Volunteering Matters has launched support for communities to get back to outdoor environmental volunteering
A new fund has been launched to help boost outdoor volunteering.
The Action Earth campaign, run by national charity Volunteering Matters, has launched to support communities to get back to outdoor environmental volunteering. Projects can apply now to the campaign, which is funded by NatureScot. Last year 121 successful projects across Scotland completed, showing great resilience and adaptability in the face of very difficult circumstances.
Volunteering Matters Action Earth offers easy-to-access grants of up to £250 for environmental activities across Scotland. Any group of volunteers carrying out practical environmental improvements or wildlife habitat creation in their local green spaces is eligible. Previous projects have included wildflower meadow and pond creation, woodland renovations, the establishment of new community gardens and shared foraging projects or food growing areas.
Action Earth also has a limited number of enhanced £500 grants for projects which significantly involve and benefit people with defined health needs. This could include people with learning or physical disabilities, dementia, mental health issues or other medical conditions. From last year’s 121 projects to benefit from Action Earth grant funding, over 3,300 volunteers were involved in improving biodiversity in their community – 1,200 of them having defined health and social issues.
The campaign is keen to hear from projects whose work benefits disadvantaged communities especially in urban areas or in places with reduced local amenity. 43% of volunteers in 2020 were from areas in the lowest 20% of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
NatureScot chief executive Francesca Osowska said: “The work that has been achieved for nature by Action Earth projects and volunteers is fantastic, particularly given the many challenges posed by Covid-19 last year. Restoring nature and habitats is a crucial part of the solution to tackling the climate emergency facing us all and these projects demonstrate that everyone can play a role in that endeavour, no matter where they live. As we hopefully emerge from the pandemic, attention is now focusing on a pivotal moment for our planet as we look ahead to the COP26 on climate change in Glasgow.
"For those asking ‘what can I do?’ these grants are a great way of taking action to help Make Space for Nature in your community and we’d encourage everyone to get involved and apply.”
"For those looking for inspiration for their projects, the Volunteering Matters Action Earth website has instructions on how to build bird boxes, bat boxes, frog hibernacula, hedgehog boxes and bee/insect homes. NatureScot also has a host of tips to help nature this spring through its Make Space for Nature campaign."
