Lottery funding boost for Thriving Communities programme

Community organisations across Wirral have been setting out how they plan to deliver transformational projects across the borough thanks to the successful award of nearly £1.6m from the National Lottery Community Fund.

Working together as Cool Communities - a partnership of local organisations already delivering environmental activities in communities across Wirral - the funding for the new Thriving Communities programme was secured following a bid coordinated by Wirral Council.

The three-year programme - developed through extensive engagement with communities - is built around the idea that climate action works best when it helps people meet their everyday needs while increasing their environmental awareness.

Through these community-led projects, residents will be supported to save money on energy and food bills, improve their physical and mental wellbeing, strengthen their connection to nature, build stronger local connections and develop new skills, while reducing their carbon footprint.

Following approval by members of Wirral Council's Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee in June, funding has now been allocated and projects are set to begin across the borough.

Over the next three years the programme aims to engage 14,000 residents in community development-centred climate action, help 3,500 residents achieve improved mental wellbeing and increase physical activity amongst 200 residents.

It also seeks to lower the weekly food bills of 570 households, reduce the energy bills for 620 households and 72 community organisations and take five community energy projects to business case stage. 

Wirral Council played a key role in developing this successful bid. It provided strong leadership throughout the application process and coordinated all delivery partners. Continued leadership and support from Wirral Council will be essential to make sure the programme is delivered well and achieves its goals.

The Thriving Communities programme will be monitored and evaluated by experts from Liverpool John Moores University.

Here is a list of the local organisations leading the Thriving Communities programme:-

• Callister Trust 
• Compost Works
• Energy Projects Plus  
• Faiths4Change
• Grow Wellbeing CIC 
• Joint Rotary Environment Group Heswall 
• Options for Supported Living
• St Vincent’s Centre Wirral
• Wirral Council
• Wirral Environmental Network
• Wirral Forest: Wellbeing CIC
• Wirral Repair Café[SC1] 
• Liverpool John Moores University

And here are details about some of the activities, workshops and evaluation that will be taking place as part of Thriving Communities in Wirral:-

Energy Projects Plus: Clean and Lean Energy

Energy Projects Plus are leading the ‘Clean & Lean Energy’ strand of the programme and will be working with and supporting other local community organisations and residents across Wirral to reduce energy use, lower carbon emissions and explore renewable and low-carbon energy alternatives.

They will help organisations to better understand their buildings' energy use and identify opportunities to improve efficiency. They will lead practical training sessions with board and committee members to embed lasting changes that reduce both running costs and their carbon footprint.

They will also help residents save energy at home by delivering free, impartial energy advice through community events, offering in person support in partnership with neighbourhood organisations. Improving home energy efficiency not only reduces energy bills and carbon emissions but also helps people live in warmer, healthier homes.

Energy Projects Plus are looking forward to working together to grow and sustain climate action that creates truly thriving communities across the Wirral.

St Vincent’s Centre: Wirral Food Club

This project is designed to support vulnerable individuals and families across Birkenhead by tackling food poverty while helping people make simple, positive changes that benefit both their households and the environment. At its heart is the St Vincent’s Food Club, which provides access to affordable food and everyday essentials, helping families stretch their budgets during challenging times.

Alongside practical support, the project offers a range of engaging, low-cost activities that build confidence, develop new skills and encourage healthier lifestyles. Participants will have the opportunity to take part in cooking classes featuring energy-efficient recipes, helping them prepare nutritious meals while keeping household costs down. Upcycled arts sessions will inspire creativity by transforming unwanted materials into useful and decorative items, reducing waste and promoting sustainable habits.

Community gardening activities and open garden sessions will create welcoming spaces where people can learn how to grow food, connect with nature and strengthen relationships with others in the local area. Through shared learning, community events and hands-on experiences, the project aims to empower residents to take achievable climate-positive actions in their daily lives.

By combining practical assistance with environmental education, our project will help create a healthier, more resilient and connected community, ensuring that residents are supported today while building a more sustainable future for Birkenhead.

Energise Cycles: Cycling for Confidence

Cycling for Confidence aims to make cycling accessible for everyone by providing affordable, refurbished bikes and reducing environmental waste through the reuse of unwanted or donated bicycles. The project hopes to remove cost barriers, support people in using bikes for leisure or transport, and strengthen the local cycling community. 

They will deliver the objectives by refurbishing bikes for low cost resale, offering free or affordable training, servicing, parts, clothing, rides, and advice, while connecting people with wider cycling groups and support networks.

Faiths4Change: ‘Rethink Resources’ and ‘Food Faith Network’

The ‘Rethink Resources’ project aims to change behaviours around consumption, waste and resources by working with leaders, older children and young people across the Wirral by exploring five everyday products in depth; a pair of jeans, a bottle of water, a games console, a bicycle and a takeaway meal. 

Together with partners the Repair Cafe, Faiths4Change will be encouraging young people to consider the social, economic, environmental and cultural impacts of the life cycle of everyday objects.  They will be exploring alternatives to waste from composting to repair and supporting the development and delivery of young people led peer projects to motivate individual and group action to sustain behaviour change.  

Sharing and learning together will be enhanced by programme support from leaders from climate justice; green education, skills and jobs; waste management and sustainability sectors who will showcase and offer next step options for young people to move towards climate friendly futures.

The ‘Faith Food Network' is a Wirral-wide partnership that will research, map and facilitate the development and establishment of a network of faith land-based food growing and composting projects, foodbanks, pantries, and lunch clubs. Together, those involved will identify gaps in provision, potential opportunities and develop a toolkit to support additional places of worship to establish provision.

Grow-Wellbeing CIC: Nature Learning and Wellbeing

Grow‑Wellbeing CIC is leading Nature Learning and Wellbeing within the Climate Action Fund Thriving Communities programme, supporting children, young people and adults – particularly those furthest from nature – to deepen their connection with the environment through forest‑school‑inspired learning and wellbeing, in partnership with local community organisations.

The work links climate action to everyday lives by creating regular, accessible opportunities to spend time in local woodlands, community gardens and coastal “blue” spaces, notice seasonal change and understand how caring for nature is part of caring for themselves and their communities. Participants build skills, confidence, self‑esteem, resilience and a strong sense of belonging in nature.

Through the programme they will increase access to green and blue spaces, support mental health and wellbeing, and empower people as environmental stewards and youth leaders. In the longer term, it will encourage pro‑environmental behaviour and everyday actions that reduce emissions and improve habitats - and provide a first step into green‑sector training, volunteering and employment.”

Wirral Environment Network: Grow, Eat, Learn (GEL)

This project is about sustainable growing and food practices through community learning. GEL will improve local green spaces and biodiversity, increase plant-based cooking and food growing, reduce food waste through composting and reuse, empower communities with practical sustainability skills, increase community engagement and climate awareness. It will reduce growing and food costs, cut waste and strengthen neighbourhood connections.

It will help Wirral residents grow, cook and share low-cost, healthy food. The project will support community growing areas or routes and build skills in gardening, seasonal, plant-first cooking and community meals and composting. It will provide practical training and hands-on demonstrations, free starter resources, shared learning spaces, community composting facilities and support community growing spaces, promoting sustainable, circular growing and food practices that also reduce household bills.”

Wirral Forest: Pathways to Wellbeing

Led by Wirral Forest: Wellbeing CIC, Pathways to Wellbeing is a three-year community programme using Wirral's green spaces to bring people together, improve wellbeing and strengthen connections between people and the places where they live.

The project will create a network of wellbeing trails, guided walks, volunteer opportunities and accessible resources, initially centred on Birkenhead Park and Prenton Dell Claypit before expanding to a third location chosen with the community.

Working alongside existing community organisations, social prescribers and community connectors, Pathways to Wellbeing will particularly seek to reach people who may experience barriers to taking part. These can include isolation, anxiety, lack of confidence or simply feeling that outdoor activities and green spaces are not for them.

The programme draws on the Five Ways to Wellbeing through a simple, welcoming and non-judgemental approach. People will be encouraged to join in at their own pace, meet others, explore local green spaces and, over time, develop stronger connections with their community and local environment.

Liverpool John Moores University: Evaluation and Research

The LJMU team, led by Dr Neil Simcock and Dr Kezia Barker from the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, will undertake evaluation and research on the impacts, challenges and lessons learned of the project. 

They will establish a data collection framework where partners collect data for inclusion in a Power BI dashboard established by Wirral Council. Alongside this, in-depth qualitative research will be undertaken to garner a detailed understanding of participants’ experiences of the programme. 

The ongoing results will inform activity throughout the programme, culminating in a community visioning exercise to co-produce a shared vision for future community climate action in Wirral.

The team said they are delighted to be part of this consortium, which has the potential to make a real and lasting difference to people and the environment, in the Wirral and beyond. They will provide rigorous evaluation to help ensure the programme maximises its impact.