Groups have been awarded grants through the updated Nottinghamshire EnviroGrant scheme — the Reduce, Reuse, Recycling fund run by Veolia (Nottinghamshire County Council’s waste contractor).

Designed to support projects that inspire people to think differently about waste and resources, the fund offers grants to groups, schools and charities committed to helping Nottinghamshire to reduce, reuse and recycle.

The first projects to receive awards through the scheme (above) included Sam’s Workplace, of Rainworth, which was awarded £591 to buy composting equipment.

The project offers a realistic work experience placement for people with a learning disability, together with independence and social skills.

It runs a small café and sweet shop, allotments based in Blidworth growing fruit and vegetables, and an enterprise workshop making arts and crafts goods for sale, as well as an independent bedroom, bathroom and kitchen training areas so users can learn home-making skills, such as hoovering, bed making, dusting and cleaning that can be replicated at home.

Lea Hawkes, general manager for Veolia, said: ‘It’s fantastic that we can support so many of these worthwhile projects helping to reduce, reuse and recycle for Nottinghamshire through the newly-updated EnviroGrant fund, and we look forward to reviewing the next applications in October.”

Coun John Cottee, chairman of the council’s Communities and Place Committee, said: “This scheme encourages local groups to be creative with their resources to reduce waste going to landfill for the benefit of the environment.

“The successful groups are receiving grants to fund their waste-reduction aspirations, which include purchasing new equipment and other resources that will have a long-term positive impact on our local recycling rates.”

Funding can be granted for a variety of projects and activities, including workshops, practical equipment, education and awareness raising. It can be sought by projects that encourage people to think about their waste as a resource.

A spokesman said that could be anything from swapshop events to repair workshops, community gardens that made use of reused, reclaimed, or recycled materials, food growing, food waste reduction initiatives, and composting schemes.

It could include campaigns to promote and increase recycling and reduce contamination at home, school or local events, or creative and innovative ideas that encourage people to recycle — from arts projects to recycling bins.

The community grant fund is for not-for-profit local organisations, including charities, voluntary and community groups, forums, clubs, societies and schools.

Applications for a grant can be made at www.veolia.co.uk/nottinghamshire/envirogrant