Two Mayo community groups awarded funding
Minister of State at the Department of Climate Environment and Energy Alan Dillon TD has announced that 40 community groups and organisations across Ireland, including two in Mayo, will receive a share of €100,000 in funding through the new Circular Communications Grants scheme.
The initiative, funded by the Circular Economy Fund, is designed to support projects that advance circular living, strengthen community engagement, and help build a more sustainable future across the country.
Two community groups based in Mayo are among the successful recipients: Gift of Hands, and Make Your Wardrobe Work.
Gift of Hands is a voluntary community group based in Mulranny. They make various items, including rugs, cushions, fibre art pictures, soft toys, etc. largely from pure wool offcuts and end pieces sourced from the nearby Foxford Woollen Mills. All proceeds are donated to local voluntary groups and community development projects in Mulranny.
Make Your Wardrobe Work is a wardrobe styling and decluttering consultancy founded by Maureen McAndrew. In addition to one-on-one services, she organises clothing markets where people can buy and sell second-hand clothes, hosts workshops that include styling masterclasses and clothing swap shops and ‘shop, style and shine’ events in collaboration with local charities, combining fashion shows, styling advice and fundraising efforts.
Selected from a highly competitive field of more than 350 applications nationwide, the 40 winning projects are delivering a diverse range of initiatives covering reuse, repair, upcycling, education, and fostering behavioural change within their local communities.
Congratulating all the winners, Minister Dillon highlighted the importance of local action in achieving national sustainability goals.
“This grant programme will help raise awareness of the innovative initiatives happening across Ireland and of those working to build a more sustainable future,” said Minister Dillon. “We are proud to recognise their work and help them to increase the visibility of their activities and the significant role they play in building circular communities. It is particularly encouraging to see strong engagement here in Mayo, with both Gift of Hands and Make Your Wardrobe Work receiving well-deserved support for their local sustainability efforts.”
The Minister added that the grants scheme will operate annually, providing ongoing support for grassroots initiatives.
Applications for the next round of funding are scheduled to reopen in August next year. Interested community groups and organisations are encouraged to monitor here, for the latest information on the next grants scheme.