West Sussex County Council, in partnership with Biffa, has awarded funding to ten community groups as part of the Waste Prevention Community Grant Fund.
The fund was launched to support community groups, residents' associations, charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs), and social enterprises in developing innovative ways to reduce household general waste at a local level.
Groups located across West Sussex have each been granted up to £5,000 to deliver projects involving reuse, repair, and prevention, targeting a range of household waste streams, including food, textiles, electrical items, and general waste.
To mark the occasion, a launch event was held on Thursday 12 June, where successful applicants had the opportunity to meet one another, connect with the West Sussex County Council and Biffa teams, and discuss ongoing support for their projects.
Cllr Deborah Urquhart, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment & Climate Change, said: “This is a great example of a circular economy – using funds raised through our re-use shops at Recycling Sites to support local communities. We know from responses to our most recent recycling surveys that residents are passionate about recycling and waste prevention in West Sussex. We are excited to support these fantastic projects through the Waste Prevention Community Grant Fund—not only financially, but also with communications and events support.”
Mike Thair, Director of Treatment at Biffa, added: “Biffa is committed to encouraging communities across the country to rethink what they throw away and consider whether items can be repaired or reused. The Waste Prevention Community Grant Fund is a great opportunity for us and West Sussex County Council to back initiatives that do just that.
It was a pleasure to meet the funding recipients at the launch event, and we look forward to seeing how their projects progress.”
Waste Prevention Community Grant Fund – 2025 Recipients:
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Barnham and Eastergate Community Trust
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Bognor Makerspace Repair Café
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Chichester Bike Project
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Selsey Community Forum
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Estcots Parents & Friends Association
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Grandads Front Room
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Resourceful Community Scrapstore
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Sussex Green Living
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Tamil Learning Centre Crawley
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West Sussex Federation of Women's Institutes
More information on the Waste Prevention Community Grant Fund can be found online here: www.westsussex.gov.uk/wastepreventionfund
