Over the past 4 years, we at Eco Sustainable Solutions have been heavily involved in the Green Goals Community Fund.

The Green Goals Community Fund is a fantastic initiative that works in partnership with Bournemouth Council, AFC Bournemouth and many local businesses including Eco, to engage Bournemouth with healthy and clean living.

The fund supports a wide range of projects from improving the local environment, engaging children and young people in environmental activities, raising awareness of environmental issues and healthy lifestyle activities, and improving opportunities for active travel.

It’s an initiative that promotes healthy, active, environmentally conscious lifestyles that help the environment in one way or another, be it through funding green spaces or green activities. The main focus is improving the local environment and raising environmental awareness.

Over the first 5 years of Green Goals, the fund has helped 68 local communities with a total of £55,000 in funding for their green projects.

Some of Green Goal’s largest funding projects have included an allotment for Jewell Academy, as voted for by Student Voice. Volunteer members of the school’s gardening club can tend to the raised beds, as well as providing valuable educational resources and research materials for pupils.

Other large projects have included the improvement of Springbourne junction with fresh plants, shrubs and fruit trees, to aid in the reduction of graffiti and fly tipping. Pokesdown received funding for their community group to aid in the maintenance and improvement of their local green. The funding allows them to make general improvements to the green area and provides them with stronger tools and gazebos for further publicity and fundraising in future.

Green Goals doesn’t just give funding for improving green spaces, however. Last year, Green Goals helped the Henry Brown Youth Centre begin their Parkour courses by funding the training of a member of staff to Level 1 parkour. The Youth Center furthered its personal green goal by using remaining funds to encourage healthy eating and lifestyles.

Green Goals has funded large projects for communities, from £720 for healthy eating and active lifestyle workshops for children between 5-13 years old to £936 for an awareness campaign to drive recycling. However, Green Goals also helps fund the small projects with £120 of funding to supply wildflower seeds to Townsend and £85 for borders and planters in Moore Avenue Park.

No matter how big or small your green project is, there’s a chance that it could be funded by Green Goals.

For more information on Green Goals or how you get your own green initiative funded, click here.