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Student-Led Farmers Market- Eastern Dundee Pupil Food Growing Initiative
2024-09-30 • 3 comments • • Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0
This special initiative will empower young students to connect with the environment through hands-on, food-growing experiences. School children in Eastern Dundee will not only learn the science of planting, growing, and harvesting, but will also develop a deep appreciation for the environment and sustainable living. By running student-led farmers' markets, they’ll gain practical skills in agriculture and business, bringing fresh, healthy produce home to their families. This initiative will also improve school grounds, local greenspaces and biodiversity by buying and planting a diverse school orchard and sustainable vegetable gardens, with the input of the pupils themselves.
This project is more than just teaching children how to grow food—it’s about nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards. Many of these students come from low-income households, and some do not have gardens at home. The school becomes their only opportunity to engage with nature in a meaningful, skills-focused way. By instilling these abilities early, we help cultivate healthier lifestyles and promote self-reliance, all while creating a lasting impact on their communities. The seasonal alignment of Terms 4 and then Term 1 of tha academic years 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 ensures that students experience the full growing cycle, from seed to harvest, making this project a cornerstone for future school-led growing initiatives.
With the support of Dundee Climate Fund, this project will transform the way children view food and sustainability, making their school not just a place of learning but a thriving hub of community-driven resilience and environmental consciousness. These young learners will be equipped to tackle food insecurity and promote healthier futures for generations to come. Our instructors will even show them how to preapre and cook some of their produce on open-fires outdoors! Without this investment, the project simply cannot move forward.
Creative Gardens - Connecting Community, Nature, and Art
2024-09-30 • No comments • • Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0
Positive collaboration is the key to climate action.
To address climate change we need to think and work in more creative ways and engage people from all walks of life. At the same time we need to nurture and celebrate the people who are volunteering and working in this sector who are often overwhelmed and anxious about not doing enough. This is why we will be focusing on community green spaces or growing spaces across Dundee.
This project brings together two Dundee-based collectives in collaboration. The Art and Nature Collective, based at Dundee Botanic Gardens and the Dundee Network of Community Gardens (aka Grow Dundee) to deliver 5 artist mini-residencies hosted by the community gardens, bringing together artists and community growers.
Please support our project so we can:
1. Support learning and increase the confidence of smaller community environmental initiatives and environmentally engaged artists to work together in all areas of our city
2. Offer interactive creative and caring nature-based activities within community growing spaces - new ways for communities to connect with nature and engage with environmental action
3. Increase visibility and impact of both of our environmental networks to engage more people in sustainable living through art, community growing and UoD Botanic Gardens. We are all here for the long run!
4. Publish a small guide to creative and caring practices for sustainable community food growing. Multiply the impact of nature restoration and sustainable food growing activities in community settings by being more inclusive and creative
Real change demands swift, comprehensive action across entire systems. "Creative Gardens" will connect communities, with nature and art in a positive and productive way to highlight the critical need for collaboration between all areas of society; producing inspiring examples of successful partnerships to help drive positive change.
ScrapAntics Resilience Worker
2024-09-30 • 4 comments • • Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0
ScrapAntics would like to begin a new project by employing a Resilience Worker. Their role would be to connect with the most vulnerable in our community, providing them with essential resources and items, offering accessible advice and education on climate action and exploring tangible changes people can make to emphasise sustainability in day-to-day life.
The Resilience Worker would get to know individuals and families on a one to one basis, initiating conversations around climate topics and encouraging them to enact change in their lives, with the aim of positively impacting wider community change.
The worker would identify what direct support or signposting to agencies addressing financial, food or fuel poverty is most needed.
ScrapAntics have access to corporate donations of household essentials and many in our community are in desperate need of these items - but do not currently have the capacity for targeted distribution. The Resilience Worker would ensure that they reach people who need them most. These include bedding, towels, toiletries and cleaning supplies, food packs and clothing.
This role would particularly benefit those we work with in our Wellgate space who are often unemployed, from an asylum seeker or refugee background, have mental or physical health issues or suffer from isolation.
Shaper/Caper, The World is My...
2024-09-25 • No comments • • Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0
Enter 'The World is My...' an immersive and participatory dance-theatre show for the 10-12 years old on climate crisis, eco-anxiety, and how to transform from eco-worriers into eco-warriors!
Follow the two characters as they dance their way through the recovered Lego washed-out pieces that continue to reach the Cornish shores from a 1997 drifting steel container on its way to New York, the Tokio Express.
The project covers two weeks of rehearsals and two weeks of performance shows in Dundee (up to 20 shows, and 2,000 audiences). It is a development phase from a previous period supported by Aberdeen Creative Learning where the team became company in residence in two primary schools in Aberdeen. We learnt facts from great partners such as the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen, a world-leading scientific research organisation; as well as from local partners like the amazing Transition Dundee.
Following this learning, which included the children’s feedback, we will continue to develop the show and perform it, this time in Dundee, exploring the power of creativity in conveying transformational and long-lasting messages for radical environmental change.
Your support will help both the dissemination of key learning for the young children of Dundee and the exposure to performing arts activities in schools, contributing to implement the Article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with relation to accessing play, cultural activities, and recreational activities.
A multi-award-wining organisation with a 10-year long-standing partnership with NHS Tayside delivering the smoking awareness programme Well Good reaching 7,000 children per year (yep…70,000 so far!), we know how to provide engaging and inspiring learning, but we need your help.
If you want to contribute to this project, becoming a community producer…Vote for us!
Many thanks.
DCA's Community Greenspace
2024-09-27 • No comments • • Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0
“We can begin by doing small things at the local level, like planting community gardens or looking out for our neighbours. That is how change takes place in living systems, not from above but from within, from many local actions occurring simultaneously.” Grace Lee Boggs, American author and activist
Art has the power to help us to imagine and inspires action. We are launching a yearlong project to raise awareness of the climate emergency through the creation of a vibrant greenspace at DCA in partnership with community groups from across Dundee.
We will work with a Lead Artist to facilitate a series of workshops with community partners across the city to develop a welcoming greenspace onsite at DCA, which will be open to all and free to access.
We have established relationships Amina Muslim Women’s Resource Centre, Dundee International Women’s Centre (DIWC), Artangel, Maxwell Centre and Dundee Botanics. Through these partnerships, we will involve a diverse cross-section of people, including families and young people, in the co-design of our green space.
We will reach out to local experts to help shape this project, including Grow Dundee, an incredible network of existing food growing and community gardens, Bonnie Dundee, who maintain planters across the city, and Creative Dundee, who worked on various similar community-led projects.
Environmental benefits of this project include:
- Community Engagement: Local communities will lead the creation of a greenspace, ensuring the space is what their community needs.
- Enhanced Urban Habitat: Promoting biodiversity and supporting ecosystems.
- Improved Air Quality: Through the planting of trees and plants.
- Emissions Offset: Contributing to carbon sequestration.
Further to this, there is robust evidence that integrating green spaces into urban environments enhances mental and physical health, improves wellbeing and aids relaxation.
The greenspace at DCA will provide a welcoming and safe social space in the centre of Dundee, benefiting DCA staff, visitors and local communities. The greenspace will be used for years to come, serving as the site of future workshops and events.
Join us in creating a welcoming, safe, and sustainable greenspace in the heart of Dundee! Thank you for your support.
Green Rep!
2024-09-15 • No comments • • Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0
For over 40 years, actors appearing at Dundee Rep have prepared for their stage roles in one of our eight dressing rooms and have chilled out pre and post-performance in our Green Room, whilst colleagues in our programming and planning department work tirelessly to schedule an exciting programme of events for you our audiences, whilst box office staff sell tickets to each show. For over 40 years, all these professionals have shivered in the winter, as the draughty, single-glazed windows in each area leach warmth out of the rooms and let the chills in!
As an A-Listed building, we are limited in changes and modifications we are allowed to make both externally and internally. Our windows are 42-year-old, single-gazed originals; some are very unique: triangular in shape reflecting the stylised motif based on our stage which occurs throughout the building. Some also feature a louvre-design of slatted glass opening for ventilation and due to the listing they can’t be replaced. However they are hugely draughty and it is very difficult to keep above 21oC, the ideal office temperature. Our recent annual Energy Report by Creative Carbon Scotland estimated we have been losing around 60% of heat generated through our gas central heating system through these windows!
Having seen the positive impact installing secondary glazing in other parts of the building has made to reducing our heating bills, we now want to complete the rest of the building, installing recyclable, polycarbonate glazing to the remaining areas. We estimate it will save around 25% of our gas usage, will stop staff use of portable, electric heaters- an inefficient, health and safety risk- and will help towards making the building air tight, so allowing the possibility installing an air source heat pump in future. This installation will contribute towards our target of a reduction of 109 tonnes of CO2 by 2028.
We were recently voted Dundee Chamber of Commerce Champions 2024, in part due to our work in climate adaptation and mitigation working towards Net Zero, some of which is highlighted in the video on this page.
Thank you for your support.
Showcase the Street - Upgrade to Pitch Lighting
2024-09-26 • 3 comments • • Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0
We are applying to the Dundee Climate Fund 3.0 to upgrade the lighting on our indoor football pitches to new, energy-efficient wide beam LED lights. The current lighting system is outdated and highly inefficient, contributing significantly to our rising utility costs, which have quadrupled compared to last year. By transitioning to LED lights, we aim to reduce our energy consumption, lower carbon emissions, and make our facility more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Our pitches are available seven days a week for use by community groups, other Dundee charities, para-sports clubs, private organisations, and local schools. One of these schools actually uses our facility as their P.E department as their own in-house facilities are not fit for purpose. We maintain the pitches to the highest standards while keeping hire costs affordable to ensure accessibility for all.
This project aligns with the Dundee Climate Fund’s focus on energy efficiency and sustainability. It directly addresses the Energy category by reducing electricity consumption and improving energy efficiency in a community facility. The upgrade will make our facility more sustainable, while the energy savings will allow us to allocate more resources to our core mission—supporting the local community.
Showcase the Street is a registered charity located in one of the most deprived areas of Scotland. Our facility offers sports, technology, employability training, fashion design, and dance programs accessible to over 3,000 people weekly. We focus on reducing barriers to participation, especially for families experiencing poverty, and ensure that everyone in our community has access to these opportunities, regardless of their financial situation.
The LED lighting upgrade will have a direct positive impact on the running costs of the facility, ensuring we can continue to provide affordable, inclusive programming. It will also serve as a public example of the benefits of energy-efficient upgrades, potentially inspiring other local residents and organisations to adopt similar practices.
Forthill Community Sports Club Solar Panel Project
2024-09-30 • No comments • • Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0
Forthill Community Sports Club is committed to sustainability and enhancing its facilities to better serve the community. Our proposed solar panel installation, (£22,505 cost), will significantly lower energy costs, allowing us to reinvest savings into sporting programs, outreach, and development. By reducing our carbon footprint, we create a more sustainable future for our members and inspire young athletes to take part in an environmentally conscious sports culture. This initiative strengthens our role as a community hub, promoting both physical well-being and environmental responsibility.
Forthill Community Sports Club is a local hub dedicated to promoting sports and physical activity in the community. Based in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, the club provides facilities for a variety of sports, including cricket, tennis, hockey, squash, rugby and table tennis. It serves a wide range of age groups and skill levels, from beginners to seasoned athletes, and is focused on fostering both sporting excellence and community engagement. In addition to hosting matches and events, Forthill also plays a key role in sports development and outreach, offering programs that encourage active participation, teamwork, and personal growth. The club's inclusive and welcoming environment makes it a vital part of the local sports culture. Our facilities are used by a variety of community groups who are not directly linked to Forthill, and we hope that the financial savings throught this solar project will allow us to open our doors to more groups.
Cake or Dice Share and Repair Cafe
2024-09-28 • 1 comment • • Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0
Cake or Dice, partnered with NEoN Digital Arts, are looking to run Dundee's only Repair and Share cafe, as a current member of Scotland's Share and Repair network. Repair Cafés are meeting places and they’re all about repairing things. In Cake or Dice, where the Repair Café will be located, you will find folk who can help, and tools and materials to help you make any repairs you need. We hope to be able to repair clothes, small tech, bicycles, jewellery, appliances, and toys!
You’ll also find expert volunteers, with repair skills in all kinds of fields. We are lucky to have volunteers that are small tech specialists, crafters, jewellery makers, seamstresses, knitters, 3d printer technicians, and many more. We will alternate who will be available monthly, with information going out on socials and a newsletter. If you have nothing to repair, you can come in and have a blether, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, or even a slice of cake. You can also get inspired at our lending library, where you can pick up books, zines or even board games!
Our first pilot cafe will run on Saturday 19th October, and will be a partnership between Cake or Dice, NEoN and Dundee MakerSpace. After the pilot, we would like to run a session monthly.
We would therefore like to hire a part-time staff member to help deliver the following:
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A repair and share cafe once a month
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Admin and coordination of volunteers
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A new weekly conversation space,
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Support and learning of MyTurn, creating a tools library between Cake or Dice, NEoN Digital Arts and other partnerships in the Creative hub, that Cake or dice have created.
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This funding will also support the tools library, plus initial material costs.
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Repairs cafes are good for the environment as they reduce waste, promote recycling and reduce carbon emissions. They also help reduce electronic waste, hopefully prolonging the life of technology. We hope that it will also save money, plus empower our community to be more confident in their own skills, and start on their own sustainable journey.
We have been fortunate enough in to attend the Share and Repair gathering in February 2024, and have been supported so far in setting up our repair cafe infrastructure by members and other repair cafes. We are so excited to be able to bring this to Dundee, and hope you are able to join us on this journey!
Kickstarting a Greener Future
2024-09-30 • No comments • • Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0
Kanzen is a registered charitys committed to not only building better lives but also to making a positive impact on the environment. With our new initiative to introduce an electric vehicle, we aim to significantly reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. This will help us cut harmful emissions, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and set a strong example for other organisations in the community. It will also support us to remove barriers by providing accesible transport to those who need it.
As well as reducing our carbon emmissions, an electric vehicle would also help us save money which we can then repurpose back into our charitable activities.
Kanzen is an award winning charity and we are the current Dundee Social Enterprise of the Year, Dundee Sports Club of the Year and winners of The Courier Business Awards for Community Impact.
We organised the first carbon neutral martial arts event in Europe and are proud to be an organisation rooted in the community.