Landfill campaigner out to raise awareness of community fund

A campaigner is raising awareness of a community fund available to groups and charities in Fleetwood through controversial landfill operator Transwaste

Dr Barbara Kneale, who is one of several campaigners who has fought to bring an end to the odorous emissions from the Jameson Road Landfill site, believes many organisations may still not know about the Transwaste Community Fund.

She says good causes could benefit from the fund, which offers a share of £200,000 to local groups on an annual basis.

Projects must be located within 2.5 miles of the Jameson Road Landfill Site to be eligible.

The landfill site has been troubling residents for almost two years with vile-smelling chemical emissions, which some residents say have caused headaches, nosebleeds and breathing difficulties.

The Environmnt Agency is monitoring the site, although Transwaste insists the odours are now minimal.

Dr Kneale argues that although she believes the site should be closed down, residents till need to know about the fund.

She said: “There needs to be more awareness of this fund so local groups can benefit, if they choose to apply.

“If they don’t know about it, they won’t have that choice. The closing date to apply is January 28 next year, so there won’t be much time to put an application together for the next fund.”

She added: “I am still committed to shutting down this landfill site but it is important people have the option to make use of this fund, whether they approve of it or not. If it is not used for a good cause, it will either be used for something less deserving or not used at all.”

The Transwaste Community Fund is provided by the company in relation to their Jameson Road Landfill Site and is administered by the charity GrantScape on its behalf.

GrantScape is an independent charity that specializes in managing and administering community benefit funds, helping companies, developers, and local authorities distribute funds via local projects such as windfarms or landfill sites.

Applications for capital projects, meaning those that focus on physical improvement at an identified site, will be considered. Projects which take place at multiple sites cannot be considered.

The minimum grant is £10,000, while the maximum that can be applied for is £50,000.

Although the fund provides grants for eligible projects located within a 2.5 mile radius of the Jameson Road Landfill site, applications within 1.5 miles of the site may receive priority

The Transwaste Community Fund uses an online application process and any applications in other formats will not, therefore, be accepted.