, Councillor Vaughan Moody, added, “There is no better way for children to learn than through hands on experience, and this CCAF funding will provide the recipient schools and early years centre with all the equipment required to grow their own food. I am sure planting will quickly get underway when the schools and early years centre reopen to all children – I am looking forward to seeing all the delicious fruit and veg the children produce.”
The CCAF (a Scottish Government fund, administered by Keep Scotland Beautiful) provides capital funding for a variety of items which will help community-based organisations tackle climate change as Scotland moves towards a net zero society.
Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful administer the CCAF on behalf of the Scottish Government and Barry Fisher, CEO said, “We congratulate all the community-based organisations across Scotland awarded Community Climate Asset Fund grants.
We are committed to making Scotland clean, green and sustainable, and through the Community Climate Asset Fund, we are delighted to support communities to tackle climate change and contribute to a green and just recovery from COVID-19.”
Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said:
“Communities across the country are playing a vital role in responding to the pandemic crisis and in maintaining our resilience, our sense of spirit and our local support network.
“In what remains an exceptionally difficult time for us all, this funding is providing fast, tangible support to deliver long-lasting benefits to community based organisations while also helping them tackle climate change as we accelerate our just transition to a net zero society.
“I am particularly pleased that the successful recipients of the Community Climate Asset Fund come from right across the country, meaning many thousands of people will benefit from the projects and help play their part in ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change.”