Community groups from across Fife were thrilled to receive an early Christmas present this year as over £25,000 was distributed across the region for climate action projects and events.

Community Climate Grants are a collaboration of two funds being offered by Fife Climate Hub and Climate Action Fife. A total of £27,500 was made available. £7,500 from the Small Grants Fund and £20,000 from the Seed and Development Grants. A total of 31 projects can now be delivered by 25 community groups as a result of the funding which launched in September.

“We were thrilled to receive applications from so many and such a variety of community groups from across Fife. It means a lot to us that people can feel empowered to take action on the climate crisis in ways that meets the needs of their communities and is within their reach.”

“It’s also great that we are now able to see the Fife Climate Festival coming together with the number of groups that applied to hold events during the festivals debut from February 25 to March 3 2024,” said Fife Climate Hub Manager Craig Leitch.

Two distinct grants were available. The Small Grants Fund of up to £500 for climate-related events in the community and the Seed and Development Grant offered up to £1,000 for climate-related activities and projects. Together they made up the Community Climate Grants, which went on offer in October 2023.

The resulting funds which were put into the community groups bank accounts this month means groups such as the Bats Wood Project in Levenmouth can forge ahead with plans to create living willow sculptures of wolves and an associated video called “Becoming Wolves in Bat’s Wood”. The sculptures will be a habitat for wildlife and will allow the Levenmouth Academy project to manage deer without the use of plastic.

Pauline Latto and Donald Grieve from Fife Curnie Clubs, a Fife Alcohol and Support Service (FASS) project are over the moon that they will be able to support people who are socially isolated. They plan to bring people together in their community growing veg and plants at the garden at Bennochy Community Hub in Kirkcaldy.

Upon receiving their grant Mr Grieve said: “You have made an old man very happy. My staff have been talking about saving the planet a little at a time. Thank you for this.”

“Pauline Latto is the member of staff who will be working on this for us, she is presently doing cartwheels down Leven High Street! Pauline is our biggest eco warrior. She has been responsible for our shift to sustainable futures for us all. It also fits with our core activities and will enhance them. This is a small grant but that can go a long way, we are all really interested in the outcomes from this and of course having a hand in making it work.” he added.

Gail Miller at Friends of Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline said: “Thanks for the good news, it was a good start to my day. I’m looking forward to acting on the project.” The Friends have two projects which will benefit from the funds: A book box, or free library box, in the park for everyone to use and recycle books keeping them out landfill. They hope this will promote discussion on re-using existing books and the climate. And the activity is raising plants in their greenhouse to distribute to the local foodbank to promote wellbeing and clean air.

Burntisland Community Development Trust received money to pilot upcycling and upskilling workshops. The series of six workshops led by local people sharing their skills in sewing and repairing clothes, making jewellery, reusing fabric to make things like rag rugs and bags, propagating plants and even electrical repairs and PAT testing.

Applicants for the Small Grants funding were encouraged to hold events during next year’s Fife Climate Festival which will run in communities across the Fife from 24th February to 3rd March 2024. Forgan Arts Centre, a member of Fife Climate Hub’s network, FCCAN, will use their funding to hold Climate Action Workshops and Climate Conversations during the festival.

Funded groups

Here is a list of all the groups that received a Community Climate Grant:

All of the projects will be delivered by 3rd March 2024. Find out more about Community Climate Grants.

A Greener Kirkcaldy Event.

Join us for a leisurely bike ride. This ride will head to Glenrothes, where it will do a loop along some of the town’s most scenic routes, before heading back to Kirkcaldy.

This ride is ideal for people looking to build up their fitness with a longer ride. The route passes by Fife Council’s base at Bankhead, showing you a quiet route for anyone wanting to commute to Glenrothes.

Distance – long

Hills – one long hill

Surfaces – mainly surfaced with one section on compacted earth.

Route – mainly on traffic-free paths, with some quiet roads. One short stretch on a busier road.

Additional Information

Participants should be able to cycle for 2 – 2.5 hrs at a leisurely pace. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

Please make sure your bike is roadworthy before coming and wear appropriate clothes for the weather. We will carry out basic bike checks at the start of the ride.

Remember to also bring your own water and snacks.

Booking Instructions

The event is free but booking is required. You can choose to purchase a ticket with a donation. Donations help us do more work in our community.

If you are having trouble booking you can call 01592 858458 or email info@greenerkirkcaldy.org.uk for assistance.

Accessibility

If you are riding an adapted bike and have any questions about whether or not you would be able to take it on this ride, please get in touch to find out more.

Join us online for this workshop demonstrating the new Fife Community Tree Planting Guide.

This online workshop launches the Fife Community Tree Planting Guide, which was created by the Climate Action Fife. It gives information on how communities can go about creating new woodland on their doorstep.

Led by Stewart Christie (Rural Skills Scotland) and Alistair Macleod (Fife Communities Climate Action Network) the workshop will present a vision for local tree planting. We will also share good reasons to plant trees, explain methods to identify land, design spaces and consult your community.

After attending you will have a good understanding of how you can engage your community in finding suitable land and have ideas on how to fund, design and undertake a tree planting project under 2 hectares.

You can view the guide here: https://climateactionfife.org.uk/trees/

Booking Information

The event is free to attend, but please book a place so we know you’re coming along.

The event will take place online on Zoom. We will send out a joining link the day before the event.

If you have any problems booking a place, or would like further details, please email facilitator.fccan@gmail.com.

Climate Action Fife is a project bringing together individuals, communities, local government and businesses to tackle the climate emergency and make Fife a greener and fairer place to live.

Our Fife specific Climate Knowhow course will tell you all you need to know to confidently discuss the climate emergency and describe the actions we can all take to tackle it. We will look at the science, causes and impacts; and consider how climate change is impacting us in Fife. We will discuss individual and community climate action, as well as consider how to challenge the climate silence.

At the end of our course, you will have an awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions on an individual, community and organisational basis.

Our course meets the Carbon Literacy Project Standard, meaning that participants can gain Carbon Literate accreditation and will received a certificate on completion of a short assessment.

Our course is delivered online across four 2 hour modules:

● Thursday 17th February – Module 1 – Climate Science & Justice

● Thursday 24th February – Module 2 – Causes & Impacts

● Thursday 3rd March – Module 3 – Adaptation & Action

● Thursday 10th March – Module 4 – Communicating Climate Change

All 6:30pm -8:30pm & delivered online via Zoom. It is recommended that you attend all four modules.

Booking Information

The event is free but booking is required as spaces are limited.

The event will take place online via Zoom. A joining link will be sent out the day before the first module.

If you have any problems booking, or any questions, please phone 01592 858458 or email info@greenerkirkcaldy.org.uk.uk

Our course meets the Carbon Literacy Project Standard, meaning that participants can gain Carbon Literate accreditation and will received a certificate on completion of a short assessment.

Our course is delivered online across four 2 hour modules:

● Thursday 11th November – Module 1 – Climate Science & Justice

● Thursday 18th November – Module 2 – Causes & Impacts

● Thursday 25th November – Module 3 – Adaptation & Action

● Thursday 2nd December – Module 4 – Communicating Climate Change

All 6:30pm -8:30pm & delivered online via Zoom.

Booking Information

The event is free but booking is required as spaces are limited. It is recommended that you attend all four modules.

If you have any problems booking, or any questions, please phone 01592 858458 or email info@greenerkirkcaldy.org.uk.uk

Walking or cycling for short journeys can be a good way to commute or popping to the shops. A lot of people see cycling as a leisure activity – something fun to do in the park at the weekend. Cycling is great for this – getting some fresh air and exercise, or having some fun with the kids. But it can also be a good way to get from A to B.

Trying to fit in some exercise can feel like a challenge when you’re trying to juggle lots of different things. Work, shopping, school runs, seeing friends and family, etc. can feel like it gets in the way. By walking or cycling for shorter journeys, you can fit exercise into your daily life.

How do I do it?

Cycling is a realistic option for many shorter journeys. As you don’t need to find a parking space, it can often be as quick as driving. On top of that, in leaving your car at home, you can bask in the warm glow of knowing that you are helping to tackle the climate emergency.

If you’re thinking of commuting by bike, it is worth bearing in mind that you may not need a shower when you get there. You can avoid this by cycling slower, and wearing layers so that you can take some off if you start to feel too warm. E-bikes help with this too, as they don’t need as much effort.

If you want to cycle to the shops, you can take a rucksack or panniers. A larger shop may mean you would need a trailer or a cargo bike. But, a regular bike is fine for smaller shops, when you’re only picking up a few things.

I find it a convenient way to get around, and the fresh air and exercise help to wake me up and make me feel invigorated. Not only is cycling good exercise, but it can also help improve your mood.

If you’re feeling a bit nervous, or want someone to show you local routes, there are many local organisations across Fife who can help. Here are some examples:

Feeling inspired to get more active as the weather improves? Dust off your bike and use it for some local journeys. You can also pledge to cycle for one local journey a week in the #BigFiveForFife.

Funded groups

How do I do it?

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