Community environmental action

Community Environmental Action Fund - up to £1,000 available

We know that groups of individuals around the district are keen to act to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, prepare for changes to the climate and make their communities more sustainable. And we are keen to help by providing advice and training, signposting you to reputable resources and by giving 15 community groups support funding of up to £1,000 each from the sustainability focussed Community Environmental Action Fund (CEAF).

Following on from the successes of the C-Change Coastal pilot with Greener Fram (new window), Otley Green (new window) and Transition Woodbridge, the Suffolk Coastal Local Strategic Partnership (new window) has provided funding of up to £1,000 for 15 community groups who are willing, with the support of our Community Environmental Action Advisor, to follow in their footsteps.

You can see the progress of the 9 communities currently supported in the inspiration and ideas section below.

Community Environmental Action Advisor - Dan Wheals

Dan Wheals, Groundwork East of England's and the Council’s part-time Community Environmental Action Advisor, is passionate about the environment. He has experience of community engagement, food growing projects, permaculture and transition towns. With colleagues there is a collective knowledge of energy efficiency, renewable energy, waste minimisation, climate change, flooding, biodiversity and community resilience.

Watch the video ...

Dan's job is to assist Suffolk Coastal's communities in reducing their environmental footprint and prepare for changes to the environment. The aim is to support communities working together on issues important to them which make them more sustainable for the future.

The community groups listed below, who are currently being supported by the CEAF, will give you some ideas of what you can do. Please contact Dan if you want any more information.

• Greener Sax (new window) - allotment regeneration, film nights, winter green fayres, bike workshops, collaborating with other local groups, insulation bulk buy scheme.
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• Boyton Community Group - linking green issues with community issues, community carbon audits, glut stall to leave surplus produce for others, village green space/herb garden, local coastal defences and emergency planning, transport sharing solutions, collaborative consumption, insulation bulk buy scheme.
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• Enterprise Badingham (new window) - setting up local produce markets in conjunction with neighbouring parishes to create a viable outlet for local producers, setting up a community garden.
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• Fullfledge Ecology School (new window) - setting up a new style of school with ecology at its the heart.
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• Sandlings Safer Cycling Campaign (new window) - creating safe routes and maps between settlements in the Sandlings area, reducing traffic speed, promoting cycling.
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• Kingsfleet Primary School, Felixstowe (new window) - giving a green focus to the school.
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• Cookpole Energy Action (new window) - promotion of renewable energy options, setting up a community garden, insulation bulk buy schemes.
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• Kesgrave Allotment & Leisure Gardeners Association (new window) - setting up new allotments, water conservation, promotion of cycling to the allotments, promotion of nature friendly gardening.
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• Kelsale-Cum-Carlton Parish Council - has become a LEAF (Local Energy Assessment Fund) community, which involves carrying out household energy audits and assessing local options for renewable energy generation as a start towards reducing the community’s carbon emissions.

How to apply

You can download the CEAF application form and terms and conditions by following the links below. The terms and conditions outline what you have to do to in return for funding:

• CEAF application form (new window Word 290KB)
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• CEAF terms & conditions (new window PDF 150KB)
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• CEAF carbon footprinting (new window PDF 53KB)

For more information or to discuss your community's ideas please call Dan on 01394 444218 or 07872 400196 or email dan.wheals@groundwork.org.uk. Please note that Dan works part-time (2 days a week) and if he is not available at your time of call he will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.

Community events

We are looking to run a number of events and training sessions across the district according to need. Please let Dan know of any training or events your community needs to help meet its green ambitions - these could include transition training, permaculture, renewable technologies and practical ‘how to’ sessions, for example installing insulation or fixing a bike.

Help us spread the word

Could you help us spread the word about the CEAF? We have created the postcard below which you can download and share (you can also use the share button at the top left of the page to email this webpage to your contacts or share it on Facebook, Twitter, etc). If you could distribute printed postcards for us please get in touch.

CEAF postcard printable version (new window PDF 60KB)

Greenprint Forum - action for a positive future

The Greenprint Forum is a quarterly forum set up to promote ideas, discussion and action to improve the environment in Suffolk Coastal. Membership of the forum is open to representatives from parish and town councils, environmental and community organisations and businesses across the district. If you would like to attend forum meetings or find out more visit our Greenprint Forum page.

Progress report

Follow the link below to view the end of year progress report on the Suffolk Community Environmental Action Advisor Service:

• Progress Report March 2011 (new window PDF 996KB)

Who is behind this initiative?

The CEAF and part-time Community Environmental Action advisor post are provided in partnership with Suffolk Coastal District Council, Groundwork East of England, Suffolk Coastal Local Strategic Partnership, Environment Agency, and in Year 1 of the project by Suffolk Coasts and Heaths AONB and the Transforming Suffolk Fund administered by the Suffolk Foundation. The CEAF is supporting the aims fo the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership.