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Grants over £407,000 have been awarded to 14 projects across Scotland, creating better access, health and outdoor learning opportunities for people living near urban woodlands.

The cash boost will be used for a number of initiatives including developing woodlands for hospital patients and primary school children, training teachers and youth workers for outdoor learning projects and carrying out surveys to produce woodland management plans.

The successful projects are spread across Scotland from Orkney, Dundee, Ayrshire, Edinburgh down to the Borders.

Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said:

“The development of woodlands in towns and cities is making a real difference to the quality of life of many people across Scotland.

“Funding to help revitalise or support woodland based projects can open up many more opportunities, not only for access and recreation but importantly for outdoor learning.

“If we can engage children with the natural environment at a very early age, the evidence is that they are more likely to re-engage in later life. This is good news for boosting healthier lifestyles amongst the public and for developing a greater understanding of biodiversity and climate change.”

The grants are from Forestry Commission Scotland’s Woods In and Around Towns initiative and Forests for People challenge funds. These funds are designed to help woodland owners revitalise existing woodlands for the benefit of local people and support community-based health and education.

Amongst the successful projects are:

? Ninewells Hospital (Dundee): £39,368 to enable NHS Tayside develop the woodlands around Ninewells for walking and recreation to aid patient recovery and for staff and visitors to enjoy.

? Craigmillar Castle Park, near Edinbugh: £35,050 has been awarded to Enable Scotland for a woodland-based project that provides volunteering opportunities for 16-26 year olds with learning difficulties.

? Borders Forest Trust: £53, 900 has been awarded towards the post of a Community Liaison and Education Officer, a number of woodland visits for children and training for Forest School teachers. The activities will be spread over a number of woodlands in the Borders.

? Spiers School, owned by North Ayrshire Council, receives £68, 781 to help revitalise the woodland found in the grounds of the school. The grant will go to boost the recreational and educational opportunities in the woodland.

? Orkney Island Council is awarded £52, 507 towards a project facilitator who can develop a number of educational and community related activities using the island’s woodland resource. The aim being to help the community benefit in social, health and environmental terms.

Notes to news editors

1. The funding to physically revitalise woodlands across Scotland is primarily from the WIAT (Woods In and Around Towns) Challenge fund, to which applicants submit bids to Forestry Commission Scotland. A second Challenge Fund, Forests For People (F4P), has been developed to support the activities necessary to help people enjoy their local woods. This fund supports community-based, education and health activities that encourage greater use of woodland. Both funds come under the Scotland Rural Development Programme which provides a framework to deliver European and Scottish Government funding for social, economic and environmental benefits.

2. Forestry Commission Scotland serves as the Scottish Government’s forestry directorate www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland.

3. The full list of projects is as follows. Media are advised to contact the recipients of the grants for more detailed information.

? Machanhill Primary School (Larkhall): £4,951 towards encouraging school children to enjoy woodland and outdoor activities. The school intends to develop a woodland area near to the school for this purpose.

? Spiers School, North Ayrshire Council: £68, 781 to enhance recreation in the school’s woodland area.

? Renfrewshire Council woodlands; £12, 750 for a detailed survey and public consultation to produce management plans for woodlands in the area.

? Borders Forest Trust: £53, 900 for Community Liaison and Education officer and Forest School training to get children more engaged with woodlands in the Borders.

? Craigmillar Castle Park: £35, 050 to Enable Scotland for volunteering project using the Park’s woodlands.

? Curriemuir Community Woodland: £14,263 for conservation programmes being carried to benefit those suffering from mental health issues. New Caledonian Woodlands is the recipient.

? The Green Team: £14,636 towards forest school based projects aimed at women and children who have experienced domestic abuse. Projects being carried out in various Edinburgh woodlands.

? Living Classrooms: £26,500 to contribute to a part-time Scotland-wide forest school support and development officer to help the organisation set up a Forest School.

? Ledmore and Migdale Woods ( within Dornoch Firth). Woodland Trust awarded £27, 810 contribution towards setting up a three year project to train up teachers from local schools to gain skills in outdoor learning.

? Orkney Islands Council: £52,507 for project facilitator to run educational and community activities using the Island’s woodland resource.

? Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust: £40,050 for the Trust’s Woodlands, Words and Wonders project which encourages children to be more active and spend more time outdoors. The funding will help start up an audit of suitable woodland sites for education and training.

? Ninewells Hospital: NHS Tayside has been awarded £39,368 to help transform woodlands surrounding the hospital for patients, staff and visitors.

? Gartcosh Nature Reserve: £12, 522 towards a programme to develop the reserve more to engage 8-13 year olds to connect with the natural environment. Challenging and purposeful activities will aim to reduce future anti-social behaviour. Applicant was Neighbourhood House and site owner is North Lanarkshire Council.

? Hailes Quarry Park: Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust are awarded £4,496 towards a project encouraging youngsters to get more active through cycling events in the summer holidays.

Media enquiries: For more detailed information about the project please contact the organisation’s receiving the grants, otherwise Steve Williams, Forestry Commission Scotland press office 0131 314 6508.

Tripping Up Trump – Press Release – For Immediate Use

Aberdeenshire Council Breaks Rules to Help Destroy Protected Dunes

Yesterday’s Sunday Times article exposed Aberdeenshire council’s relationship with the Trump organisation as far ‘too close’, especially that of Dr Christine Gore, Director of Planning.

Today Tripping Up Trump releases more evidence of Aberdeenshire council in bed with Trump, this time breaking rules to help Trump destroy the protected mobile dune system, a designated site of special scientific interest.

Despite objections to Dr Christine Gore, Trump’s application to commence work on the dunes is scheduled to be heard at the Formartine Area Committee tomorrow. The application should not be heard by the Formartine Committee.

The proposal is a major development contrary to the development plan and thereby requires a pre-determination hearing before being submitted to the full council. The application also requires an environmental impact assessment.

Tripping Up Trump spokesperson Martin Glegg said, “Aberdeenshire Council have so far been unable to protect local families from Trump. Now they have the chance to honor a pre-protected site of special scientific interest by allowing it the due process it is entitled to. If Trump gets the go-ahead it will set a dangerous precedent, putting more of the land we hold dear at the whim of greedy developers”.

If the council chooses to ignore this letter Tripping Up Trump are advised to seek an immediate judicial review and/or interdict in connection with any grant of planning permission.

For legal background, please contact:

Frances McCartney
Solicitor
078112 705559
Environmental Law Centre Scotland

www.trippinguptrump.com

END

Every household in Britain could reduce its energy use, cut carbon emissions and save money as a result of smart meters, says Britain’s largest energy supplier.

The company today welcomed the planned roll-out of the technology, which will herald the biggest revolution in energy use since British Gas converted all the nation’s homes to natural gas in the 1970s.

Replacing the UK’s 47 million gas and electricity meters with new smart meters will lead to households using less energy, helped by real time cost information on screen in the home – and saving more money by using appliances at cheaper off-peak times. Smart meters will also bring a transformation in customer service with an end to estimated bills and waiting in for meter readings.

British Gas has the largest smart meter trial in the country with almost 50,000 homes and businesses benefiting from the new technology.

Phil Bentley, Managing Director, said: “Smart Meters will lead to the single greatest revolution in energy use since British Gas converted all the nation’s homes to natural gas in the 1970s.

“At British Gas, we have the largest smart meter trial in the country, and we know this technology has helped put our customers back in control of their energy usage, helping them use less energy, cut carbon emissions and save money.

“Smart meters will also ensure our homes are as energy efficient as possible, and they will open the gateway to new technologies for renewable electricity generation in the home – and the ‘smart grid’ of the future.

“That’s why we’re delighted the Government is now moving forward with its plans for the roll-out of this technology throughout Britain.

British Gas particularly welcomes today’s announcement by Government that its preferred market model is the central communications model, which it believes will lead to a speedier roll-out of smart meter technology in Britain.

Phil Bentley said: “We believe the central communications model is best for customers, as it will speed up the roll-out of the technology by almost four years, allowing households to benefit sooner and encouraging innovation and energy efficiency in our homes.”

British Gas will be studying in greater detail the draft proposals for the smart meter roll-out, which are set out in a consultation issued by Government today, and will respond in due course.

—ENDS–

Note To Editors

Media contact

British Gas supplies cheap gas and electricity to UK residential and business customers and provides central heating and gas appliance installation services.

British Gas has the largest smart meter trial in the country with nearly 50,000 domestic and business customers using the new technology.

Smart metering technology is needed to support the take-up of low carbon and renewable microgeneration technologies in homes and businesses.

Smart meters will also pave the way for other developments to improve the way we generate and distribute energy. Increased data availability would provide key information to a smart grid, designed to optimise energy use across the UK.

Website: www.britishgas.co.uk

Centrica plc
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Email: alan.mclaughlin@centrica.co.uk
Website: www.britishgas.co.uk