About us
The Veolia Environmental Trust is a registered charity (1064144), established in 1997, that distributes grant funding provided by Veolia UK through the Landfill Communities Fund, enabling communities in the vicinity of landfills sites to improve their local environment and quality of life.
Veolia has supported us by contributing over £112 million since we were established, which to date has been used to award over 2,918 grants to projects.
We’re guided by our six strategic goals that illustrate what we care most about and help us to ensure that we fund projects that will have the greatest positive impact for people and the environment
Goal 1:
To protect and enhance biodiversity and natural habitats.
The UK is in the midst of an ecological crisis. Having lost 50% of our biodiversity since the Industrial Revolution, we are now ranked in the bottom 10% worldwide for biodiversity, as revealed by the Biodiversity Intactness Index developed by scientists at London’s Natural History Museum. We must urgently reverse this decline by supporting large and small-scale initiatives that create and protect habitats and preserve species. From nature reserves and woodlands to community gardens and local parks, we are proud to support projects that put biodiversity at the heart of the community.
Goal 2:
To inspire the creation of sustainable carbon-neutral community spaces.
The science is clear – climate change is real, and human activities are the leading cause. It will devastate people and nature if we don’t do something about it, so we must play our part in keeping the global temperature rise below 1.5°C. The Veolia Environmental Trust provides funding that enables communities to reduce the carbon emissions of their buildings and spaces. From installing heat pumps, insulation, and double-glazing in community centres and village halls to preserving large-scale carbon sinks like forests and peatlands, we want our funding to strengthen community-led climate action.
Goal 3:
To provide inclusive, fair, and accessible funding.
We know that applying for grant funding can be daunting. Many communities are put off by complex application forms, confusing guidance documents, and unnecessary bureaucracy, all before the actual delivery of the project. We also recognise that many people face structural barriers that make obtaining grant funding difficult. Whether based on a protected characteristic like ethnicity or disability or because of socioeconomic barriers, it can result in some communities being under-represented. We are committed to making our processes simple and accessible and ensuring that our funding reaches as many people as possible.
Goal 4:
To promote community action and wellbeing.
Our experience of funding over 2,600 projects has shown us that the most successful, sustainable initiatives are those that are designed and led by the community themselves. Whilst communities often require expert guidance and external resources, it’s vitally important that local people are able to decide what matters most to them and play a leading role in delivering projects. We want our funding to prioritise projects where the community has been, and will be, fully involved every step of the way. The projects we fund should also further empower the community and inspire others to take action.
Goal 5:
To develop our people and our organisation.
Like most charities, we aim to be selfless in the pursuit of our vision, however, we recognise that our colleagues and trustees are our most important assets. In order to do our best for the communities we serve, we are committed to ensuring that our team has the best support and training, ensuring that they can thrive in their roles. We also work hard to make sure our organisation is modern, innovative, and able to adapt to the changing world. To do this, we are constantly looking for opportunities to learn from our partners, stakeholders, and the community groups that we fund.
Goal 6:
To demonstrate our impact and be recognised for what we do.
The best way to demonstrate the positive impact of our funding is to put the spotlight on the inspiring community and environmental projects we fund. By empowering them to tell their own story, we can ensure that the Veolia Environmental Trust inspires others to take action, leaves a positive legacy and enables future generations to benefit from our funding. From supporting small grassroots community projects to landscape scale habitat and biodiversity grants, we want our funding to have the maximum impact so that it can inspire others to improve their local environment.
Our Trustees
Our Board of Trustees is made up of people who bring a wide range of knowledge, expertise, and lived experience, representing the breadth of different communities that we fund. Our trustees meet quarterly to consider applications and to decide which projects we should support. They also set our strategic direction and oversee our charity, making sure that we operate to the highest standards.
Our trustees are…
Caroline Schwaller MBE (Chair)
James Dennison (Vice Chair)
Luke Bailey
Katie Harrison
Sarah Poulter
Junaid Akhtar
Rituja Rao
Rachel Titchen
Richard Hulland (Veolia)
Donald MacPhail (Veolia)
Joanne Demetrius (Veolia)
Mark Langabeer (Veolia)
Our team
Our small but supportive team are here to guide you throughout all stages of your funding journey.
Our team members are…
Andrew Brown (Executive Director)
Lorraine Womack (Head of Finance, Operations & Development)
Lizzie Cooke (Head of Grants)
Martin Brown (Grants Manager)
Cheryl Adderley (Grants and Administration Officer)
Johanna Smith (Finance Administrator)