Kirkby Neighbourhood Community Fund

Merseyside Energy Recovery Ltd (MERL) provides a fund of up to £55,000 per year towards organisations and projects working to improve community life in and around Kirkby, Knowsley. This is known as the Kirkby Neighbourhood Community Fund.

SUEZ recycling and recovery UK is one of three companies comprising MERL and is the operator of the Wilton Energy from Waste Facility in Teesside, and the Rail Transfer Loading Station in Kirkby, Merseyside. As part of their commitment to being a good neighbour to the surrounding communities, SUEZ created the community fund for Knowsley, with a value of 10p per tonne exported by rail from the Rail Transfer Loading Station in Kirkby. The fund is available from MERL each year throughout the duration of the contract with Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority.

It enables community groups, charities, and projects in Kirkby to apply for funding to help get their ideas, charities, or projects off the ground. Specifically, the fund will support initiatives which aim to improve community life, health and wellbeing or the environment.

This funding provides a long-term and secure source of support for community and environmental groups in the following priority areas:

• Northwood
• Cherryfield
• Shevington
• Whitefield
• Prescot North (Knowsley Village)

All applicants must be formally constituted (e.g. a club, charity, friends-of group) and must be not-for-profit organisations. No individual can benefit personally from an award.

The Kirkby Neighbourhood Community Fund reopens in spring 2025.

Applicants are advised to read the guidance document before submitting their application and ensure that they submit all of the required supporting information along with their application – failure to do so will likely result in the application being unsuccessful.

Applications are reviewed and recommendations for approval are sent to Merseyside Energy Recovery Ltd, which will make the final decision and issue funds.

Previous successful applicants to the Kirkby Neighbourhood Community Fund

Since being launched in 2018, the Kirkby Neighbourhood Community Fund has now invested more than £390,600 into good causes in and around Kirkby, delivering community improvement, health and wellbeing, or environmental projects.

Kirkby Fund Winners 2024

Some of our successful applicants in 2024 include:

1. 1. Kirkby Milers AC – £4,500 for the “Active Kids for Healthy Futures” programme, which promotes physical activity, nutrition education, and mental health support for children aged 8-16.
   2. Eco Therapy Garden – £4,500 to add a wooden pagoda and educational boards for year-round activities, benefiting up to 1,000 residents.
   3. Kindred LCR – “The Women in the Know Space” – £8,000 to create a women-led hub offering a café, gallery, and event space for social enterprise, wellbeing, and creative projects.
   4. Sports Alive – £3,000 to provide a safe space for young people, fostering teamwork and development through sports and creative programs.
   5. The CELLS Project – £4,000 to expand a youth club with programs for ages 12-18, promoting community cohesion and reducing crime.
   6. Music Sweet Music – £2,000 for weekly music therapy sessions supporting mental health and social connection for over 150 residents.
   7. Knowsley Foodbank – Circular Food Project – £5,500 for a community food-growing initiative with greenhouses and a chicken coop, reducing waste and providing fresh produce.
   8. Tower Hill ABC – £4,000 to expand their community hub with equipment for elderly residents, expecting to triple their user base.
   9. Northwood Together – £4,000 for free food drops, emergency parcels, and pop-up clothing boutiques to support SEND families and build community connections.
   10. Kirkby Town JFC – £5,500 to fund kits and venue hire, supporting young players from low-income families.
   11. Mind Connect – £5,000 for free mental health hubs in Whitefield and Prescot North, serving 200 residents with weekly wellbeing sessions.

SUEZ Communities Fund

The SUEZ Communities Fund supports community and environmental improvement projects through the Landfill Communities Fund and Scottish Landfill Communities Fund, distributing funds contributed by SUEZ recycling and recovery UK.

Between 1997 and 2022, funds were distributed by SUEZ Communities Trust Ltd. Since the beginning of 2023, the funds contributed have been distributed by the independent charity Grantscape Ltd.

The Fund offers awards of up to £50,000 to not-for-profit organisations for projects that are eligible under the rules of the Landfill Communities Fund and Scottish Landfill Communities Fund.

If you are involved with a not-for-profit organisation and would like to find out if it is eligible for funding, visit the fund’s website to find out more.