The Fund is part of the agreement with Merseyside Energy Recovery Limited (MERL) who, together with its partner SUEZ recycling and recovery UK (SUEZ), operate the Rail Transfer Loading Station in Knowsley that handles Merseyside and Halton’s household residual waste.

Each year, the Fund provides support to a range of community, health, wellbeing, and environmental projects. This year, £55,000 was awarded to eleven local good causes. These are:

1. The CELLS Project received £9,000 for their ‘Family Matters’ programme which aims to protect vulnerable children and young people from crime and exploitation
2. Bridge-It Community Wellbeing received £5,000 to restart their provision of mental health services following the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. Centre 63 received £2,000 for their ‘Every Mind Matters’ project designed to help educate children and young people to live healthy lives and make informed choices
4. F.C. Kirkby Foxes received £7,000 to purchase new football kits, and assist with match day fees and the hire of training facilities.
5. The Perspective Theatre Company received £5,000 to deliver plays and workshops to raise awareness of the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse in schools and colleges.
6. The Eco Therapy Garden received £9,000 to complete the final phase of landscaping for their Sensory Peace Garden project to support their talking therapy services.
7. Sports Alive received £2,000 to assist with the provision of physical and creative activities for children, and out-of-school trips during the half-term holidays.
8. Tower Hill ABC received £9,000 to build on their ‘Boxing Club to Community Hub’ project, which will include new kitchen facilities and a sauna for their aspiring boxers.
9. Knowsley Food Bank received £3,000 to support the expansion of their ‘Food Club’ model with equipment to support the setting up of a mobile food service.
10. Valencia Morris Dancers received £2,000 to purchase matching uniforms and equipment for around 75 members of their dance troupe.
11. Delaware Allotments received £2,000 to renovate their canteen with modern toilet and kitchen facilities to assist with visits from schools and adult social care groups.

The Kirkby Neighbourhood Community Fund has now invested more than £330,000 over the last six years into the local area. Both MERL and SUEZ recognise that they have an important part to play in the local community and this Fund helps to fulfil their responsibilities as a good neighbour.

Victoria Crabtree, Regional Manager at SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, said: “It was fantastic to have received so many applications to this year’s Kirkby Neighbourhood Community Fund and that we were able to award £55,000 to eleven worthy causes. I look forward to seeing the difference made to the Kirkby community as a result of the hard work of such local organisations to support residents’ wellbeing and their local environment. I would like to reiterate that this is an annual fund and that we will be welcoming new applications next spring.”

Lesley Worswick, Chief Executive of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority, said: “It is always wonderful to hear of the local projects and initiatives made possible as a result of their respective award from the Fund, and I look forward to monitoring their progress in 2024. Local groups continue to face increasing challenges and demand for their services, and this funding is warmly welcomed in allowing local groups to continue serving the community.”

Working on behalf of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority, SUEZ puts Merseyside and Halton’s residual household waste to good use by using it to create sustainable electricity. Waste arrives at the Knowsley Rail Transfer Loading Station where it is loaded onto rail containers and taken to the Wilton Energy-from-Waste facility in Teesside, where it is used to generate electricity that is fed into the national grid. The facility produces enough electricity to power more than 63,000 homes.

Local schools, and community and residents’ groups can explore the journey of Merseyside and Halton’s residual household waste at the visitor centre at the Rail Loading Transfer Station in Knowsley. Click here to book your visit.

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• Kirkby Neighbourhood Community Fund

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