A COMMUNITY group in Halton has been awarded a share of £115,000 to help the Liverpool City Region reduce, re-use and recycle more.

Halton Play Council – Recycling for Craft Groups - will deliver workshops for the local community in sewing for clothes repair and alterations and crafts, to help increase re-use of unwanted items.

Programmes include cookery clubs to reduce food waste, community recycling hubs, sewing classes and craft clubs, a recycling guide, upcycling and restoration of unwanted furniture, clothes recycling and a school uniform exchange.

Project applications had to tackle one or more of the four priority household waste materials which have been identified by MRWA as key, namely Food, Plastics, Textiles and Furniture. An analysis of waste in the Liverpool City Region highlighted that a greater amount of these materials could be re-used or recycled. Projects can also include other household waste materials, for example paper, card, metals.

Councillor Tony Concepcion, Chairperson of MRWA, said: "The best Community Fund projects are those that help deliver re-use and waste reduction messages directly to local residents – using groups’ expertise and on-the-ground knowledge of particular areas and the people who live there.

"I wish these projects all the best and look forward to seeing the impact they have.”

Faiths4Change is one organisation to have benefitted from the Community Fund. They have received just under £8000 this year to deliver Green Up Northwood, which will include a recycling guide made by and for local residents, community hubs with a swap shop and repair clinic, and community cooking with the Men Can Cook programme.

Liz Atherton, arts and wellbeing project co-ordinator at Faiths4Change, said: "Funding from MRWA and Veolia has enabled us to deliver waste reduction and recycling messages to the Northwood community to help change people's behaviour.

"By bringing together old and young, groups, schools, and organisations from across Northwood we create a really positive environmental noise about, with and for the area.

"Ultimately our work is about helping to build community spirit, break down barriers and provide educational benefits to enable all to improve the environment for future generations."