Jan Juc preschool win Climate Emergency Grant to drive kite festival

The Jan Juc Pre School Parent Advisory Committee has been successful in receiving a $5,000 grant to  run this year’s Surf Coast Kite Festival as a carbon neutral event as part of the Surf Coast Shire’s Climate Emergency Grants Program.

Their initiative was one of two successful suggestions which were voted on by more than 180 community members at a Pitch Fest event held as part of World Environment Day. 

The  Parent Advisory Committee will partner with B-Alternative to capture emissions related data and activities on the day and Surf Coast Energy Group to facilitate the offsetting of event emissions in local revegetation projects. The model will then be shared with other events and initiatives to inspire new low-impact event models.

Anglesea Primary School’s Ride the Change project was the second successful initiative which will see the school provide families with access to cargo e-bikes. The school will also work with a local artist to develop a map highlighting safe cycling around Anglesea and will hold a Bike Ride for Climate Action event to coincide with Earth Day 2023.

Surf Coast Shire Mayor Cr Libby Stapleton congratulated the winners and all of the applicants, who each had seven minutes to pitch their idea for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mobilising local action on climate change.

She said it was the first pitch-style process where community members could vote for projects to receive funding. 

“What I love most about this is that the community is at the heart of every stage.  These are community-led projects, which have been chosen by everyday local people to mobilise others to find solutions to climate change.”

“It was so inspiring to listen to such a diverse array of projects coming from different areas of our community.  We have some incredible groups, individuals, businesses and schools who are all uniquely positioned to respond to the climate emergency.”

“These are some really fantastic grassroots projects that will make a real difference and inspire others to make positive changes.”