More Than £1 Million in National Lottery Funding Goes to North Lancashire’s FoodFutures Partners to Support Communities to Tackle Climate Change

North Lancashire’s FoodFutures partnership has received the good news that over £1.1million in National Lottery funding will support North Lancashire’s residents and communities to tackle the climate emergency.

This money will create six local jobs whilst also supporting the partnership in taking forward key strands of Our Food Futures: A Community Food Strategy For North Lancashire (launched in 2021).

The funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, will be managed by LESS (Lancaster District) CIC and Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions (LDCVS) to cocreate a circular and regenerative food economy for the local community. In specific, this grant will support: • The set up of a composting academy and community composting sites across the District. • The set up of a gleaning network that collects seasonal food surpluses (for example fruit and veg) in order to redistribute it to those who can use it. • Support the set up of regenerative enterprises and the creation of circular economies via annual events, a granting scheme and project development support. • Host zero waste challenges, cooking workshops, community meals and food events that develop, serve and celebrate seasonal North Lancashire recipes. • Develop THRIVE – North

Lancashire’s community food magazine – and train a network of citizen journalists that can support us in sharing a wide range of stories whilst highlighting the great community food work already going on in the area.

The FoodFutures partnership hopes this project will act as a catalyst for transforming the local food distribution system whilst also reducing the District’s carbon footprint linked to food..

FoodFutures Coordinator at LESS, Anna Clayton said: “We are thrilled to have received this vital funding thanks to National Lottery players. This project has been enabled by a partnership with LESS, LDCVS, Global Link, Eggcup, Shared Futures and Scientists For Global Responsibility and is all about encouraging people to learn about the food system, and how they can play a part in shifting it whilst reducing their own impacts and food waste. We seek to support communities to step into their power and give them a sense of ownership when it comes to reducing waste and improving the sustainability of our food system and wider local economy.”

Nick Gardner, Head of Climate Action at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We know communities have a big role to play in responding to the climate emergency. That’s why, thanks to National Lottery players, we are pleased to be supporting community-led action to address waste and consumption. These projects will bring people together to create a lower waste society, that will not only help us get to net zero, but also support communities to prosper and thrive.”

In total, 21 community-led waste and consumption focused projects across the UK that have received funding from the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund - a £100 million fund that aims to reduce the carbon footprint of communities and support communityled movements that demonstrate what is possible when people take the lead in tackling climate change. To find out more about The Climate Action Fund visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk

To read ‘Our Food Futures: A community food strategy for North Lancashire’ visit: foodfutures.org.uk/food-strategy

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