Sustainable Development Fund (SDF)

The Clapham Community Co-operative was established a number of years ago to manage and develop a range of environmental projects in the village.

The first project was the development of a bio-diesel facility where waste oil is turned into fuel, and local people living within the Parish can purchase it directly from the pump. More recent projects have been the purchase of bee hives, bees and bee keeping equipment to encourage people in the village to keep honey bees - at the same time training has been given as to how to keep the bees and also what plants to grow, not only for honey bees but also for the more threatened bumble bee.

Another project has been a cultivation project where a local farmer has 'donated' some land and the local community has purchased seed potatoes and then harvested them - these have then been sold back to the wider community with those who have worked the land getting the produce for free. Other projects have included the establishment of a community orchard, an energy efficiency audit and follow-up project, and becoming part of the Real Nappy campaign.

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