Edinburgh-based environmental charity Earth in Common receives £10,000 of National Lottery funding

An Leith-based environmental charity, Earth in Common, has been awarded £10,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund, which it will use to plan a series of community workshops.

The charity will use the funding to help organise a series of community workshops that they hope will help educate and build enthusiasm for climate related activities in Leith and surrounding communities.

It is only one of hundreds of projects across the UK to receive an award from The Together for Our Planet Fund, made possible by National Lottery players.

Community Growing Associations based in Broomhouse and Craigentinny have also been given money, which they will use to help local residents learn about gardening and food growing skills.

Evie Murray, CEO of Earth in Common, said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded this National Lottery funding.

“We believe that the scale of environmental problems we face can only be tackled by collective action and acting together with others motivates and empowers people who might otherwise feel overwhelmed and helpless.

“Through this project we will deliver an exciting, enjoyable and educational range of green activities and learning opportunities in a festive atmosphere on our pioneering urban croft, with and for the people of Leith.”

Several Edinburgh-based environmental projects, including community gardens, have been awarded funding.

Announcing the funding to 112 Scottish groups totalling £999,267, Kate Still, Scotland Chair of the National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will enable over one hundred Scottish community groups to take meaningful and ongoing action on climate change.

"By thinking locally and focusing on what this means for them, they will collectively build on small actions that will contribute to the wider climate action movement.

“I look forward to seeing these projects come to life over the coming months.

“Not only will they make significant environmental improvements, but they will also help communities to thrive.”

The Together for Our Planet fund aims to support a legacy of ongoing climate action projects in local communities. The Fund, which offered grants of up to £10,000, has now closed.

It has awarded over £4.7 million to over 530 community led climate action projects across the UK.

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