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Local Organisations benefit from Wagner Renewables Eco Funding.

After another successful year, we’re pleased to be able to award more funding to local organisations.

An initiative started in 2022 sees us donate funds to local organisations with ‘green’ or ‘eco’ projects coming up. For every installation completed we set aside a proportion our profits. As part of this project we also plant trees, with over 260 trees planted in The National Forest. 164 trees were dedicated in 2023.

This year we awarded £2500 to 5 local organisations, each receiving £500 towards their projects.

Wheely Wonders

One of these projects is Wheely Wonders run by Wellspring West Sussex. Their Sidlesham based farm and forest school is designed to support children with additional needs, and their families.

A spokesperson for Wellspring said ‘Wellspring West Sussex is so grateful to Wagner Renewables for their funding towards our Wheely Wonders days, held just down the lane from Wagner at Applefield smallholding and run by Lizzie Baily MBE in partnership with Woodland Wonders Forest School.  Children with additional needs and siblings get the opportunity for creative play and outdoor activities together with their parents – learning new skills, building confidence and taking home crafts to remember the day.’

The Hidden Garden

The Hidden Garden is a project run by Grow Selsey. This is an educational gardening project run in Selsey. The project brings together people of all ages together to share knowledge and inspiration for gardening. A focus on home grown food, and developing biodiversity are key themes of the Hidden Garden. Paul, Environmental Coordinator for Selsey Community Forum explained;

‘The Hidden Garden, based in Selsey, is an organically run community garden looked after by a dedicated group of volunteers and is part of Grow Selsey a wider community food growing project. We run a variety of educational activities with young people, adults with learning needs and provide a space for groups from the community to enjoy the environment we have created. The garden is a space for both people and wildlife and we hope to inspire our visitors to take away ideas to create wildlife havens in their own gardens. We encourage people to swap seeds and plants with us, run a fruit harvesting project called Abundance and share produce we have grown with groups in the community run by Selsey Community Forum’

Seal Primary Academy

Seal Primary Academy applied for funding to help expand their allotment area. This is a space for pupils to explore and grow their own fruit and vegetables. Some of this is sold to the local community, and provided to the pupils.

With this grant we will be able to develop our allotment area which at the moment is a small vegetable plot. We will be able to purchase watering cans, trowels, spades and compost beds. With this we will be able to grow a wider variety over the four seasons as we will also be able to buy a green house. The produce is sold to our local community and encourages our pupils to experience watching their seeds turn into food and enjoy eating the end result.

Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital

One of the other recipients of the funding is Brent Lodge, a charity and neighbour that Wagner Renewables has had close ties with for several years. The funding will assist their outreach work, educating the local community.

Alex Foster thanked the Team at Wagner Renewables, saying ; ‘Your kind support will help massively with our environmental project – which aims to highlight and raise awareness of environmental issues in local schools and communities, whilst supporting them to make positive changes and empowering them to respect and protect their local environment and wildlife. Our workshops equip each child with essential skills and fascinating knowledge, as well as giving them a sense of responsibility and belonging which will contribute to a harmonious future for humans, the environment and wildlife to co-exist sustainably. The generous support provided by the Wagner Eco Fund will contribute to our project being able to provide outdoor-focused education for young people, fostering their scientific curiosity, awareness of wildlife conservation values and developing a deeper connection with nature. This could then lead to a lifelong love for the natural world and making environmentally-friendly life choices in the future, and potentially even inspire them to follow careers in sustainability, environmental protection or conservation. We are so grateful to Wagner Renewables and the Eco Fund team for their support and for recognising the importance of our work.’

Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group

The other recipients of the funding are The Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Fund. This group supports regeneration, and wildlife conservation around Selsey and Sidlesham. Already this year they have planted several miles of new hedgerow. The funding will help go towards further planting projects, as well as protecting wildlife in the local area.

Mark Osborne, Managing Director of Wagner Renewables said ‘This project is all about giving back to the local community. So far we have been able to donate over £8000 between local charities and planting trees in The National Forest. This is a scheme we hope to continue, and expand as we grow’.

More funding will be available towards the end of 2024. If you have a local organisation that could benefit from funding towards a ‘green’ project keep an eye on Wagner Renewables social media and website for when applications open.

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