In my view District has been through hell and high water
innovative and crucially we are generous. It’s crucial we mobilise all these qualities and more to come out of the COVID lockdown and ease back into some semblance of normality.
Through the work of the Community Foundation and the generosity of so many we have supported those affected by the February 2020 flood, and during the pandemic we have supported many families with vital food supplies and essentials and children and young people with laptops for remote learning. But these emergencies pale into insignificance compared to the climate emergency we are facing. People come together when there’s an emergency and never has there been an emergency like the one threatening our planet.
The floods we have experienced five times in Calderdale since 2001 are a result of the weather patterns changing due to global warming. Voluntary organisations like Slow the Flow do an amazing job with natural solutions to flood management such as leaky dams and the Environment Agency have ploughed millions of pounds into structural flood resilience but as the pandemic has shown we cannot always hold back Mother Nature.
Collectively our individual efforts can make a huge positive difference. We can all do our bit… by growing some of our own food, making sure our houses are well insulated, reducing the number of open fires we have, recycling, opting for hybrid or electric cars or even cycling or walking to work. These are just some of the things we can do and we owe it to the next generations to halt the frightening impact global warming.
I wouldn’t class myself as an eco-warrior I am a Charity CEO passionate about where I live and I want my sons and their children to enjoy a quality of life and not to have to live through fear and uncertainty!
In response to this local and global emergency I am delighted to confirm that the Community Foundation and Calderdale Council are close to agreeing a £1m investment to support local voluntary sector initiatives to start making inroads towards the ambition for a Carbon Zero Calderdale.
The Council’s funding is to be spent over two years and the Foundation’s funding is endowed and will generate funds year in year out. It is envisaged the Fund will launch in June this year.
To find out more about Calderdale Council’s response to the climate emergency please visit https://www. calderdale.gov.uk/v2/council/ our-vision/climate-emergency and find out more about available grants and the work of the Community Foundation visit www.cffc.co.uk.
Our investment in carbon reduction initiatives with the council is a great start but it scratches the surface of what’s needed locally to achieve the goal of a Zero Carbon Calderdale. If you’re in a position to add to the funds already committed, please get in touch with me Steve Duncan at steve@cffc.co.uk.