A total of £130,000 was provided in 2023/24 to deliver projects including litter picks, creating community gardens, improving accessibility with paths and lighting, planting flowers and bulbs, installing bird boxes and feeders, recycling initiatives and enhancing local culture and heritage.

The grants were the final phase of RecoverNL funding provided by the council as part of its action to support communities recover from the impact of the Covid pandemic.

“The work carried out by local groups has been inspiring,” said Councillor James McPhilemy, Vice Convener of the Environment and Climate Change Committee.

“Using the RecoverNL grants they have made a real difference to their communities, helping improve the environment and encouraged people of all ages to come together, learn new skills, make friends and take a pride in their local area.

“Thank you to everyone who has given their time to help make North Lanarkshire a better place to live.”

An additional £42,000 was provided to groups for winter resilience projects including buying equipment and grit to help vulnerable residents during cold weather.

Here are some of the projects funded through Recover NL during 2023/24.

Kildrum Community Council used £2,000 to run a campaign encouraging responsible dog ownership and £3,527 to transform a disused piece of land on Kyle Road into a community garden.

The group organised a social media campaign to encourage dog owners to clean up after their pets as well as providing free poo bags and working with the council to locate bins at appropriate locations.

Jacqueline’s Garden is now a popular area for local people with a sensory area, seating and planting to attract birds, insects and hedgehogs.

Croy Community Hub planted a permanent Christmas tree within the village to create a focus for future festive celebrations. Solar lighting was also bought from the £2,500 grant. Volunteers from the group plan to organise events for future years.

Friends of Hartwood paupers cemetery and graveyard restore and maintain the graveyard at the former Lanarkshire Lunatic Asylum in Hartwood. Through their work, they highlight the journey of mental health over the last 150 years and provide a safe place for others to learn, volunteer or just relax through green therapies such as gardening and enhancing the nature in the area by installing bird boxes.

The £3,000 grant allowed the group to install a composting toilet for the 40 volunteers who support the project. The compost will be used within the project, helping reduce the project’s carbon footprint.

A £2,975 grant enabled Friends of Gartcosh to make the planting beds in the community garden more accessible for people with mobility issues. More than 20 volunteers worked with children from local primary schools and the parent and toddler group on the project, which will see more crops grown in the garden for the community to use.

Drummond Drive Tenants and Residents Association, Wishaw have made improvements to the retirement complex garden to bring it back to life after the pandemic with a £1,339 grant. Pupils from local primary schools helped association members and other local groups to create seating and plant flowers, plants, fruit, vegetable and herbs. The crops are used in the complex and given back to people in the community, encouraging sustainability and helping with cost of living costs. 

The Economic Forum for Women Empowerment Scotland charity provide befriending, education and support to develop self esteem and confidence building, improve awareness and understanding of different cultures, and provide free community meals. Using a £2,000 grant, they carried out regular litter picks across Motherwell, Ravenscraig and Wishaw, helping keep the environment clean and protecting biodiversity while encouraging volunteers to make new friends.