Veolia, the UK’s leading resource management company, is launching this year’s Sustainability Fund in partnership with the South London Waste Partnership boroughs of Croydon, Kingston, Merton, and Sutton on the International Day for Biological Diversity (22 May 2024) to help support people across South London to improve biodiversity in their local environments and communities with grants of up to £1,000.
In 2023, 4 grassroots projects were given over £1,500 in funding through the Sustainability Fund across the South London Waste Partnership boroughs of Croydon, Kingston, Merton, and Sutton. This year, Veolia will continue to fund great local initiatives that protect and preserve resources but is particularly interested in projects that make a positive, long term difference to biodiversity.
Sustainability Fund applications will open on 22 May and will be celebrated with a garden party hosted at Beddington Park in Sutton. Members of community groups across the four boroughs will have the opportunity to connect on the International Day for Biological Diversity to share their project ideas, get first hand tips on how to secure funding, and discuss how biodiversity can be improved in the local area.
In previous years, successful projects have delivered long-term social and environmental benefits to local communities, including:
Downsview Primary School in Croydon
developed an edible and sustainable school garden.
At Tolworth Station in Kingston
a strawberry wall was installed to allow the community to make and sell jam.
The Wimbledon Fireflies Pathfinders Club in Merton
received funding to help teach local children life skills.
Everyday River Heroes in Sutton
ran a project to empower residents to take action for their local environment.
Veolia’s Sustainability Fund is open to not-for-profit organisations, community groups, or individuals in areas where the company delivers waste and street cleansing services for the community. Up to £1,000 in funding is available per project and applicants can opt to request in-kind resources or volunteers to help them deliver ecological transformation.
Applications can be made via Veolia’s website at veolia.co.uk/Sustainability-Fund or via Spacehive, Veolia’s crowdfunding partner, at spacehive.com/movement/veoliauk. The fund will be open for applications until Monday 30 September.
All applications will be considered, but projects should aim to fulfil at least one of the following criteria: enhancing biodiversity; promoting sustainable behaviours (reduce, reuse, recycle); protecting or preserving resources and the environment by using recycled, reused, or reclaimed materials.
Scott Edgell, General Manager for Veolia South London, said : “I am always thrilled to see projects we support through the Sustainability Fund coming to life, and look forward to reviewing all the creative and inspiring applications for this year. Biodiversity is one of the pillars of ecological transformation and we’re proud to be supporting the communities we work in every day to make their local areas even greener.”
