On a sunny day in March at Otterspool, Stockport Hydro Chairman Ben Alexander and shareholders were delighted to present awards totalling £8,000 to Stockport organisations.

Raised through the sale of renewable energy and contributions from members, the fund was shared between 24 diverse local projects, from schools and churches to community and social projects aiding well being:

Creating or enhancing environments for plants and wildlife: St Thomas Primary School, Woodley and Bredbury Community Garden, Friends of Torkington Park, Dial Park Primary,  St Mary’s Church, Reddish, Friends of Etherow Park,  Marple Hall School, St Mary’s Primary School, Reddish,  Mersey Vale Primary School and All Saints Primary School, Marple.

Contributions to existing community projects: Friends of Marple Memorial Park,  Craig Road Residents’ Association, Drawing Board Productions.

Maintaining new and existing food growing projects: Friends of Highfield Orchard,  St Philips Primary School, Garden House Marple, Marple Youth CIC and Lisburne School

Environmental education and engagement: Friends of Scholes Park,  Gatley, Sustainable Living in the Heatons and Climate Action Marple (formerly MESS)

Creating communal gardens and well being opportunities: Seeding the Change gardening sessions and Beechwood Cancer Care Centre and Heaton School.

Stockport Hydro Ltd is a community owned scheme, generating renewable energy since 2012. The Environmental Challenge Fund is for projects of an environmental, community or co-operative nature within SMBC. If applicable a fund is launched in November with a deadline 31st of January the following year.

The 2022 Environmental Challenge Fund Award Ceremony

The award ceremony took place at The Hydro on Friday 18th March.

The Environment Challenge fund this year is £7,600, raised through the sale of renewable energy and contributions from members.

We welcomed representatives from the successful projects to the ceremony. Chairman Ben Alexander presented the cheques and certificates.

• The following schools are  creating gardens, growing food,  encouraging wildlife or engaging children in forest school activities:  St Philip’s RC Primary Offerton, Rose Hill Primary School, Marple, St Mary’s Primary School, Reddish, All Saints Primary School, Marple, Dial Park Primary School, Offerton,  St Thomas’ Parochial School Association, Heaton Chapel, Torkington Primary school, Hazel Grove and Cale Green Primary School, Shaw Heath.
• ‘Friends of’ groups: celebrating, re-wilding or engaging local schools and residents with local parks and gardens: The Friends of Chadkirk, Romiley, Friends of Marple Memorial Park and the Friends of Tangshutt, Romiley.
• Community gardens:  resources to manage their gardens or encourage  engagement with local schools: Hatton Hilltop Sanctuary, Heaton Norris and Woodley and Bredbury Community Garden.
• Organisations promoting sustainable living, carbon reduction and raising local awareness of climate change: Marple, Mellor & Marple Bridge Energy Saving Strategy and Sustainable Living in the Heatons.
• Organisation for people with sight or hearing loss, Walthew House, Shaw Heath: creative activities and seasonal planting parties.