Two Falkirk groups to share more than £1m from UK Government fund

More than £1m from a UK Government fund is being shared between two Falkirk groups that aim to help people enhance their skills and support communities along the way.

Both projects hope to help the region achieve net-zero carbon emissions and boost the district’s recovery from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF) cash will help Falkirk Environment Trust (FET) and the Green Action Network develop large-scale projects that will reach out to communities across the district.

FET’s grant of £534,054 will help set up and support Falkirk Food Futures, which aims to give communities better access to healthy, sustainable food.

And the Green Action Trust will get £700,000 of funding to develop skills, training, education and employment opportunities for Falkirk’s canalside communities, through a project called Falkirk’s Canal: A Collaborative Pathway to a Fairer & Net-Zero Future.

Council leader Cecil Meiklejohn welcomed the news of the funding.

She said: “It’s great to see two local projects receive almost £1.3m CRF funding which will both help tackle food insecurity and further the area’s bid to achieve net-zero, therefore reaching some of our communities at most need.

“I am enormously grateful to all project applicants and partners who prepared their bids to help support their communities and disappointed for those unsuccessful projects.

“We will be contacting all bidders who submitted their applications to Falkirk Council for consideration following the announcement made on the UK Government website.

“Individually and collectively, these successful projects will have a significant effect on Falkirk’s communities as they rebuild and strengthen following the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The UK Community Renewal Fund aims to provide much needed funding to specific projects in communities most in need across the United Kingdom.

Falkirk Council was identified as one of the 100 priority places by the UK Government meaning projects submitted for consideration were prioritised.

By local democracy reporter Kirsty Paterson