TWO community groups have received boosts of £300 from Mossley Town Council to support their initiatives in the area.
Fairtrade Mossley received the money for their work in local schools during Fairtrade Fortnight while the Friends of Egmont Street will use theirs to create a new footpath in their memory garden.
The £300 was unanimously approved for Fairtrade Mossley after councillors at the town council meeting heard from Janet Davies about the group’s plans.
She explained the six local primary schools hold special events during Fairtrade Fortnight, including assemblies, competitions, baking, breakfasts and coffee mornings.
The grant will allow Fairtrade Mossley to continue to support those events and provide funding for the schools and other groups.
Fairtrade Mossley has been running for 10 years and has won three national awards for its work with local groups, schools, business to deepen understanding of the benefits fairtrade brings.
Their mascot Fairtrade Ted has been to national and international events to help spread their message.
During Fairtrade Fortnight each year, the group supports and visits schools as well as having a stall in Mossley Co-op with advice and goodies.
“Fairtrade Mossley has been used as a case study for other towns, and for a little town like Mossley that is something really big,” said Janet.
“Our work promoting Fairtrade in Mossley schools has been very successful. The grant will help us continue this work.
“Helping pupils, indeed everyone, understand global issues is an important part of being a good citizen.”
Councillors also unanimously approved the £300 grant for the Friends of Egmont Street to help them build a new footpath in their memory garden after the existing one was destroyed by moles.
The group was formed in 2016 to enhance the area around Egmont Street to make it a better place to live, including tackling graffiti, littering and vandalism.
They have also created a number of gardens for the enjoyment and education of the people of the local area, including a memory garden.
Lesley Arnold, chairperson, explained: “We created the memory garden plot two years ago and wanted it to be a cheerful, happy place to remember loved ones.
“But moles have moved in and now the path has got tunnels underneath it and mole hills in all directions. They have wrecked the whole path.
“We would like to replace the current artificial tuft path with block pavers which have proved extremely successful in the vegetable plot.”
The grant money will cover the purchase of materials to create a heavy duty, hard-wearing pathway which is accessible to all, and the work will be carried out by volunteers.