£40,000 funding boost for north London communities through major infrastructure project

Four community groups in Islington, Enfield, and Waltham Forest will receive part of a £40,000 funding boost through the RE-Power Communities scheme, part of North London Heat and Power Project (NLHPP).

This marks the third round of RE-Power Communities, which gives time and resources to support voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations in north London.

The latest round of funding has been provided by Byrne Bros, one of the UK's premier concrete frame contractors and a subcontractor working on the Energy Recovery Facility.

Mat Collier, Project Manager for Byrne Bros, said: “The Byrne Bros team at NLHPP, and Byrne Group as a whole, are delighted to be able to fund the latest Re-Power Communities Scheme, in the knowledge that we can provide significant contributions to projects raising awareness of, and directly tackling, local environmental and social concerns.”

The RE-Power Communities scheme extends NLHPP's impact beyond environmental sustainability, delivering social, economic, and community benefits. It is just one of many social value initiatives and programmes to guarantee that the EcoPark transformation benefits north Londoners.

Cllr Clyde Loakes, Chair at the North London Waste Authority (NLWA), said: "Supporting our community is at the heart of our social value commitment. We aim to create a lasting legacy that goes beyond compliance, becoming a project that local residents can truly take pride in. Through RE-Power Communities, we have partnered with contractors who share this vision, ensuring substantial investments in local communities, individuals, and neighbourhoods in north London."

The funded projects will address local needs, promote sustainability, and enhance community well-being across three north London boroughs:

Waltham Forest

• Wood Street Walls CIC will create a river-themed football kit from recycled polyester made from reclaimed plastic waste. Communities will take part in river clean-ups and co-design the kit.
• Stonebridge Lock Coalition will install a debris broom on Environment Agency land on the River Lee. They will hold river wading activities to clean up the river and improve eco anxiety amongst locals. The in-channel river wade and clean-up activities will be in Haringey and Waltham Forest boroughs as the river is a shared boundary.

Islington

• Little Angel Theatre will support children to create their own puppet theatre video, spreading awareness of plastic recycling and waste. They will use recycled materials to create their puppets and be taught how to recycle during the sessions.

Enfield

• Alevi Centre will redesign the centre's backyard and convert it into an outdoor area for the nursery and after-school club.

Most of the selected organisations were applicants for NLWA’s North London Community Fund (NLCF), which helps non-profit organisations develop new approaches to reduce waste or extend the reach and impact of existing projects. NLCF offers grants of up to a total value of £250,000 to applicants running waste prevention projects. This funding round saw RE-Power Communities and NLCF align their efforts, streamlining the application process for greater efficiency. This meant organisations went through a single grant application process, rather than submitting separate applications, showing a welcome level of collaboration.  

One of the organisations shared their experience about the process, saying: "I've been applying for grants for quite a while, but I've never seen this kind of joined-up thinking—applying for one grant together. I've always said there are so many good applications, but if more people worked like you do, with a simple template that everyone could use and just sign, the whole process would be so much easier. It's really refreshing to see, because in 10 years, I’ve never come across anything like it. I think a lot more people could benefit from the approach you’ve taken."