Thetford's Green Grants Scheme got into its stride this week when the first four environmental projects were backed by the Moving Thetford Forward Board, and awarded funding of between £250 and £1000.

Thetford's Green Grants Scheme got into its stride this week when the first four environmental projects were backed by the Moving Thetford Forward Board, and awarded funding of between £250 and £1000.

The projects include a scheme from Thetford's Forgotten Garden to replace benches and provide information panels about the garden's wildlife and an initiative from the Mundford Road Allotment Society to create a shared bank of gardening equipment. Norwich Road Primary School will benefit with funds towards transforming a bare courtyard into a sensory garden, storytelling area and vegetable garden, and an award to Abbeygate Residents will enable the group to carry out planting enhancements in the Abbeygate area.

Marion Chapman-Allen, who is the Thetford Town Council representative on the Green Grants Panel said: “The Moving Thetford Forward Board knows of many local organisations whose members work hard to make Thetford a better and greener place to live. Thanks to the Green Grants Scheme, there are now funds available to enable these groups to carry projects and ideas forward.”

Abby Stancliffe-Vaughan, Keystone area voluntary organisations co-ordinator encouraged more local groups to come forward with ideas.

“The scheme has another four months to run and may continue, so I would urge any community group that has a project in mind to contact me, and I can explain how to take advantage of the scheme”.

The Green Grants Scheme, a Moving Thetford Forward Partnership initiative administered by Keystone Development Trust, was launched in July this year and offers grants of between £500 - £1,000 for small, local environmental projects in Thetford.

For further information about the Green Grants Scheme, contact Abby Stancliffe-Vaughan on tel: 01842 754639; email abby@keystonetrust.org.uk