Campaign puts faith in families - 8th March 2011

Campaign puts faith in families - 8th March 2011
Parents and toddlers will be targeted this month in a new Merseyside drive to reduce household waste and boost the region’s environmental record.

Mums, dads and young children attending faith-based parent and toddler groups in Birkenhead, Eastham Rake, Huyton, Litherland and St Helens will take part in novel workshops designed to get more people protecting the environment.

The initiative – funded by Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority – is the brainchild of Liverpool-based Faiths4Change and will cover everything from food nutrition, healthy cooking and home composting to energy efficiency around the home.

Annie Merry, Chief Executive Officer at Faiths4Change, said: “It’s about helping and encouraging people with less money to see how they can make a difference to the environment, their own communities and, ultimately, their own lives.”

Workshops will take place throughout March. Group leaders and families taking part will be given kits to help put their new knowledge into practice within the Community Groups and also when they get home as part of a package of measures to support their future environmental efforts.

Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority chairperson Councillor Kevin Cluskey said: “The Faiths4Change project is a great way of helping others make a difference and will help make sure future generations are committed to creating less waste and looking after our planet.”

The Faiths4Change scheme was one of the four projects awarded £5,000 from the Community Resource Action Fund set up by Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority (MWDA) and Veolia Environmental Services. The funding was made available to community sector and not-for-profit organisations who wish to undertake projects that demonstrate new and innovative approaches to sustainable waste management.

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Note to Editors

MWDA is a local government body with nine elected members from the five constituent councils in Merseyside. It organises and manages disposal of all waste collected by the five councils and operates 14 Household Waste Recycling Facilities.

Faiths4Change supports faith communities from across the North West to enable their members and other local residents to work together, supported by partners from all sectors. Turning their ideas into small scale environmental projects, local people transform their neighbourhoods together, build relationships and gain or develop skills.

Further information from Jon Flinn on 0151 709 0505