Veolia, the UK’s leading resource management company, supported nine projects in partnership with Camden Council with £5,000 in 2024 to reduce waste and improve their local environment. This World Environment Day (5 June) the Fund opened again with community grants of up to £1,000 available.
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Since its launch in Camden in 2021, Veolia’s Sustainability Fund has successfully supported 28 projects with £19,047 in funding. In 2024, 9 community initiatives received £5,000 in funding to make a positive and sustainable impact on their local environment. This year, the Sustainability Fund launched on 5 June, World Environment Day, with up to £1,000 available for each project.
Not-for-profit organisations, community groups, and individuals are invited to apply to the Sustainability Fund for a chance to receive up to £1,000 in funding for projects that enhance biodiversity, promote sustainable waste behaviours, protect or preserve resources, or use recycled, reused, or reclaimed materials.
Nine projects were funded last year and are making a significant impact in Camden, including:
Likewise Community Well-being
: The funding supports the transformation of an underused garden into a thriving green space for the community. Weekly gardening sessions, led by a professional gardener, will provide emotional and physical wellbeing benefits while increasing biodiversity through planting pollinators and other greenery.
Laptops for refugees
: By refurbishing and donating second-hand laptops, this project will provide refugees in Camden with essential digital tools for education, employment, and communication. The initiative extends the lifespan of e-waste while supporting displaced individuals in rebuilding their lives.
Donkeys at Parliament Hill School
: The funding enabled eco-grazing at Parliament Hill School, where donkeys from nearby Kentish Town Farm helped manage grassland naturally. The project boosted biodiversity and gave students an engaging lesson in sustainable land care.
To celebrate the Sustainability Fund’s fifth anniversary, one standout project demonstrating long-term community impact will receive a special bumper grant of up to £5,000. To be considered for this additional funding, applicants simply need to opt in during the standard application process.
And new for 2025, the Sustainability Fund is expanding to include social projects alongside environmental initiatives. This broader focus now welcomes projects that strengthen the local community, including but not limited to: employment support programmes, rehabilitation projects, and youth development initiatives.
Likewise Community Well-being, said: “Thanks to the grant from Veolia’s Sustainability Fund, our community members were able to make some great headway in developing our garden over the autumn and winter. Community members have planted lots of bulbs that will really brighten up our space in the spring and summer – and have participated in some really enjoyable workshops, including mosaic making and seasonal table decorations.
Pascal Hauret, Managing Director, Municipal at Veolia, said: “Since its launch five years ago, the Sustainability Fund has allowed us to directly support the communities we serve with over £300,000 in funding delivered since 2021. The Fund continues to grow and evolve, this year offering more opportunities than ever, and I’m looking forward to reviewing some unique and inspiring applications, from environmental projects to social initiatives.”
