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Decarbonise volunteer transport for Hilltown Community Larder

tanya tanya  •  2022-11-27  •  No comments  •  Dundee Climate Fund  • 

Three volunteers at the Community Larder
Three volunteers at the Community Larder

Project code: 30

Estimated Price


Description

Our Coldside ward extends from the edge of the city centre north over the Dundee Law, with historic communities including  Hilltown, The Law, and Coldside itself among many others.  It is an area of great beauty and variety, with a friendly and vibrant community spirit, but it is also a place where many, especially families and older people, endure poverty and acute need.

Enthusiastic and committed volunteers from within the ward work long hours to meet those needs, through local projects including a food cupboard, meal clubs and the community food larder based at Hilltown Community Centre. The larder opens on two lunchtimes every week, providing a range of food, including fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, milk, and chilled and frozen goods to local community members for a small payment. The larder is a lifeline for many, and more and more people are joining as the cost of living crisis intensifies.

But to meet increased demand for this and other essential services, our volunteers have to travel in private petrol and diesel vehicles to shop, collect donations and pick up other resources. The volume of food that is needed is much more than could be carried on foot or by bike, and too much to take on a bus. Just at a time when the people of Dundee are growing more and more aware of the climate and biodiversity emergencies, and the urgent need to phase out fossil fuels, we are having to use petrol and diesel vehicles to meet our community’s essential needs.

We are therefore asking for help from the Climate Fund to decarbonise our volunteer transport, by leasing an electric vehicle for food and community support projects. There is already a plan for an electric car charging station at our base in the community centre, which we could use, and the vehicle would be available to all volunteer groups working to support and help the people of Coldside ward. Having an electric vehicle for these essential shopping and other journeys would not only reduce our carbon footprint and impact on the environment, but would also raise awareness of climate change and biodiversity loss, building capacity and engaging the community in our shared work to build a better, cleaner and fairer future.

 

Location: Hilltown Community Centre, 11 Alexander Street, Dundee, DD3 7DL

Proposed on behalf of: Hilltown Community Larder

Price explanation

Supplied quotes are reasonable.

Don't have defined milestones