Funded by the Yorkshire Dales LEADER Programme, Sustainability 4 Yorkshire Ltd (S4Y) has teamed up with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority to help local communities to become more sustainable. S4Y will be using local expertise to empower communities to reduce their carbon emissions and save money on their fuel bills.

Working with the Energy Saving Trust advice centre for North Yorkshire and the Humber, five enthusiastic communities that wish to become more sustainable will be offered free practical help, advice and support to help reduce their carbon footprint. A project coordinator will assist the community in the development and implementation of an action plan. Benefits for the community include:

• Reducing the impact on the environment
• Receiving advice on project funding and grants
• Creating employment and training opportunities
• Improving the general health of local people
• Combating fuel poverty
• Helping the local economy

The project coordinator will work closely with the community for up to two years helping to assess the community’s carbon emissions as a baseline, creating an action plan to help to deliver carbon savings and then implementing the plan through community led activity.

Matt Lewer, Sustainability 4 Yorkshire Manager, said:

“This is a great opportunity for local communities to get involved and make a real difference to their carbon footprint.”

Would your community like to be involved?

For further information, please contact Jill Armstrong on 01969 652391 or email jill.armstrong@est-nyh.org.uk

An expression of interest form will be sent to you and the deadline for applications is noon, Thursday 15th July. Forms can also be downloaded from the S4Y website www.sustainability4yorkshire.org.uk

You can find out more about how other communities around the country have benefitted from this support by visiting www.energysavingtrust.org.uk and selecting the ‘Community’ page. You can also sign up your community for free membership giving you access to useful tools such as a funding database and a diary of upcoming training opportunities.