Each year, TEP awards funding through its Environment Grant to support grassroots projects that raise awareness of environmental issues or help advance the environmental profession. Now in its sixth year, the grant has funded 17 projects across the UK since launching in 2020.
The grant offers between £250 and £1,000 to individuals, groups, charities or institutions who demonstrate a commitment to making a positive impact, whether that be through education, conservation, or community engagement.
This year, we’re proud to support two very different but equally inspiring initiatives:
Lanjeth Nursery in Cornwall, run by community interest company Growing People, is restoring 13.5 acres of woodland, ponds and water gardens for the benefit of local communities. Their goal is to provide inclusive, not-for-profit outdoor sessions that promote wellbeing and learning through nature.
With the help of TEP’s Environment Grant, they’ll be constructing a wooden boardwalk around a set of restored ponds, improving access for young children and people with reduced mobility. The site is home to the UK’s largest recorded population of dragonfly species, offering a rich opportunity for education and ecological engagement.
The project will help visitors explore pond flora and fauna safely and comfortably, while also inspiring more people to create and protect similar habitats in their own communities.
Images below taken from https://lanjeth.co.uk/.
Living Paintings Trust is a national charity producing unique audio-tactile books for children who are blind or visually impaired. Their “Touch to See” books combine raised illustrations with immersive audio descriptions, helping thousands of children access stories and learning materials that might otherwise be out of reach.
TEP’s funding will support the adaptation of Tidy by Emily Gravett, a captivating curriculum-linked story about environmental responsibility. The book will be turned into 35 tactile editions to be shared through Living Paintings’ free postal library, reaching children at home and in schools across the UK. By supporting this work, the grant is helping children with sight loss engage with environmental topics and feel included in shared conversations around nature, sustainability and learning.
Images below taken from https://livingpaintings.org/.
We’re delighted to support both organisations in their missions to widen access to environmental learning. If you’re planning your own environmental project and think it could benefit from our grant, please follow us on social media or keep an eye on our website next March, when applications will re-open.
