05 JULY 2023

Grosvenor’s Greener Futures Fund awards £200,000 to community-led, climate action projects

Today the recipients of this year’s Greener Futures Fund with the London Community Foundation were announced, as part of a Grosvenor’s community investment initiative focused on communities and the climate emergency.  

23 charitable and community organisations across Westminster applied for grants in this year’s funding round to support environmentally focused projectsOf which, 11 were selected to receive funding up to £20,000 pa, totalling £200,000 between 2023-2024. Applicants were assessed in conjunction with external judges, including Westminster City Council, Groundwork, the Westminster Foundation, Victoria Business Improvement District and the Young Westminster Foundation. 

Benefitting an estimated 10,000 people, the projects being supported are:  

  • Built Environment Trust  to run a series of creative, play-based workshops at Westminster-based primary schools to increase pupils’ knowledge of sustainable design and building practices, including material reuse and active travel.
  • Green Schools Project – to support two schools in Mayfair and Belgravia to embed climate and nature-based education in the curriculum through teacher training, regular lessons, and community events. 
  • London Cycling Campaign – to promote active travel in South Westminster through its Cycle Buddies initiative which includes group rides for all ages and levels of cycling proficiency, free bike checks and upskilling of more cycle buddy volunteers.  
  • South Westminster Community Festival – to help run SouthWestFest, South Westminster’s annual community and cultural festival that reaches over 15,000 residents and supports community cohesion and local collaboration. 
  • St. Pauls Community Centre, Marylebone – to support the employment of a Net Zero Engagement and Implementation Officer to support colleagues and the growing network of churches working towards net zero. 
  • Faiths Forum for London – to deliver a project focused on repairing and recycling electronic equipment, including community outreach and digital skills training to address electronic waste and promote sustainability.  
  • Paddington Development Trust - Grand Junction – to support a weekly Green Kids’ after-school club in north Westminster, focused on environment issues to inspire the next generation to tackle climate change whilst improving access to nature 
  • Residents Society of Mayfair St James’s – to develop and scope a biological air filter intervention (also known as a City Tree) in Mayfair, engaging communities and local stakeholders in the process. 
  • St Peter's Eaton Square Primary School to engage pupils in the potential extension and greening of the school playground to improve air quality and support biodiversitythe design team will follow the Voice.Opportunity.Power process to give school pupils a meaningful say in the process.  
  • Third Sector Media – to empower young adults from minority ethnic backgrounds by giving them a platform through film production whilst raising awareness of climate change.  
  • Trees for Cities – tdeliver their healthy playgrounds initiative in two South Westminster primary schools and co-designing these spaces with the school community to enhance green learning through forest gardens, outside classrooms and woodland play areas. 

“The St Peter’s Eaton Square community is thrilled to have been awarded a Greener Futures grant. We believe it’s really important to engage young people in the decisions that affect them, but it’s rare that the opportunity arises. We intend to use this funding to empower our children, allowing them to improve their local environment and make their outdoor space work better for them.” Rebecca Bryant, Parent at St Peter’s Eaton Square Primary School (Greener Futures Grantee) 

“London Cycling Campaign is delighted to have been awarded a Greener Futures grant. Spread over 2 years the funds will allow us to deliver our Cycle Buddies project, which matches new or inexperienced cyclists with experienced ‘cycle buddies’ and organises group and family friendly rides. By encouraging more people to cycle we will tackle climate change, reduce emissions, while participants will experience increased confidence, improved physical and/or mental health and well-being.” Stewart Dring, Cycling Projects Manager, London Cycling Campaign (Greener Futures Grantee) 

"It was great to be involved in the process for awarding Grosvenor’s Greener Futures Fund and hearing about so many fantastic and inspiring local projects. Community-based activities will be crucial if we’re to successfully meet the challenge of climate change here in Westminster. I’m delighted that communities are being supported to make a difference and help lead the way on local climate action. Damian Hemmings, Head of Climate Emergency, Westminster City Council (Greener Futures Judging Panel Member) 

Youth voice is at the core of our work at the Young Westminster Foundation and I was delighted to be part of the panel for the Greener Futures fund. The fund actively addresses the issues that young people in Westminster have told us are important to them, around climate action and improving their access to nature. Embedding community-led action in Westminster is a really important way of not only addressing the issues themselves, but ensuring that communities - and especially young people - are involved in decisions and projects that affect them first hand. I’m really looking forward to seeing the progress of these fantastic programmes over the coming year. Helen Mann, CEO Young Westminster Foundation (Greener Futures Judging Panel Member)  

‘Greener Futures’ is a £1 million+ programme that aims to improve lives in the places Grosvenor’s UK property business is active by supporting training and jobs in the green economy, enabling community-led climate action and improving young people’s access to nature.

Find out more about it here.  

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