news story
14th December 2006
MP Visits South Glos-Based Environmental Grants
Scheme and Encourages Local Groups to Apply
Steve Webb MP with John Leaver
(Chairman and MD of the SITA
Trust) at the Trust headquarters at Falfield
Northavon MP Steve Webb is encouraging local groups to apply for grants
for wildlife projects following a recent visit
to the headquarters of the SITA Trust. The
Trust headquarters are at Falfield and it is
an organisation which distributes funds
throughout the UK to improve the quality of
life of communities and the natural environment. The MP
met the chairman and managing director of the Trust, John Leaver
at the Trust's headquarters and heard more
about the support that can be given to
environmental projects.
The Trust runs an "enriching nature" programme for wildlife projects,
and not for profit organisations, charities,
and Local Authorities can apply. The Enriching
Nature programme will provide £13.5M funding
over the next three years. The scheme provides
funding to support species and habitats
that have been identified as a priority by the
"Biodiversity Action Planning process. SITA Trust can fund physical
improvements at specified sites, as
well as monitoring and research at specific sites. Smaller grants
of up to £25,000 are
available for projects which meet national and regional priorities for
species and habitats, but local priorities will also be
considered. Larger projects of up to £175,000
have to meet national priorities for species and habitats.
Commenting, Steve Webb said:
"I often hear from local groups who are working hard to improve the
quality of their
local environment and to improve the wildlife habitat. I learned
a lot on my visit about the support
that the SITA Trust can give to such projects and I would encourage
local people to visit the Trust website and to
consider applying if they think that their scheme
would be eligible".
Note to editors:
The SITA Trust website is
www.sitatrust.org.uk. The Trust
gives two sorts of grants
- "Community Funding" for those who live near SITA landfill sites
(not applicable in South Gloucestershire) and
"Nature Funding" which applies across most of England.
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