£170,000 in National Lottery funding for communities in north-east Wales to reduce waste and tackle climate change.

Resource Denbighshire CIC has received the good news that £170,856 in National Lottery funding will support local people and communities to tackle the climate emergency. The 12-month project will explore the impact of delivering a climate action project through the Bws Benthyg (Borrow Bus), which will carry electricals, manual tools, garden and household items. The local community will be able to donate items that they no longer require and customers will borrow items for a small fee.

The funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, will focus on reducing waste by developing an understanding of circular economy approaches. The project, Resourceful North-East Wales: Borrow, Share, Repair: Library of Things (LoT), has been developed by local authorities and community groups in Llangollen, Mold and Ruthin and will connect skills across communities in Denbighshire to deliver a shared mobile library of things.

The aim is to provide a practical way for communities to take local action on reducing individual need for consumption, reducing waste and changing habits by building a culture of share and repair - fostering inter-connected community climate action. The project will undergo an evaluation to understand the mobile service’s impact on community benefits and waste reduction.

Crest Cooperative will support the project in purchasing and servicing pre-loved tools and household items ready for loan from Bws Benthyg. An electric cargo bike will also travel onboard the Bws, ready to support borrowers to transport items back to their homes. Drosi Bikes, a community organisation based in Llangollen, will provide the bike and service and will train volunteers to use it. The mobile library will also support local repair café events by providing tools for communities and providing training opportunities for community members and volunteers in fixing activities.

Janine Cusworth, Managing Director at Resource Denbighshire CIC, said: “We are delighted to have received this vital funding, thanks to National Lottery players. The grant will enable us and our partners to take positive climate action through a unique and engaging mobile service. The project will connect communities across rural north-east Wales through actions of borrow, share and repair - sharing resources and reducing waste.”

Nick Gardner, Head of Climate Action at The National Lottery Community Fund, said:

“We know communities have a big role to play in responding to the climate emergency. That’s why, thanks to National Lottery players, we are pleased to be supporting community-led action to address waste and consumption. This project will bring people together to create a lower waste society, that will not only help us get to net zero, but also support communities to prosper and thrive.”

This new community funding comes as recent National Lottery research* found four in five adults in north Wales (78%) think local communities are responsible for acting on climate change. The research also shows that half (50%) in the same area are worried about the impact of climate on their local community.

Thanks to National Lottery players, 21 community-led waste and consumption focused projects across the UK are receiving funding from the Climate Action Fund - a £100 million fund that aims to reduce the carbon footprint of communities and support community-led movements that demonstrate what is possible when people take the lead in tackling climate change.

Since 2016, thanks to National Lottery players, we have awarded £397 million through more than 6,000 grants which involve environmental action, including action on waste and consumption, energy, transport, food and the natural environment. National Lottery players raise £30 million each week across the UK for good causes.