Small Grants from North Devon Coast AONB are fully allocated
Twelve new and exciting projects across North Devon have benefited from the £25,000 pot allocated by the North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) through their Sustainable Development Fund. Over the last 12 years, this Defra funded grant has enabled the AONB Partnership to support projects to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the landscape and to raise awareness and engagement of local people and visitors with these nationally protected coastal areas.
Successful applicants this year include Plastic Free North Devon, Prickles Hedgehog Rescue, the Hartland Peninsula Association, Ilfracombe RNLI, St Mary’s Church Mortehoe, the Koa Tree Project at Welcombe, the Old Schoolroom Craft Gallery at Lee Bay, the RSPB, North Devon Moving Image CIC, Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Museums and the Marine Conservation Society.
“We are delighted to have allocated all the grant for this year to such a wide range of projects which help to deliver the AONB Management Plan,” said AONB Manager Jenny Carey-Wood. “They include a summer pirate trail around Lee Bay, a therapeutic permaculture garden in Welcombe and a high tech infrared camera for the RNLI to improve night time rescue capabilities. Supporting the great ideas from local groups and businesses meets local needs as well as our priorities, and this year will deliver spend of nearly £120,000 in the area.”
The Plastic Free North Devon group were awarded a grant towards their Mobile Water Bar which could be seen at events throughout the Summer across North Devon, allowing people to fill up their waters bottles rather than buy single use plastic bottles.
Andy Clee from Plastic Free North Devon said ” The water bar has been a huge success. It’s been in operation for 13 days at 8 local festivals and sporting events. Over 3000 litres of water have been served, saving the equivalent of 6000 plastic water bottles! And it’s been a great way to engage hundreds of people about the issues surrounding plastic pollution here in North Devon. ”
Next year’s fund will open in March 2019 to local community groups, agencies and businesses to apply for grants between £100 and £4000. See https://www.northdevoncoast-nl.org.uk/our-work/grants for further information about the grants, the application process and the successful projects for this year.
