Community Climate Fund Success Stories
Below are examples of how the Council's Community Climate Fund is improving environmental and social standards throughout the District. These stories exemplify how to meet the grant criteria to implement climate action locally.
The Climate Change Action Map reflects how the climate network is growing across Horsham District and West Sussex. Do not forget to plot your projects onto WSCC's map!
1st Storrington & Sullington Scouts
Queen Elizabeth II Community Garden
Project cost: £2,791
Amount awarded: £955
The community garden will introduce hot bin composting, rainwater harvesting and an insect hotel to support pollination. This work will form waste, water and biodiversity benefits, whilst developing environmental awareness amongst the children involved.
2nd Horsham Scout Group
Energy, Water and Waste Eco-Project I
Project cost: £1,000
Amount awarded: £1,000
The Community Climate Funding has allowed 2nd Horsham Scouts to install a rainwater harvesting system to avoid 25,000L of mains water annually. In addition, two hot composters will continue to reduce landfill disposal and the installation of a heating programmer is predicted to reduce carbon emitted for energy by 20%.
2nd Horsham Scout Group
Energy, Water and Waste Eco-Project II
Project cost: £1,381
Amount awarded : £1,000
A second successful application in 2022 went towards automatic water taps and LED lighting. Their lead fundraiser said “the Community Climate Funding has allowed us to become more sustainable in lowering our carbon footprint and environmental impact as well as reducing our running costs. Our initiatives have help create, a bright, clean and operationally efficient environment which is more accessible to all.”
5th/10th Horsham Scouts
Solar PV and LED Lighting Installation
Project cost: £21,919
Amount awarded: £5,000
This project enabled solar PV installation for renewable electricity generation and batteries for on-site storage. On top of this, funding supported a switch to LED lights in an attempt to reduce lighting costs by 50%. These actions represent 5th/10th Horsham scouts' ambitious target of saving 64 tonnes of CO2 over 20 years.
Barns Green Primary School
Solar PV Installation
Project cost: £24,000
Amount awarded: £5,000
CCF funding is combining with other grants to drive Barns Green Primary School towards net zero. The project involves installing a 40 solar PV panel array to generate approximately 17,846 kWh of electricity generation per year. This will showcase climate action in the community and attaches to the environmental education featured as part of the school curriculum. Using West Sussex County Council’s estimates, they anticipate savings of 7 tCO2 per annum.
Beeding and Bramber Village Hall
Solar PV and LED Lighting Installation
Project cost: £15,114
Amount awarded: £4,714
This funding gave Beeding and Bramber Village Hall the financial support to complete their collaborative sustainable energy project. They worked with Greening Steyning, Brighton and Hove Energy Services Cooperative (BHESCo), Lightfoot LED and CC Solar to install a 5.94kWp solar PV array and LED lighting. The project outcomes will be an estimated 33 tones of CO2 saved over 25 years and financial savings that will return value for community users.
[The Community Climate Fund] has allowed us to be a beacon for other organisations, in the village and beyond, to do something positive and change their carbon footprint.
Sue Albury (Beeding and Bramber Hall Chair of Trustees)
Billingshurst Men's Sheds
Shed Insulation Project
Project cost: £4,491
Amount awarded: £2,500
HDC are helping this local group launch by supporting their sustainable building. The DIY project involving skilled volunteers will add insulation, as well as double-glazed doors and windows to the new shed facility. Avoiding heaters across the colder months will save approximately 288kWh and 80kg CO2 per annum. Subsequently, it creates a warmer environment for users through the winter and reduces costs for a soon to be important community hub.
Chanctonbury Church
Bicycle Rack Installation
Project cost: £1,038
Amount awarded: £878
Installing a 5 capacity bicycle rack within the church grounds promotes sustainable mobility for both church visitors and the wider public. This action contributes towards a reduction in GHG emissions, air pollution and congestion locally, not to mention encouraging active lifestyles.
Chanctonbury Leisure Centre
LED Studio Replacement
Project cost: £11,858
Amount awarded: £5,000
Chanctonbury Community Leisure Centre and their users will benefit from an estimated annual saving of £6,583 due to an LED lighting upgrade in their studio (NRG Group, 2022). Critically, their carbon emissions will fall by 4.5 tonnes CO2 as a result.
Comptons Tennis Club
LED Floodlight Replacement
Project cost: £40,000
Amount awarded: £5,000
Switching to highly efficient LED floodlights will save 7 tonnes of carbon due to energy reduction and lower the club's financial expenditure. In addition, the freed up electrical capacity provides potential to implement on-site electric vehicle charging points in the near future.
Friends of Horsham Park
Sense the Change
Project cost: £12,352
Amount awarded: £2,082
The Community Climate Fund has supported developments for a drought resistant sensory garden in Horsham Park. Watch their video on Twitter that explains their intentions for the grant. The area is free to access or you can also follow project updates via their website.
Greening Steyning
The 2030 Project
Project cost: £13,500
Amount awarded: £10,000
Greening Steyning have been a highly organised and proactive environmental group since 2010. Their 2030 Project tackles a range of environmental issues to become 'one of the greenest, healthiest and most sustainable communities in the UK'. The initial CCF grant in 2020 helped them to establish a Repair Café, the Active Travel Survey and engage with local schools. The follow-up grant in 2022 continued progress via the Home Energy Helpdesk, Climate Café, community sustainable fashion show, Wildlife Gardens Open Day and creating an interactive local nature map.
Henfield Hall
Community Solar in Henfield
Project cost: £27,028
Amount awarded: £5,000
The installation of 60 PV solar panels represents work with Sustainable Henfield to reduce energy usage across community buildings. This development leaves them hopeful that they can avoid over 10 tonnes of carbon annually, with 40% of this clean energy being exported to the national grid. Henfield Parish Council and Rampion have also been key supporting players for this project.
Henfield Hall
Battery for Solar
Project cost: £21,251
Amount awarded: £5,000
The hall returned with another application for the next logical step of their project; batteries to store excess renewable energy. Estimations indicate potential for the hall's carbon impact to reduce 1.6 tonnes. The Community Climate Fund team were thrilled to see this project progression.
Henfield Haven
Solar PV Project
Project cost: £30,106
Amount awarded: £5,000
A sustainability feasibility study by Henfield Community Partnership and Sustainable Henfield led to CCF funding a new solar PV array producing an annual output of 23,000 kWh. Operation of the dementia day centre can now continue sustainably and reduce 7 tonnes of carbon annually.
Henfield Leisure Centre
Sports Hall Lighting Improvements
Project cost: £11,700
Amount awarded: £5,000
This leisure centre upgraded their 30-year-old lighting with 15 LED lighting fittings. They are aiming for a 273% energy reduction and subsequent carbon saving above 2 tonnes. Other benefits include extending product life cycles of lights to 20,000 hours for less waste and financial savings maximising returns for community centre users.
Holy Trinity Rudgwick
Waste Reduction & Green Roof Shelter
Project cost: £3,134
Amount awarded: £2,500
Holy Trinity Rudgwick, Rudgwick Youth Centre and Go Greener Rudgwick have worked collectively to extend community recycling to cover items otherwise missed with kerbside collection. Our grant helped expand their recycling hub and increase recycling capacity beyond the 400kg deferred from landfill in a previous annual trial. Also, construction of a green roof will increase ecological stability by attracting pollinators, providing provision for species and absorbing CO2. We look forward to hearing how they will spread waste education and build partnerships throughout the village.
Horsham Community Fridge
Saturday Pop-up Events
Project cost: £1,830
Amount awarded: £1,000
Financial support from the Council helped scale up the operations of the critically important Community Fridge service. This volunteer scheme simultaneously tackles issues of food poverty and food waste that are pressing when facing cost of living and climate crises. Extra Saturday sessions in different neighbourhoods means extending outreach of support for Horsham District residents. The further savings on food waste converted to around 1.5 tonnes of carbon emissions yearly and strengthen community resilience during times of uncertainty.
Horsham Sports Club
LED Tennis Courts Floodlights Upgrade
Project cost: £26,050
Amount awarded: £5,000
Horsham Lawn Tennis Club committed to upgrading court floodlights in 2021. The development ensures a leading example for other local sports clubs who similarly wish to reduce carbon footprint and save money by minimise energy consumption.
Horsham Trafalgar NC
Dr. Bike Maintenance Classes
Project cost: £3,938
Amount awarded: £2,498
These free classes offered core cycling maintenance skills to impower local cyclists with independence and confidence. By promoting a climate friendly alternative to cars, they also matched with their desires to reduce the speed limit in the area with prioritising cycling and walking and improving air quality for all.
Lower Barn Allotment Society
Rainwater Harvesting
Project cost: £4,050
Amount awarded: £2,400
This local society applied resourcefulness, environmental awareness, and collaboration to design an effective water conservation project. They will use funds for the raw materials to complete community DIY to incorporate three water harvesting stations into community allotment which is accessible to around 100 people. Using typical rainfall and consumption over the past two years, they anticipate decreasing water consumption by 20% and save 27,000L per year.
North Horsham PC
Holbrook Tythe Barn LED Replacement
Project cost: £4,152
Amount awarded: £2,076
Plans to upgrade 65 lights with LED fixtures using professional electrical services. Estimated carbon savings are 1.8 tCO2e pa through reducing energy usage. It converts into lowers costs on electricity by 20% that can go towards improving community services.
One Church, Rock Farm
Community Carbon Sink
Project cost: £28,182
Amount awarded: £5,000
This investment went towards creating an outdoor space for a carbon-negative farming project with a specialist focus on including the marginalised members of the community. Here educational programs focus on alternative methods for growing food, including biochar farming and methods to improve soil fertility, as well as for planting trees.
One Church, Rock Farm
Carbon-Negative Horticulture Courses
Project cost: £11,000
Amount awarded: £5,000
A series of 1-day courses educating 50+ people of carbon-negative and nature-friendly growing methods. Upskilling 4-6 long-term unemployed/underemployed people to learn horticulture and landscaping and providing employment assistance. Estimated 1.2 tCO2e saved pa, plus any actions from education.
Pulborough Social Centre
Entrance and Foyer LED Lighting
Project cost: £2,330
Amount awarded: £1,930
The proposal to invest in 8 new LED lighting fixtures was accepted during the February 2023 round. These upgrades will produce monetary savings for the community organisation and improves usability for users. Also, increasing energy efficiency by 73% converts into 1 tonne of carbon being avoided per year.
Shipley Community Hub
Relove Preloved Station and Borrow Library
Project cost: £2,150
Amount awarded: £2,150
Slinfold Village Hall
LED Lighting
Project cost: £4,775
Amount awarded: £2,500
Upgrading 42 light fittings and controls with energy-efficient LED in the hall. Saves 500kWh and 1.5 tCO2e per annum, whilst sustaining hall user charges for the community.
Southwater Village Hall
Air Source Heat Pump System
Project cost: £29,700
Amount awarded: £5,000
A successful application eased the cost of installing an air source heat pump to replace a gas fired boiler. This not only reduces immediate energy use and carbon emissions, but also acts as investment in preparation for future cost and policy changes.
Springboard
Springboard Green Fund
Project cost: £2,749
Amount awarded: £2,749
The provision of Smart Radiator Valves improved the energy efficiency of their building and a new electronic bike purchase now encourages sustainable mobility for staff.
Steyning Tennis Club
New Energy Efficient LED Lights
Project cost: £24,050
Amount awarded: £5,000
Steyning Tennis Club will shortly replace 12 floodlights with LED capabilities to decrease CO2e contributions by 61%, increase the product life of lights by 4-5 times and improve lighting quality for 224 users.
St. Mark's Church
Holbrook Community Orchard
Project cost: £1,000
Amount awarded: £1,000
St. Mark's Church have been accredited with Eco Church recognition. They selected to develop their community garden via tree/bulb planting, food recycling, rainwater collection, whilst completing wildlife and local community surveys to review progress.
St. Mary's Church
Learning Thermostat Installation
Project cost: £3,595
Amount awarded: £1,095
St. Peter's Church
Church House Insulation
Project cost: £8,170
Amount awarded: £2,500
Storrington & Sullington PC
Heat Pump Air Conditioner Replacement
Project cost: £10,980
Amount awarded: £5,000
A 2-phase project to replace 5 heat pump units to reduce energy consumption on heating by 30%. The 800-kWh reduction per year will save 1.8 tCO2e being emitted per annum
Storrington Community FC
Replacement LED Lights
Project cost: £2,985
Amount awarded: £2,485
A series of lighting upgrades including 18 circular polo fittings, 13 LED batten, 13 emergency bulkhead fittings, 1x 30w food light and PIR with new protective cage. These measures will present energy reductions of community facilities open to 250+ regular users.
Sussex Green Living
Bright New Future Roadshow
Project cost: £17,000
Amount awarded: £5,000
Sussex Green Living are an award winning charity for their climate endeavours since 2012. Financial support was given towards creating an 'Eco Innovation Station' as a retrofitted milk float that tours events across the District. Here individuals can receive information regarding how to reduce their carbon footprint. You can discover more about the project here.
Sussex Green Living
3 R's Roadshow
Project cost: £5,000
Amount awarded: £3,000
The environmental charity will be touring 10 communities across Horsham District. These funday-type events will encourage repair and refill, over replacement. Funding will support refill services, engagement games, waste awareness education, 1 new repair café and 2 new recycling drop off points.
Sustainable Henfield
SH2030 - Plastic Waste Reduction
Project cost: £956
Amount awarded: £956
Sustainable Henfield are a well established community group who lead a 10 year plan centred around carbon reduction, biodiversity, consumer issues and transport. The Council's Community Climate Fund supported the recycling of disposable PPE via the introduction of Zero waste bins at strategic points around Henfield.
Thakeham Primary School
Classroom LED Lighting Replacement
Project cost: £1,104
Amount awarded: £1,100
Swapping 10 outdated and failing fluorescent lights for new LEDs in a classroom. It is the final classroom without LED.
Increases energy efficiency by 50% for 0.12 tCO2e avoided per annum. Improves learning environment for the children.
Transition Horsham
Community Allotment Outreach
Project cost: £690
Amount awarded: £690
As a local sustainable network, Transition Horsham play a key role in driving climate action within the District. This grant assisted with their desire to extend access to a free and mutually supportive sustainable food producing community. The funds contributed towards developing a ‘heritage bed’, continuing to support over 25 people in seed circles and also expanding the already successful Seedy Saturday seed swap initiative.
"The Community Climate Fund grant has been the stimulus we needed to embark upon solar panels for electricity at The Hub, so we would like to express our sincere thanks to HDC for their support in making the project happen."
Andy Sharpe (The Hub Beeding Trustee)
Upper Beeding Baptist Church
The Hub Beeding Solar Panels
Project cost: £13,768
Amount awarded: £5,000
Back in November 2022, this key community organisation won funding for an 8kW solar PV array to reduce fossil fuel dependency. The project is now completed and on target to save 25 tonnes of carbon over the next 25 years. The Hub have said they are delighted with energy cost savings, the climate awareness created in the community and the wider benefit of feeding excess renewable energy into the National Grid.