East Anglia Press Releases for the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads with Press Releases and Articles from the Broads Authority in East Anglia, and the East of England UK.

The Broads Authority's Sustainable Development Fund has reached a £1million milestone. That is the sum that the SDF Panel has granted to 126 innovative projects with a total value of just over £5 million.

Over the last six years the Government has given the Broads and English National Park Authorities £200,000 annually to promote sustainable development.

About a third of the money has been used to promote sustainable tourism, including green business schemes, boating, biking and canoeing, another third has helped fund educational programmes that encourage sustainable thinking in schools, and much of the remainder has supported projects that benefit disadvantaged people.

Nigel Dark, SDF Administrator said: "The SDF Panel is very pleased and proud to have been able to help so many worthwhile projects become a reality. And we're very grateful to the Government for continuing to make this special funding available in what are very difficult times. SDF has made a real difference in helping to secure a more sustainable and inclusive future for the Broads and its communities and we look forward to supporting more excellent projects in the years ahead."

The latest projects to receive support from the fund embrace eco-boating, sustainable waste management, wind power and visits to the Broads for disadvantaged young people.
In October a total of £46,000 was awarded to the Eco-Boat project to fund the further development of an environmentally friendly hire cruiser for the Broads.

Norfolk County Council has received £16,250 to fund a pilot project that will offer 1,000 Broads tourism businesses advice on sustainable waste management and energy conservation. The pilot will include a detailed review of 50 businesses and the development of a Broads Waste Recycling Plan covering hire boats and overnight sites.

A total of £5,000 has been given to an initiative to introduce 450 children from deprived areas of Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to the Broads. Ten visits will be made by local children and five by London children, who will experience the magic of the Broads landscape, its management and wildlife.

Over £5,600 has been awarded to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust to part fund two wind-powered pumps which will be used to manage water levels and improve habitat at the recently expanded and soon to be restored Upton Broad and Marshes Nature Reserve.

An extra £700 has been given to Ellingham Primary School for the installation of a wireless weather station and anemometer for its wind turbine. The instruments will help children learn about the weather and add value to the turbine.

The Fund recently provided £10,000 for a solar water heating system and a heat retaining 'blanket' for Reedham Primary School’s new £41,500 swimming pool.

A leaflet "Bright ideas wanted" explains who and what qualifies for Sustainable Development Fund cash. It is available from the Broads Authority office in Norwich and from most public libraries and information centres.


Reproduced by kind permission of Broads Authority.