Sustainable Kirriemuir is celebrating after landing a massive £160,000 of National Lottery funding.
It’s a huge boost for those leading the Future Kirrie climate action plan.
And the perfect springboard for a series of local events and workshops set to start in April.
Plans include:
- Encouraging cycling, growing and sewing
- Training people to lead community cooking sessions
- An Angus-wide growing award
- Active travel projects with local schools and Angus Council
- A tree co-operative
Joy over receiving £10,000 of Together for Our Planet cash was followed by news the group is to get £150k of Community Led funding over the next two years.
Action plan
The Future Kirrie climate action plan has been developed by local people, with support from Keep Scotland Beautiful.
It wants to encourage people to be more resilient in the face of climate change.
Next steps include helping 100 locals to grow their own food and building a seed co-operative.
A tree growing collective will grow and sell trees to help with carbon capture.
And its Stitch to Enrich fashion and needlework group is promoting a reuse and repair culture.
A green map of Kirriemuir, linking all the local activities and initiatives together, is being planned.
New events
Three community climate showstopper events will begin in April.
Those will be fun-packed days highlighting the power of community action.
A dozen skill-sharing workshops will aim to “supercharge” local change.
Local people can learn skills and behaviours which will help them to live lighter on the planet.
Sustainable Kirriemuir founder Kate Munro
And it will see the setting up of a dedicated community resilience team of people willing to pass on their specialist skills to others.
Sustainable Kirriemuir founder and chairwoman Kate Munro said the lottery funding is a major step forward.
“This means we can build a stronger, more resilient community for everyone,” she said.
“This will make a big difference to people’s lives, wellbeing and the future of our town.
“The events and workshops will enable local people to learn skills and behaviours which will help them to live lighter on the planet.
“Anyone living locally can get involved, contribute to plans and support local climate action in whatever area interests them the most.
“Moreover, the National Lottery Community Led fund will support the continuation of three local job positions for a further two years.”
Growing leader Emily Hutchison, learning and events leader Lauren Urquhart and administrator Fiona Cameron all work alongside the Sustainable Kirriemuir committee.
And the group is helping projects like the Kirrie Food Hub which just passed the milestone of saving 20 tonnes of food from going to waste.
National Lottery community fund Scotland chairwoman Kate Still said: “This project, delivered by Sustainable Kirriemuir, is a great example of community activity in action.
“It shows just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others.
“National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money they raise is helping support this vital work and to help communities thrive.”
