£40k
2
14
2022
THE CHALLENGE
In 2022 St Leger Homes and City of Doncaster Council wanted to increase community participation in improving the environment across the borough. They wanted to establish an initiative that would connect people with their local environment and improve their health and wellbeing, whilst also having a lasting impact that would help to address the climate crisis. They wanted everyone to realise the importance of protecting, enhancing and celebrating the natural environment to make a difference in Doncaster.
THE OUTCOME
The Doncaster Environmental Pride Initiative was established in March 2022 with an initial £19,000 funding St Leger Homes accrued through using EN:Procure’s frameworks for repairs and maintenance. 8 community projects received funding in this first round including community gardens, enhancements to Martinwells Lake, a former brick pond restored to a beauty spot by local residents, litter picking, installation of raised flower beds to grow produce for food for local people, and the creation of social space on disused land.
A further £21k accrued from EN:Procure’s frameworks contributed to the pot for the second bid round in 2023 which directly supported 6 projects, with another project funded through the Future Parks programme.
By summer 2026, after 5 total rounds of funding, the Doncaster Environmental Pride initiative has awarded over £150,000, given monetary or in-kind support to 101 projects, engaged 2,700 participants, held 386 activities and formed 156 partnerships. DEFRA gave £50,000 in funding for community orchards over two rounds which enabled the planting of over 1200 trees.
Efficiency North is proud to continue supporting the initiative through participation in the steering group alongside colleagues from St Leger Homes, City of Doncaster Council, Business Doncaster and other companies.
In 2023 a team from Efficiency North joined colleagues Alison Alcock from St Leger Homes and Hannah Standen of City of Doncaster Council, who manage the Environmental Pride initiative, for a day’s volunteering at Thornham Community Garden, one of the funded projects. Together they helped spread plainings, dug out vegetable plots, cut back overgrown hedgerows and helped reconstruct a broken wooden path.
More about Doncaster Environmental Pride here https://www.yourlifedoncaster.co.uk/environmental-pride
Environmental Pride is a great initiative that has supported our communities since 2022. It gives volunteer-led community groups who aren’t used to applying for funding amazing opportunities to run projects that are important to the local community and foster a sense of ownership and pride.”
Chris Margrave | Chief Executive Officer, St Leger Homes of Doncaster
PLANTAURA CIC - ROOTS TO RENEWAL PROJECT
Plantaura CIC was awarded £4,458.81 through Round 5 to deliver Roots to Renewal, a community-based sustainability project running from June 2025. Working with community partners, the project has grown natural dye plants, created community dye gardens, and provided hands-on workshops teaching people how to produce natural dyes and upcycle donated clothing.
The project is designed to connect people with nature, increase biodiversity through pollinator-friendly planting, and promote sustainable fashion by giving unwanted garments a new lease of life. Activities included seed sowing, community planting days, dye extraction workshops, upcycling sessions, and a fashion show showcasing participants’ creations.
Doncaster Environmental Pride is an inspirational initiative. I’m proud to be involved in the steering group alongside EN colleagues and delighted to see how the initiative has flourished and grown in a short time, gathering support from more organisations and businesses to ensure it will improve the environment for local communities across the Borough of Doncaster for many years to come.”
Joe Came | ESG Manager, EN:Procure
EN:Procure
EN:Communities