National Lottery £600K brings Glasgow community food partners together to act on climate change

A new project aiming to transform Glasgow’s food system and reduce its impact on the climate crisis is today receiving £629,582 of National Lottery funding. 

The cash from The National Lottery Community Food goes to Glasgow Community Food Network (GCFN), who will work alongside local people across the city to co-create a food system that is fair, healthy, sustainable and kinder to the environment.

‘A Low Carbon Sustainable Food City for All’ will be led by GCFN in partnership with Urban Roots, Glasgow Eco Trust, The Space, St Paul’s Youth Forum and Central and West Integration Network. Building on the aims of the new Glasgow City Food Plan, the project will improve food education, establish a local green assembly, increase the amount of land being used for urban agriculture and mobilise young people to become climate leaders.

Community groups will also be able to pitch for micro-funding to get good food projects underway and new jobs will be created encouraging Community Activators to inspire change in their communities.

Welcoming the news, Abi Mordin, Chair of GCFN and lead architect of the bid, said: “There has never been a time quite like this – nor such a need for such coordinated collective action. The challenges from COVID 19, Brexit and climate change require a food system that can respond and recover from shocks. I want to say a big thank you to all the partner organisations for their time and dedication that has helped to make this bid successful, and of course to National Lottery players for making the funding possible.”

Emma Iller, Manager at Urban Roots, added: “This fund represents a step up for our work to engage local residents with climate change issues and promote engagement with the COP26 conference. We are particularly keen to ensure that the children and young people of Glasgow are provided with opportunities to understand better the issues and have their voices heard. We will build on our long standing experience of grassroots climate action in the city to make a real different in the city .

Today’s funding is being announced as part of the National Lottery-funded Climate Action Fund; a ten-year £100 million fund that will reduce the carbon footprint of communities demonstrating what is possible when people take the lead in tackling climate change. All funded projects across the UK will work together, share their learning and be active participants in a broader movement of change within and beyond these communities. 

Announcing the award to Glasgow Community Food Network, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this exciting partnership project will inspire a collective community action amongst the people of Glasgow. 

“Over the next two years, it will raise awareness of the links between carbon emissions and food production whilst showing just what can be achieved when people take the lead and respond to the climate emergency.” 

The Climate Action Fund is part of The National Lottery Community Fund’s Environment Strategy which has seen significant National Lottery investment through community-led projects that are focussed on activities that not only improve the environment but use it to enhance the lives of people and communities. Since April 2013, the Fund has awarded more than £340 million to environmental projects, through almost 5,000 grants. 

Thanks to National Lottery players, £41 billion has been raised for more than 565,000 good causes across the UK since 1994. National Lottery players raise £30 million every week for good causes in the UK. The National Lottery is playing a critical role in supporting people, projects and communities during these challenging times.