Greater Manchester Eco Grants for Schools – let the projects begin!

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Launch of the Eco Grants for Schools Programme

Last year GMCA launched the first Greater Manchester Eco Grants for Schools programme, inviting education establishments, regardless of their size, to apply for funding to launch their own environment projects which will make a positive impact in their school communities.

During the 8-week application process 59 schools submitted their requests for funding.  After a rigorous evaluation process, 29 schools were awarded funding.

School Eco Grants – why?

After researching what funding is currently available to schools, uptake, discussing barriers to applying and the success of the School Eco Refill Shop pilot, it was apparent that regional schools would welcome the opportunity to apply for a modest amount of funding to implement their own pupil-led projects through a simple application process.

There were many compelling reasons for introducing the programme, including the need for schools to take individual action which contributes to the Five Year Environment Plan for Greater Manchester  environmental ambitions.

Tangible actions within schools will also help deliver on their climate action plans as required by the Government’s Department for Education by September 2025.  The DfE provides a ten-point plan detailing how climate actions plans will help schools delivery positive change; three points are clearly aligned to the programme:

  • increase the confidence and expertise of your leadership team, staff, learners, and students in understanding climate change and how positive change can be achieved
  • create a culture that prioritises sustainability
  • help learners develop skills and knowledge which help them to contribute to sustainability and climate change in their lives and future jobs

During the application process we asked for school projects to tackle one or all of the following objectives:

  • Waste reduction and circular economy
  • Climate education focused on sustainable lifestyles
  • Sustainable food and tackling food waste

We also requested that the projects were not one-off events, delivered long-lasting change and wider social environmental benefits.

School projects funded

Twenty-nine schools spanning the region were awarded funding, with the majority of successful applications being from primary schools 21.  There are 3 secondary schools and 3 special educational needs schools, 1 pupil referral unit and 1 further education college.

There was a great selection of projects submitted, all displaying an impetus for wanting to implement their own pupil-focused projects, it was apparent that many schools wanted to breathe life into their green spaces and create an allotment for growing fruit and vegetables aiming to address sustainable food and tackle food waste through composting, 17 schools were awarded funding around this theme.  Six school projects aimed are aimed at waste reduction and circular economy and a further six addressed climate education focused on sustainable lifestyles.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the projects which we’ll be reporting on over the next 12 months:

Divine Mercy Primary School – Manchester Jurassic Plastic – Making Plastic Waste History

Objective: Waste reduction and circular economy

Closing the loop on our plastic waste.  We want to show an alternative to incineration or sending our plastic waste to other countries to be recycled.  We want to inspire our children to think circularly by treating plastic waste as a resource.  Through the use of small recycling machines, we will demonstrate how we can turn our plastic waste into useful, recyclable products that people can cherish.

The Divine Mercy Jurassic Plastic logo board

Parochial Primary School – Project chickens!

Objective: Sustainable food and tackling food waste

We would like to rehome ex-battery hens to teach our children about the realities of where our food comes from and the responsibility to look after them. We will use the eggs to stock our ‘Parochial Pantry’ which is our school foodbank. A large proportion of our children access free school meals, and we aim to incorporate learning on food waste and reduce the waste we create from our kitchen. The project also supports our mission of ‘preparing children for the future’.

For more information on the Greater Manchester Eco Grants for Schools programme, visit our website: The Greater Manchester Eco Grants For Schools Programme

For information on further resources for schools visit: Schools – GM Green City

Brown hen

Photo credit: Chicken Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

Take action…

To make a big change, we must all take small actions. Becoming greener and making an impact is easier than you might think. We have put together a range of blogs, articles, toolkits and checklists to help you make a start.

Explore resources

Although we set out with a simple mission to reduce plastic waste, we’ve quickly realised that it’s just one piece in the sustainability puzzle. One of the biggest, but most easily attainable actions we can achieve is to look at where our goods come from and reduce the carbon footprint needed to get a product from manufacturer to consumer. Many of the products we stock are made by local, independent manufactures, who provide us with a wide range of things from reusable face wipes, wax food wraps, face coverings, soap bars, plant pots, kitchen cloths/sponges and butty bags.

Carl from Lentils and Lather

Our aim is to start changing the habits of families in Greater Manchester by getting them to ‘borrow’ rather than ‘buy’ brand new toys. We’re making sure that toys can be reused again and again by children who need and want them – and they are not just sitting in a cupboard or under someone’s bed.

Kim from That Toy Thing

The best part of upcycling is that old furniture is often better made than the equivalent flat-packed furniture we get today and with a little bit of time, love and care, you can create a completely unique piece of furniture for your home that no one else will have. I also love that these pieces of furniture have a history of their own and through transforming and updating them we can breathe a new lease of life into them.

Hannah from Tread Softly

The Green Recovery Challenge Fund is providing a further boost to the ambitions of the Great Manchester Wetlands Partnership to create a thriving, inspirational and connected landscape. It supports the recovery of wildlife through habitat creation and improvement as well as community recovery through providing opportunities for local people to develop skills, knowledge and beneficial connections to their local natural environment.

Jo Kennedy, Coordinator of the Great Manchester Wetlands Partnership

The reason I signed up to the Green Homes Grant scheme was two-fold, selfishly the measures will add value to the properties and make them more valuable in the future. But more importantly it benefits the tenants, keeping them warmer and prevents problems like damp and condensation. Ultimately measures like external wall insulations should keep tenants happier and ensure they remain in the house for longer.

Neil, Rochdale property owner

We used to think we didn’t have enough time to shop on our local market because we were working; how wrong we were?  We discovered it is an amazing place to shop for plastic free. We swapped tea bags for tea leaves and coffee jars for beans which we buy from The Market Grounds on Ashton Market – well worth a visit as the homemade cakes are delicious. All the stall holders have been amazing, not one of them minds us taking our containers to be filled with meat from the butchers. We get our bread, cheese, fruit and veg from the market too.

Julie from Ashton-under-Lyne

Kat Mulhall, Events Manager at Victoria Baths Trust in Manchester

Although becoming carbon neutral is important to our organisation, it’s a lot of work for a small team to put the measures into place. The Journey to Net Zero course has given me practical, step-by-step advice that has made it easy for me to lay the foundations for our organisation to be able to take action and achieve our goal of becoming carbon neutral.

Kat Mulhall, Events Manager at Victoria Baths Trust in Manchester

Kat Mulhall, Events Manager at Victoria Baths Trust in Manchester

The Business Growth Hub has given us focus and extra knowledge. They’ve helped us form the base to grow sustainably and work efficiently as a team while making us conscious of our environmental impact as a business.

 

Ollie Birchall, Founder of Nutri Bar

I’ve not really been a cyclist throughout my life, more of a runner to be honest. And certainly not commuted. But I just thought if I’m going to change, surely now is the moment to change. I’m feeling the personal benefits of doing it. You just feel better when you come into work. It clears your head. There are benefits of cutting congestion, cleaning up the air. Everyone benefits when people cycle.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester

We think our water fountain is INCREDIBLE, it’s the perfect place for people to ‘refill’ and help themselves to any of the free edibles we’ve got growing in Market Place. We’re so grateful to all the organisations that helped make this happen. Alongside the plastic free motion that was passed by council and helped us achieve our first Surfers Against Sewage objective and in turn our Plastic Free Community status, it shows real commitment in reducing plastic waste and supporting our community.

 

Pete Fillery, Plastic Free Rammy and Incredible Edible Ramsbottom

I guess I’ve always been what you would call a conscious consumer. I’ve always detested plastic bags, all of my skin care products at home are plastic-free, vegan, and sustainable. My toothbrush is made of bamboo, there’s no plastic anywhere in the house. Everything in the salon has to be vegan – that was the first rule for me. We started with one brand of haircare products that was vegan, organic, and Fairtrade, but the distributor in the UK was wrapping all of the deliveries in plastic, and it felt really needless, so we ditched them.

 

Rachael, Gronn eco-salon in Bury

Although becoming carbon neutral is important to our organisation, it’s a lot of work for a small team to put the measures into place. The Journey to Net Zero course has given me practical, step-by-step advice that has made it easy for me to lay the foundations for our organisation to be able to take action and achieve our goal of becoming carbon neutral.

 

Kat Mulhall, Victoria Baths Trust, Manchester

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