This Thursday, on Earth Day, Kent Community Foundation will launch its Environmental Strategy to protect the county’s beautiful countryside and coastline and address social issues which are intertwined with environmental impact
Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive, Kent Community Foundation, said, “Kent Community Foundation is launching an environmental strategy and a new fund to safeguard our county’s natural habitat and green spaces.
“It’s not just about the need to look after our natural environment for our own pleasure today and in years to come, but because it provides opportunities to address social issues.
“Changes in our natural environment disproportionately affect those most vulnerable in Kent and Medway. The new strategy and fund are part of the move to help address the potential future impacts of warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers on the future prosperity, environmental quality, and health and well-being of our local communities.
“As place-based grant-makers, Community Foundations are pioneers of the statement ‘think global, act local’ and in partnership with donors and the local voluntary and community sector we can facilitate dynamic change in our own ‘back yard’. We believe that local community action can be at the heart of delivering solutions that not only minimise the impact on the environment, but also offer additional benefits that local people and communities can reap.”
Kent Community Foundation’s Environmental Strategy responds to the national objective of net zero carbon by 2050, set by HM Government (and monitored by the UK Committee on Climate Change), and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals which now constitute best practice as defined by their umbrella body, UK Community Foundations.
Supporting organisations that protect the environment is not a new funding direction for Kent Community Foundation. Over the last twenty years they have awarded many grants to organisations and projects such as No Walls Gardens CIC, The Limes Community Garden and Friends of Westbrook Pond, which aim to preserve and conserve our natural environment while also brining communities together for social good. The new Kent Community Foundation Environmental Strategy and Fund for the Environment will create even more opportunities for local charitable organisations to access financial support and for philanthropists who have a passion for environmental and social issues to work with the Foundation.
The new Kent Community Foundation environmental strategy will launch with an hour-long webinar with Q&A, ‘Gardening in the Garden of England’ on 22 April 2021 at 12pm.
To join the Kent Community Foundation webinar, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gardening-in-the-garden-of-england-with-andy-garland-and-viv-hunt-tickets-148184835833
To find out more about Kent Community Foundation’s environmental strategy visit https://kentcf.org.uk/commitment-to-the-environment
Donations to the Fund for the Environment can be made online through Kent Community Foundation’s website.
About Earth Day
Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
About Kent Community Foundation
Grant-maker Kent Community Foundation has been finding, funding, and supporting some of the smallest voluntary organisations in the county for 20 years. In this time, it has distributed over £40 million to support thousands of small charities and deserving causes where a modest sum of money can make a significant impact.
They are part of a UK wide accredited network of forty-six Community Foundations who are committed to improving the lives of local people and communities, particularly the most vulnerable, isolated, and disadvantaged by matching those who want to help, with those who need the help.
Responsible for more than 80 philanthropic funds, Kent Community Foundation is unrivalled in its knowledge of local causes and assists individuals, families, and businesses, who want to help, to establish and administer their own charitable funds.
