Muir of Ord community group is good to grow after £167K grant boost
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A GREEN revolution is on the cards for one Ross-shire community after their ongoing work to encourage a more eco-friendly lifestyle won a major grant.
MOO Food, based in Muir of Ord, has secured £167,000 from the Scottish government’s climate challenge fund.
And its latest cash injection will soon be put to good use – helping people to grow their own produce and reduce their food waste as well as highlighting ways to cut their carbon footprint and minimise climate change.
The community interest company also shows local people how to cook and prepare food and increase composting rates through a series of workshops, classes, information resources and ongoing support.
Emma Whitham, MOO Food’s founding director said: "I am delighted to secure this grant as it means MOO Food can move forward with mission to inspire healthy, environmentally friendly living and provide the community with the opportunity to reduce carbon footprint, and enjoy healthy, affordable, chemical-free food.
"Three new members of staff will be recruited as part of Growing Our Future project and collectively they will engage the community to deliver an exciting and varied sustainable food education programme full of fun, inspiration and lots of yummy food."
The grant was part of a wider £15.3 million pot made available to groups across Scotland, and managed and administered by Keep Scotland Beautiful on the government’s behalf.
The fund provides funding and support for community groups to help tackle climate change by running projects that reduce local carbon emissions.
David Gunn, Climate Challenge Fund Manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful said: "We congratulate MOO Food for securing the funding and encourage the local community to take advantage of support available through the Growing Our Future project.
"We look forward to supporting MOO Food as they implement their project and empowering many more communities to take action on climate change. We see it as part of our work to make Scotland clean, green and sustainable."
The climate change fund has awarded nearly 1100 grants worth a combined £101 million to more than 650 communities since its introduction a decade ago. The projects have ranged from energy efficiency to sustainable travel and local food.
Learn more about MOO Food’s Growing Our Future project at www.moofood.org
