£25,000 of funding announced to support waste reduction in communities 

Community groups, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), charities, parish and town councils and schools can now apply for a Waste Prevention Grant worth between £200 and £2,500, to develop or create initiatives that reduce waste.  

£25,000 is available to support initiatives such as repair cafes, clothes swaps, upcycling events, refill shops, community fridges and baby clothes libraries.  

Each year, Surrey households produce around 500,000 tonnes of waste. Communities are already playing a key part to help reduce waste with some successful projects including: 

• Guildford Library of Things – an award-winning community project enabling residents to borrow items such as tools, games and camping equipment. 
• Farnham Repair Care – helping residents extend the life of belongings by repairing instead of replacing.  

Marisa Heath, Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “Reducing waste is more than just recycling. It’s about reducing and reusing as we go about our daily lives and is something everyone can play a part in. By upcycling second hand furniture, repairing items rather than replacing with brand new and re-using items, we can save money as well as reduce waste. There are already some impressive projects happening around the county, and I hope this funding encourages more communities to get involved.” 

Natalie Bramhall, Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure, said: “Surrey is the joint second-best performing area in England for recycling compared to 28 other similar authorities and we continue to make every effort to reduce waste further. I encourage communities to apply for this grant which will help to significantly reduce waste as well as make financial savings.”  

Applications are open until Monday 15 December. For more information and to apply for the Waste Prevention Grant, visit the Together for Surrey website.