A SUFFOLK group which promotes cutting the town's carbon footprint and growing fruit and vegetables at home has been awarded funding.Among the 10 projects which have been granted money by the Broads Authority is Sustainable Bungay, which is working towards reducing the carbon footprint of the town and creating a Town Plan.

A SUFFOLK group which promotes cutting the town's carbon footprint and growing fruit and vegetables at home has been awarded funding.

Among the 10 projects which have been granted money by the Broads Authority is Sustainable Bungay, which is working towards reducing the carbon footprint of the town and creating a Town Plan.

The group, which formed in 2007, has already held film-showings, give- and-take sales, and a car-free day in the town centre to raise awareness about living sustainably.

Group member Didy Ward said the �4,600 would go towards public consultations which will enable Bungay to measure its carbon footprint and get feedback from people about how the future of the town should be shaped.

She said the first stage was a Visioning Day in October when residents were asked to highlight major issues and say what they wanted from the town over the next decade.

The cash will help the group design and deliver questionnaires to every home in Bungay, as well as to neighbouring parishes, businesses, and young people.

The results will enable focus groups to come up with projects that will be put into a Town Plan.

“We will have a very good idea of what people think of various services and what they would like to see for the future,” she said.

“What we want to ensure is that the projects that arise out of this are sustainable.

“So many towns in the past

have conducted this kind of consultation and have come up

with a wish list of what people want which are either not do-able because there's no funding or not sustainable.”

Sustainable Bungay is holding its first Big Green Street Market on September 13, where stalls will sell local food and ethical, organic and fair trade goods, and organisations will promote renewable energy and sustainable living.

The other nine projects receiving a share of the �90,000 funding from the Sustainable Development Fund

are:

Disadvantaged 16 to 19-year-olds, who are not in education, to learn about teambuilding and the environ-ment at Whitlingham Country Park's Forest Schools course.

Three racing dinghies will be bought for young members of Hickling Broad Sailing Club.

Replacing three high-specification dinghies at Whitlingham Outdoor Education Centre.

Helping young people in pupil referral units and from special schools in the Broads area to gain qualifications following Forest School principles.

A project that will upgrade an existing un-signed cycle route between Beccles and Reedham

Ferry.

A �30,000 carbon audit of the whole Broads area.

A two-year project to introduce Chapel Break Infant School pupils to ecology, organic food production and recycling.

The training of three new coaches for young people at Beccles Rowing Club to enable the group to increase its membership.

The development of a business plan to help East Anglia Food

Link bid for the tenancy of one of Norfolk County Council's farms, which could lead to creation of a care farm for people with disabilities producing food for local consumption.