![One of the Love Food Hate Waste events at Blaby allotments One of the Love Food Hate Waste events at Blaby allotments](/sites/default/files/styles/large_2x_660x371/public/field/image/2022/9/30/EkoJoe1.jpg?itok=xoXw17tL)
A refill and reuse project to reduce household waste and encourage people to live more sustainably has been boosted by a grant from Leicestershire County Council.
The EkoJoe project in Blaby has benefited from the council’s SHIRE Environment Grant. It was awarded just under £2,000 to run a series of Love Food Hate Waste days at local allotments.
From a refill station to paper pot-making to the bike repair shop, the in-person events helped residents to become more self-sufficient and play their part to protect the environment.
Recipe books from Love Food Hate Waste have helped people learn how to cook with their surplus food. Master Composters were also on hand to talk to people about how they naturally dispose of garden waste and fruit and vegetable peelings, as well as reducing greenhouse gases by composting at home all year round.
The council’s SHIRE Environment Grants offer up to £3,000 to support local projects that reduce household waste, improve biodiversity, and help to address climate change.
Leicestershire residents can make a positive difference in their communities while also protecting the environment and helping to make the county a cleaner, greener place for all.
Funding from the SHIRE Environment Grant can be awarded for a variety of projects including face-to-face or virtual events, equipment, training and much more, so I encourage projects to come forward and apply today.
Person:Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for the environment and the green agenda
Community groups and organisations have just a few weeks left to apply for the latest round of SHIRE Environment Grants, with applications closing on Friday 28 October.
To be eligible for the grant, projects must be located in Leicestershire (not including Leicester or Rutland). A simplified application process is also available for smaller grants of up to £300.
For further information and how to apply, visit the Leicestershire Communities SHIRE Environment Grants web page or email environmentgrant@leics.gov.uk. Applications can also be made by calling the SHIRE Environment Grants Team on 0116 305 7005.
You can watch a video about the Ekojoe project on YouTube.