Kingston’s youth plant the seeds for a greener future
Five projects run by Kingston’s Youth Council have been funded to help inspire climate action among the borough’s younger residents.
Kingston Council is working together with partners and communities to create a greener, fairer and safer borough for current and future generations to enjoy. Among its top priorities are tackling climate change and protecting the wealth of biodiversity in the borough.
To support this, £10,000 has been awarded by the council to Kingston Youth Council members in the form of a Climate Youth Fund. The fund was created to inspire and help the borough’s younger residents create projects that promote sustainability, protect biodiversity and tackle climate change.
Councillor Ian Manders, Portfolio Holder for Climate Action and Sustainable Transport said:
“Young people are serious about harmful climate change because it affects their future. Kingston’s younger residents are getting involved in activities which will benefit us all by tackling this fundamental problem of climate change.”
Funding has been awarded to:
Dickerage Sports & Community Centre: For the creation of an allotment where young people will grow fruit, vegetables and herbs with the addition of a greenhouse. Food grown at the allotment will be used as part of Achieving for Children’s FUEL activity programme and a new healthy eating cooking club.
Funding awarded - £3,500.
St Andrew's and St Mark's Youth Group: For the creation of an Eco Fair which will be attended and supported by local businesses. The fair will have a second hand book stall, clothes swap stall and many other stalls linked to natural habitat, conservation and biodiversity.
Funding awarded - £1,500.
Tiffin Girls School: For the creation of a rewilding garden - a natural habitat, conservation and biodiversity space that incorporates plants and support species of insects which are local to the area and in order to maintain and support local ecosystems.
Funding awarded - £1,500.
Kingston Academy: For the creation of vegetable gardens using VegePods - raised garden beds with a self watering system to grow vegetables to use in school meals and help set up a gardening club to encourage sustainable food choices.
Funding awarded - £1,500.
Richard Challoner School: For the creation of a rewilding project at the school which will feature wildflowers and local plants which will help encourage biodiversity, as well as the creation of a pond, a bug hotel and bird houses.
Funding awarded - £2,000.
Kayla, a younger resident working on the Dickerage allotment project said:
"It's been great to see how the allotment has been changing each week. We were not even sure if we would get anything to grow but there are potatoes, carrots, peas, runner beans, peas and a pumpkin all growing. Thanks to everyone who has helped so far and the climate change fund for supporting us."
Daniel Slocombe, Dickerage Youth Support Manager said:
"My thanks has to go out to Kingston Youth Council who supported the Dickerage allotment project through the climate change fund. We have been able to transform an overgrown wasted space into a thriving allotment. The project has engaged many different users groups with a ‘come and grow’ Saturday morning club and at the green fingers section of our Tuesday youth club.”
“We have also been working in conjunction with Mencap supporting young adults aged 18-25 with additional needs, this has been a great opportunity for this cohort and they have really enjoyed their Thursday afternoons here at Dickerage. I am now just looking forward to harvesting the vegetables and then using them to cook with at our youth club sessions. Again like Kayla I just wanted to thank everyone involved in making this happen."
You can find out more about the Kingston and Richmond Youth Council online and the council’s work to tackle climate change at www.kingston.gov.uk/climate.