More than £11,000 has been donated to 11 Channel Island charities, schools and organisations with an aim to protect the local environment as part of The Channel Islands Co-operative Society’s Eco fund.
The Eco fund is now in its 11th year and aims to support projects across the Channel Islands which have an environmental focus.
The Society is committed to reducing its impact on the environment and is working on a number of projects to do so. This includes reducing single use plastic through a number of initiatives, installing electric vehicle charge points in Jersey and reducing energy consumption in stores.
Benefitting from the fund this year in Jersey are Samarès School, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Jersey Trees for Life, Jersey Heritage, Save our Shoreline Jersey and the Acorn Woodshack. The fund awarded a total of £5,886.36 between the six organisations.
In Guernsey, the charities that benefited are Edible Guernsey, ‘The Gatehouse’ – Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden, SHARE Education Service, Little Bears Nature Preschool and Guernsey Hedgehog Rescue Centre. A total of £5,450 was donated to Guernsey-based projects.
Jersey Trees for Life was awarded £1,000 which will be used to plant 5,000 whips (small hedgerows) around the island during the next season. The organisation aims to have one continuing living corridor in Jersey which will keep wildlife safe from traffic and prey. The Jersey Trees for Life Hedgerow campaign is now in its 12th year.
Beverley Dallas-Chapman, Senior Community Fundraiser for the charity, said: “We are delighted to receive money from the Eco fund. The money will allow us to continue our work around the island with our Hedgerow Campaign.
“We are trying to create a living corridor around the island so that the wildlife is able to travel freely about Jersey, away from the busy roads. These corridors are also habitats for much of the island’s wildlife and insects. We will begin planting again early November, starting at Sorel, in St John, before moving to Grouville.”
SHARE Education Service received £1,500 which will be used to provide young people with sustainable menstrual products, with an aim of reducing the amount of single-use sanitary pads and tampons. SHARE visit schools and colleges in Guernsey to teach young people about puberty and how to cope with ‘growing up’.
Kate Corcoran, Health Educator for SHARE, said: “As nurses we are keen to ensure that our young people are taught about the availability of sustainable menstrual products such as washable pads, reusable applicators and menstrual cups.
“We believe there is no better way to be educated about alternative products than to be given a starter kit along with their peers in a positive encouraging environment. We are absolutely delighted with the donation from the Society’s Eco fund and intend to make sure the money is spent wisely in order to share this exciting initiative as widely as possibly.”
Mark Cox, the Society’s acting Chief Executive Officer, said: “The Society’s Eco fund has been a huge success since its launch in 2011 and we are delighted to award more projects with funds again this year, in the hope of protecting our local environment.
“It’s fantastic to be able to support a number of initiatives across the Channel Islands and we look forward to seeing the projects come to life.”
