Buckie Thistle earn praise for eco drive as new funding unveiled for climate change schemes
A community football team’s efforts to tackle climate change is set to benefit from a new round of Scottish Government funding.
Highland League side Buckie Thistle have been working with Moray Climate Hub (MCH) to help cut emissions and highlighting climate change in local schools.
The scheme recently earned praise from Acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin MSP when she paid a visit to the Jags’ Victoria Park ground, during which she announced an extra £6 million in Scottish Government funding for the national climate hub project.
MCH’s share of the cash comes to £146,247.
The nationwide network for Climate Action Hubs encourage and support climate action unique to their own areas from flood mitigation, repair shops and local energy generation to food growing and tree planting.
There is now a hub covering every area in Scotland - totally 24 in all - fulfilling a previous Programme for Government commitment to ensure people are empowered to act on climate in their own neighbourhoods..
Ms Martin said: “I am very pleased to hear first-hand how Moray Climate Hub has been helping communities in the area support climate action from working with their local football team to identify ways in which they can cut their emissions to setting up a biodiversity garden for adults with learning difficulties.
“Football clubs, like Buckie Thistle, play an influential role in their local community, and their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint will undoubtedly inspire others to do the same, and provide a template for climate action that other clubs can follow.
“Tackling climate change is our collective responsibility and will require collaborative action at all levels. We must also share in the economic and health benefits that protecting our planet for future generations will bring.
“Communities are uniquely placed to play a critical role in shaping and driving forward the transition to low carbon and climate resilient living and we want to empower people to take action in their neighbourhoods that’s right for them.
“That is why we are proud to continue to support our hugely successful framework of regional climate hubs, which provide a vehicle for communities to come together and engage in collective grassroots action.”
Moray Climate Hub Manager (Moray CAN) Louise Nicol said: “We’re delighted to receive continued funding, it means we can keep supporting communities across Moray to take meaningful climate action in ways that work for them.
“Working with Buckie Thistle has been great, and we are both learning so much from each other. Football is more than a game - it’s a community hub, and it’s a great way to open up conversations about the environment.”
Buckie Thistle Football Club General manager, Stephen Shand, said: “We’re very grateful for the support from Moray Climate Hub - it’s helped us get our heads around what we can do as a club to be more environmentally responsible.
“We’re just at the start of the journey, but it’s exciting to learn more and see where small changes can make a difference. The help we are getting to find funding has been a huge boost to the club.”
