Hulme Community Garden Centre go solar following national fundraising effort inspired by the late musician Prince
Hulme Community Garden Centre has, this week, gone solar after installing a new solar panel system following a national fundraising drive that was inspired by Prince.
In the days following Prince’s death in 2016, details emerged of his wide-ranging, secret philanthropy, including thousands of dollars worth of solar panels donated to communities in Oakland, California. Inspired by this, climate charity Possible launched a crowdfunder in 2017 to provide solar panels for six organisations working on other issues Prince supported.
Community gardens were one of the many initiatives Prince supported through his charitable giving. Following six weeks of fundraising, including a purple funday at the garden in Hulme, the centre is now set to benefit from the solar panels. Working with socially excluded people across Manchester, the project will have the chance to lower their energy bills and reinvest the money into their work.
Possible has previously helped other community groups in the Greater Manchester area go solar, with their partnership with Greater Manchester Community Renewables. They also championed the efforts of a group in Barton Moss, Salford, to develop an anti-fracking protest into a community solar project.
Neil Jones, campaigner at climate charity Possible said:
“Solar power is for everyone - and now Hulme Community Garden Centre is a shining example of that. Not only will these panels help them fight climate change, they’ll also give them more energy independence. This means less money on bills and more money to do the amazing work they do with the local community through the garden centre.”
Neil Harwood from Hulme Community Garden Centre said:
“Hulme Community Garden Centre, a community-led project, was established to promote organic principles in horticulture and sustainability through respect for the environment. We are very grateful to Possible for helping us to achieve these goals with their donation of solar panels, now installed upon the roof of our new cafe.”
ENDS
Images:
For images of the solar panels’ installation please click HERE.
Notes to editors:
For media enquiries and further information please contact press@wearepossible.org or 07806431577.
Neil Jones, campaigner at climate charity Possible, is available for comment. Please contact press@wearepossible.org for more information.
Possible is a UK-based charity that brings people together to take positive, practical action on climate change. Combining individual and local actions with larger systemic change, we connect people with each other, and communities with ways to address the climate crisis. wearepossible.org.
Possible changed its name from 10:10 Climate Action on 10th October 2019.
Hulme Community Garden is a unique community-led horticultural project in Manchester that helps everyone to enjoy the benefits of getting involved with plants and nature - including people who have learning or mental health difficulties and people with experience of street homelessness. http://www.hulmegardencentre.org.uk/
A full list of participating groups can be seen at https://www.wearepossible.org/prince-solar
Details of Prince’s support for solar power were given by Van Jones in interviews following the star’s death http://www.vox.com/2016/4/23/11494020/prince-van-jones-secret-humanitarian