GAA lead unique biodiversity project thanks to National Lottery funding

The National Lottery Community Fund has today announced funding of £404,543 to Ulster GAA, for a first of the kind project in Northern Ireland, to help raise awareness, change behaviours and produce action on biodiversity and protecting water sources through their club network.

Ulster GAA is working with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Northern Ireland (RSPB NI) and Northern Ireland Water on ‘Sporting Nature,’ a project to change practices and make it easier for volunteers to support climate and sustainability, changing the culture across clubs and the wider community.

Kateryn Florez, UK Portfolio Officer, The National Lottery Community Fund, Michael Geoghegan, Vice President, Ulster GAA, Joanne Sherwood, NI Director, RSPB and Pat McCauley, Education Officer, NI Water pictured with Lamh Dhearg GAA club underage members Oran, Amber, Lauren, Cody and Mason.

Diarmaid Marsden, Head of Club and Community Development Department, Ulster GAA explained: “Thanks to this National Lottery funding, 30 clubs and associated members will take action by promoting awareness of biodiversity. Learning will be shared across GAA and other sports clubs, building on what they’ve done before and complementing existing local authority action.

“We will be training leadership teams and young leaders on biodiversity, supporting club ‘Green Teams,’ providing help and advice for clubs to improve their walkways and create habitats within sports grounds, as well as protecting water sources.

“This project will bring about physical and behavioural change together with long term sustainable cultural change in the GAA club and community landscape. We are delighted to partner with RSPB NI and NI Water to provide expertise in these areas.”

This funding comes from The National Lottery Community Fund’s UK wide Climate Action Fund, which was set up to help communities reduce their carbon footprint and show what is possible when people take the lead in tackling climate change.

Joanne Sherwood, NI Director, RSPB commented: “RSPB NI are delighted to be building on our work with Ulster GAA and NI Water, through the Sporting Nature project. We are looking forward to raising awareness of the importance of standing up for nature, by encouraging GAA clubs and our local communities to take action to protect and restore local wildlife, flora and fauna.”

Rebecca Allen, Catchment Officer, NI Water said: “We have a strong focus on protecting the environment and are committed to tackling pollution issues that impact our watercourses. We are delighted to support Sporting Nature, working with RSPB NI and the Ulster GAA community, who are passionate about their clubs and surrounding environment.

“We already worked with Ulster GAA on their Green Club Programme and the public engagement and education around nature, water conservation and protection on club grounds have laid an excellent foundation to continue our partnership. The programme has the potential to help drinking water catchments be more sustainable, making a real difference to local areas.”

This year marks 30 years since the first National Lottery draw in 1994, and over this time, thanks to people who play the games, billions of pounds have made life changing projects possible.

Kate Beggs, NI Director of The National Lottery Community Fund said: “We’re pleased to award Ulster GAA this substantial grant. Supporting the environment is a consideration in all our funding as we move forward with our new strategy to support communities.

“Through our Climate Action Fund, we’re looking for projects that encourage more community-led climate action and Sporting Nature is a great example of that. We look forward to seeing what is achieved over the coming months and years.”

The Climate Action Fund is currently open for applications with grants of over £500,000 available to organisations working in partnership to help communities tackle climate change and be more environmentally sustainable. For more information visit https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/climate-action-fund-our-shared-future

Date published: 20 August, 2024
Region: Northern Ireland

Notes to Editors

About The National Lottery Community Fund 

We are the largest non-statutory community funder in the UK – community is at the heart of our purpose, vision and name.

We support activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable and that will strengthen society and improve lives across the UK.

We’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with Government to distribute vital grants and funding from key Government programmes and initiatives.

As well as responding to what communities tell us is important to them, our funding is focused on four key missions, supporting communities to:

1. Come together

2. Be environmentally sustainable

3. Help children and young people thrive

4. Enable people to live healthier lives.

Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, we distribute around £500 million a year through 10,000+ grants and plan to invest over £4bn of funding into communities by 2030. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £47 billion has been raised and more than 670,000 individual grants have been made across the UK - the equivalent of around 240 National Lottery grants in every UK postcode district.

Climate Action Fund - Our Shared Future

With this funding we want to involve more people in climate action. And we want to inspire bold and exciting change.