As a national environmental consultancy, we are in a privileged situation as our daily work enables us to support a sustainable environment by creating special places for people, business and wildlife. TEP is keen to support activities which further the environmental profession and raise awareness of environmental issues, and our Environment Grant was set up to support this commitment by offering funding to individuals and local organisations.
The grant is awarded to local projects that align with our values, further the environmental profession or raise awareness of environmental issues. As this year is TEP’s 25th Anniversary, in celebration of this special milestone our Board of Directors have kindly donated extra funding to allow TEP to support a greater number of applicants in 2022. We are therefore proud to announce that we will be supporting the following four fantastic organisations that share a single vision of making where we live, work and play a better place for all.
Kingsteignton Wild
Community group Kingsteignton Wild successfully applied for funds to create a 2km nature trail connecting two local schools in South Devon.
TEP’s funding will help Kingsteignton Wild purchase route infrastructure, such as interval markers to clearly identify the route, and noticeboards which will be placed at various points along the trail, providing information about the local flora and fauna and to generate discussion points for visitors. The grant will also be utilised to produce hard copy leaflets about the trail, together with QR codes to satisfy the more digital generation. The planting of wildflowers and bulbs will have numerous benefits for pollinators and will enhance the visual amenity value of the Parish, whilst the installation of insect hotels will create new habitats and aid in the development of the natural environment along the trail. The benefits of the nature trail extend beyond increasing the biodiversity of native wildlife and plants; it provides a simple and free way for residents and families of all ages to get out into nature (away from devices) and to explore, exercise, learn about the local environment and encourage conservation.
Bat activity in the Parish, especially around development sites, will also be monitored through the purchase of a bat detector, which will be made available to members of the community group so that local guided walks can be offered to interested parties to raise awareness about the different species of bats currently residing alongside the town’s inhabitants.
Sustainable Penzance CIC
Sustainable PZ is a Community Interest Company based in Penzance, Cornwall, representing a network of schools, businesses, individuals and organisations who are working together to protect the local environment and create a more sustainable way of living, working, and doing business.
SPZ believe that by equipping their community with knowledge and tools, they can drive businesses, schools and individuals to take proactive and positive environmental action, subsequently encouraging communities as a whole to make greener choices and find power in collaboration. With that in mind, SPZ are using their funding from TEP to develop their website and to create an online ‘portal’, containing information, training, resources and support on how to reduce the impact communities and businesses have on the local environment. The website will reflect SPZ’s role as stewards of knowledge and information, and will provide resources and information to enable and encourage site visitors to ‘discover, choose and act’ to take climate action.
Our Only World
Our Only World is a Cornwall-based registered charity collaborating with Plymouth, Falmouth, and Newquay towns, and intends to use TEP’s Environment Grant to support a biodiverse marine environment through the modification and enhancement of manmade structures such as sea walls.
Our Only World propose to achieve this by attaching SeAlive Tiles to flat and hostile manmade walls and underwater sections of harbours and piers. Designed by Plymouth’s Arc Marine and manufactured in South West England, SeAlive Tiles are hexagonal, non-toxic, plastic-free and 98% recycled ceramic tiles with a textured 3D surface that encourages seaweeds, small invertebrates and fish to grow and live around the uneven surface of the tiles. This process transforms a flat and hostile environment into a prosperous habitat for marine life. The port town of Hayle, near St Ives Bay in West Cornwall has been identified as an ideal site for this project; popular with tourists and water-sports enthusiasts, Hayle has a strong community who are passionate about protecting the local marine environment. Similar projects in Australia and have already demonstrated resounding success. Living Sea Walls is a comparable program, which demonstrated that after 12-24 months, modified seawalls supported at least 36% more species than unmodified seawalls, with as many as 85 species of invertebrates, seaweeds and fish living and growing on the panels.
As a charity, Our Only World also aims to develop a school outreach program to take into local primary and secondary schools, to raise awareness about marine biodiversity and encourage the next generation of conservation advocates.
RE-PEAT
Youth-led organisation RE-PEAT successfully applied for TEP’s Environment Grant to help promote Peat-Fest 2022, a 6-day online festival dedicated to celebrating peatlands and raise awareness of their importance. In order to reach a greater audience and realise greater levels of restoration and protection, RE-PEAT are using TEP’s funding to invest in an expertly crafted animated video, which will highlight the beauty and importance of peatlands, and attract a larger and more diverse audience.
The importance of peatlands and the impact they have on global climate will be emphasised. Although peatlands make up as little as 3% of the world’s landmass, they are the largest terrestrial carbon store. The draining and burning of peatlands can have devastating effects on the environment and cause high amounts of greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere, thereby marking peatlands as a must-have, must-restore, and must-protect ecosystem.
Previous Awards
TEP has previously awarded funds to:
The Environment Grant can offer funding from £250 up to £1,000, which is available to any individuals, groups, professionals, students, UK institutions or charities across the whole of the UK. To be successful, applicants will need to demonstrate a drive to make an impact on the environment, by furthering the environmental profession and/or raising awareness of environmental issues.
For further information, or if you are interested in applying, please email the CSR Team directly at csr@tep.uk.com. Environment Grant submissions will open again in spring 2023.
