Projects with scope: Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0

Total budget £90,000

Douglas Diggers in action

Douglas Diggers

2024-10-01  •  No comments  •  Claypotts Castle Primary Parent Council  •  Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0

The Douglas Diggers are formed of parents from Claypotts Castle PS who are committed to improving the physical environment of the school as well as the surrounding community spaces.  We are lucky to have a huge playground, but sadly it is simply an expanse of concrete and grass.  We have been working at pace this year on introducing native, hardy planting to the playground and creating opportunities for children and adults alike to learn more about gardening and growing.  We are at the start of a very exciting journey of transformation which will stand the test of time for many children to enjoy and learn from for years to come.

The vision for the Douglas Diggers has children at the heart, but very much surrounded by adults, old and young, with lots of gardening experience, or none at all.  We hope to create a space where all are welcome and feel valued; a space that embraces avid gardeners as well as those who simply wish to enjoy the surroundings of a living, growing garden. 

We are a school who are committed and attached to our families.  We do our very best to create many varied opportunities to involve our parents and carers and the Douglas Diggers have plans to offer many family-based activities this year from the creation of our Polycrub, the Claypotts Caterpillar to Family Fun Days and creative workshops during the winter months. 

Developing our outdoor spaces will create opportunities to: address the cost of living pressures, to reduce social isolation, to offer zero cost family activities and to create volunteering opportunities for those looking to start/return to work to name but a few.  Moreover, it encourages our families to claim the school space as their own whilst exploring the concept of climate change and the impact we can all have as citizens both individually and collectively.     

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Kickstarting a Greener Future

2024-09-30  •  No comments  •  kanzenkarate  •  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. 

 

 

 

Outside of DCA's Building.

DCA's Community Greenspace

2024-09-27  •  No comments  •  Dundee Contemporary Arts  •  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.

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Dundee Schools - #RefillDundee

2024-09-30  •  No comments  •  Bluewater  •  Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0

Global plastic bottle consumption continues at the alarming rate of 600 billion plastic bottles per year.  Only around 9% of waste plastics are recycled, meaning that the remainder end up being landfilled, incinerated, or leaking out into our natural environment to pollute our lakes, rivers, oceans, and our food system.  Although we have been led to believe that bottled water is better than tap, researchers are now raising the alarm on worrying levels of microplastic and nanoplastic being detected in bottled water.  Trust in tap water quality is also at an all-time global low.

Bluewater works to tackle plastic waste and transform behaviours towards more sustainable hydration practices by innovating next-generation drinking water dispensing solutions for home, work, and play.  Bluewater solutions use advanced water purification and mineralisation technologies to create pure, delicious, and planet-friendly drinking water when and where it's needed, thereby ending the reliance on polluting single-use plastics.  Our project proposal seeks to place a Bluewater Flow refill solution at each of the 8 state-run secondary schools in Dundee.  The dispensers will therefore provide an innovative and sustainable premium and health-focused drinking water refill solution for staff, pupils and guests to the schools.

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Delivering environmental activities and events at Growing Chrysalis

2024-09-23  •  No comments  •  Scottish Action for Mental Health  •  Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0

Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) will deliver a year-long programme of environmental projects and activities at Growing Chrysalis, the community garden in the heart of Dawson Park. Our goal is to give individuals and families from across the region the chance to step outside and reconnect with nature.

Our programme will blend environmental awareness with therapeutic gardening to create a space where people can thrive alongside nature. Families will learn how climate change impacts our greenspaces and local wildlife, gain practical skills to help create a more sustainable future, and improve their wellbeing from being outdoors surrounded by nature.

All our activities will be dynamic and inclusive, tailored to meet the diverse needs of everyone who joins. These will include:

  • Green Minds Sessions: Weekly garden-based activities focused on gardening, wildlife, and creativity. Each session ends with time to connect socially, building stronger bonds within the community.
  • Local Produce Festivals: Celebrate Tayside’s rich agricultural heritage with events highlighting local produce—potatoes, soft fruits, and berries.
  • Recycle Fun Days: Family-friendly events promoting sustainability through fun, hands-on activities using recycled materials.
  • Grow Your Own Food Workshops: Practical sessions on sourcing and growing local, seasonal food—from foraging to creating your own food forest.
  • Saving Local Wildlife: Learn about the impact of climate change on local wildlife and how to protect our precious wildlife with sessions on growing wildflowers for pollinators, building bat boxes, and creating wormery composts.
  • Reducing Food Waste: Sustainable cooking sessions using homegrown produce, held in our outdoor kitchen to strengthen healthy eating and social connections.
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EcoEats

2024-09-27  •  No comments  •  Mairi McKinnon  •  Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0

The Dundee and Angus college project, EcoEats, aims to tackle food waste by delivering engaging and educational cookery classes that utilise ingredients commonly found at food banks and community fridges. By transforming surplus food into delicious and nutritious meals, we will not only reduce food waste but also empower participants with valuable cooking skills and knowledge, as well as utilising local ingredients.

Our primary objective is to rescue food that would otherwise go to waste. By sourcing ingredients from local food banks, community fridges, and community growing groups we will ensure that surplus food is put to good use. Our target audience will be those using food banks, D&A college learners and their families, Dundee residents and hospitality business owners.

We will offer hands-on cookery classes where participants learn to create a variety of meals using rescued ingredients. These classes will be accessible to all, fostering a sense of community and inclusivity.

Alongside the classes, we will develop and distribute recipe cards that highlight creative ways to use common surplus ingredients. These cards will serve as a lasting resource for participants, encouraging them to continue reducing food waste at home.

By rescuing and utilising surplus food, our project will significantly reduce the amount of food waste that ends up in landfills. This not only conserves resources but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with food decomposition.

Utilising food that would otherwise be discarded helps conserve the resources used in food production, such as water, energy, and land. This contributes to a more sustainable food system.

Our project will also raise awareness about the environmental impact of food waste and promote sustainable practices within the community. Participants will learn the importance of reducing food waste and how they can make a positive impact on the environment through their daily choices.

By minimising food waste, we reduce the carbon footprint associated with food production, transportation, and disposal. This contributes to mitigating climate change and promoting environmental sustainability.

Through this project, we aim to create a ripple effect of positive change, inspiring individuals and communities to adopt more sustainable practices and make the most of the food resources available to them. Together, we can make a significant impact on reducing food waste and protecting our environment. The EcoEats project will contribute the Dundee Climate Fund priorities of waste, resilience and community engagement.

 
Going Greener at The Rep!

Green Rep!

2024-09-15  •  No comments  •  Dundee Rep  •  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.

 

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Community Food Larder Electric Van

2024-09-30  •  No comments  •  Claire Puzey  •  Dundee Climate Fund Round 3.0

Fairfield Community Sports Hub are based within the North East of Dundee, and provide vital services for one of the poorest areas in the city.  As well as providing sports and activity in a way people can afford, the Hub also runs a Food Larder (Bank) which at present serves 1900 people across the community.  The Food Larder is supported entirley by volunteers anbd without this service many of the families would struggle to support themeselves and their children, with the basic necessitaties many of us take for granted. The Food Larder offers a vairety of products as well as food, which includes, fresh fruit & veg, healthy alternatives, special diets and allergies, and of course the pets in the household are catered for!  To allow us to provide such a vital resource for the community the most important thing we need is a van. Which collects foods from around Dundee including supermarkets, and donations made by the public. Without the van the Food Larder would not be able to run and 1900 would suffer as a result.What we are asking for is funding to secure a new electric van which would replace our current diesel van which is begining to show its age and due to its year of registration we are no longer able to go into the centre of town due to LEZ area Please help Fairfield COnmmunity Sports Hub and the community we serve by voting for us

Thank you for reading

ScrapAntics Resilience Worker

2024-09-30  •  No comments  •  ScrapAntics  •  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.

The World is My...

The World is My...

2024-09-25  •  No comments  •  Yolanda Aguilar  •  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.