Posted on Tuesday 12th January 2021
David Moore with apprentices from Dudley College in 2019.
Trustees and volunteers at Sandfields Pumping Station are celebrating after receiving funding towards the refurbishment of their community venue.
Lichfield Waterworks Trust have been awarded £1000 from Staffordshire County Council’s Climate Change Action Fund. The funding will go towards the costs of refurbishing and upgrading old lights to new energy efficient LED lighting.
The Grade II* listed Victorian Waterworks is currently being refurbished and being turned into a community and visitor attraction.
David Moore, Chair of the Trust said:
“We’re all over the moon with the funding which we’re going to use to update the old 1960s building lighting. It’s all part of our wider project to turn the disused Grade II* Listed waterworks building into a usable, more accessible community asset for local people to use and enjoy.
“The new energy efficient bulbs will not only help to brighten the place up while reduce running costs but will also help to tackle climate change which is one of the trust’s aims.
“The trust will also be enlisting the help of apprentices from the local technical college. The project will enable young people to learn new skills and develop intergenerational relationships with other volunteers at the site. It is indeed a win-win for the whole community.”
Staffordshire County Councillor, Colin Greatorex, who supported the project added:
“Lichfield is a great city with many historic buildings, so we’re pleased to be able to support this community project that will help tackle climate change and reduce carbon omissions.
“Older buildings can be really inefficient when it comes to energy, so getting the new LED lighting will make a huge difference and is great news for both the local community and the environment.”
The Climate Change Action Fund is being delivered by Staffordshire County Council and is now accepting applications from not-for-profit organisations who want to do something to protect the environment. Projects that reduce the amount of carbon produced, improve air quality or help people to deal with climate change events such as heatwaves or flooding are likely to be eligible. Groups can apply for up to £1000 and the scheme is open to applications until 29 January 2021.
Julia Jessel, Cabinet Member with responsibility for climate change at Staffordshire County Council said:
“Tackling climate change remains a priority for the county council. Our ambition is to reduce our own carbon emissions to zero by 2050 but we also want to support communities to do their bit towards a greener future too.
“Climate change is a huge issue which impacts all of us, but if we work together we can really make a difference. Each county councillor has £1000 to award to projects in their area so I would urge people to get in touch and get their applications in.”
To apply for a grant, organisations will first need to speak with their county councillor and then submit an application online.
More information on the fund along with other funding opportunities can be found at https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/DoingOurBit/Funding.aspx