What is Foundation?

Foundation is a not for profit climate fund for the Northwest, established to help individuals and organisations to compensate for unavoidable emissions; invest in low-carbon technologies and skills; promote biodiversity; and advance social justice by tackling fuel poverty. The beauty of Foundation is that all the money you give stays in your region. It’s about helping the communities that are close to you first. And all the projects in the Northwest will prove that we can take action against climate change, we can live a low carbon lifestyle…and we are the first to do it.

Why was Foundation set up?

The challenge of climate change is very real. A future shift in climate will bring flooding, heat waves and unpredictable weather; it will create upheaval across the Northwest and UK as a whole, affecting all of us, every home, every business, every neighbourhood.

The Northwest has its very own Regional Economic Strategy. In it, the need for a low carbon economy is flagged up as a fundamental objective. To achieve this, Rising to the Challenge – A Climate Change Action Plan for England’s Northwest (2006-09) was launched in November 2006 to motivate the region and measure progress towards this low carbon economy, preparing it for the challenges climate change will inevitably bring while protecting our quality of life and rich environment. A local climate fund, Foundation is just one part of meeting the objectives in this regional plan.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has already committed £1.6 million to Foundation. The Fund is being established by the environmental charity, Groundwork. It has the support and partnership of local authorities and agencies right across the region, including the Energy Saving Trust. Now, it is up to individuals and businesses to give what they can to fund community projects in their area.

For more information about the Climate Change Action Plan, please visit [link] www.nwda.co.uk/areas-of-work/business/sustainable-consumption/climate-change.aspx
  

What kind of projects does Foundation fund?

The projects cover all aspects of low carbon living and those that have already been supported are bringing benefits to many people – Rosley Village Hall in Cumbria is now being kept warm with sheep wool insulation; the peat at Astley Moss, an invaluable store of ‘locked-up’ CO2 is being restored and protected; homes in Trafford have wood burning stoves; a credit union on the Fylde Coast is now able to hand out more loans for householders; solar water heating systems are providing hot water to homes in Wirral and Cheshire; homes in Pendle have been given new energy efficient boilers; and Bickerton Village Hall in Cheshire and Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Penrith both have shiny new arrays of photovoltaics providing electricity and saving them money.

Don’t forget, your donations stay in your area, right where you can see them.

Contact Info

Mark Turner, Foundation Chief Officer mark.turner@climatefund.org.uk
Telephone: 0161 237 3200

David Marnell
Business Development Manager
Direct Line: 0161 234 6104
Mobile: 07590 885574
Email: David.Marnell@climatefund.org.uk

http://foundation.climatefund.org.uk/