An environmental collective based in Oxfordshire has secured a significant financial award to grow its efforts assisting local residents in reducing their environmental impact.
Sustainable Wantage successfully obtained a £223,422 grant spread across three years from the National Lottery Community Fund.
The funding will be directed through the group’s community centre, branded as The Mix, with the aim of broadening established green projects and launching additional initiatives.
The investment will permit the organisation to establish further positions for those wishing to volunteer their time and encourage increased involvement from younger people in environmental causes.
A representative from the collective expressed appreciation for the award, emphasising the dedication of the volunteer base.
Over the previous twelve months, more than 150 individuals contributed approximately 6,650 hours to Sustainable Wantage operations, representing the equivalent of 3.8 years of full-time employment.
The Mix facility in Wantage delivers several environmentally focused services.
These include a community refrigerator that distributes excess food donated by retailers, a station where household products can be refilled, a lending library offering tools and equipment, and regular sessions where items are repaired rather than discarded.
The grant will enable the continuation and expansion of current activities, with pop-up versions of The Mix expected to operate at various locations throughout Wantage and Grove in the months ahead.
Data indicates that during the previous year, the collective redirected in excess of 62 tonnes of surplus food via The Mix and the Wantage Community Larder combined.