DORSET Community Foundation Chair Tom Flood CBE is aiming to inspire the next generation of environmentalists with the launch of the Green Futures Fund – a grant programme designed to empower young people’s passion for tackling climate change.
The fund was launched yesterday (Sunday) at Knoll Beach in Studland by DCF Chair and fundholder Tom and Dorset Lord-Lieutenant Michael Dooley. Tom told guests that the fund was inspired by his late husband Paul Cornes’ love of the natural world and that the launch fell on the sixth anniversary of his death.
“Paul was a passionate advocate for the environment and for positive change to protect it, a big believer in corporate social responsibility and he adored Dorset,” he said. “By launching on this poignant date, and at the beach where we scattered his ashes, the Green Futures Fund is honouring and celebrating his memory and transforming his loss into a powerful catalyst for positive environmental impact.”
The launch also coincides with Tom’s investiture next month as Master of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators, a modern City of London Livery Company that promotes the science, art, and practice of water and environmental management. It will also support a UK-wide offshoot of Green Futures through its charitable arm, The Water Conservation Trust
“I’m very proud to be taking on this role and I wanted to use it in a positive way,” he said. “I want this fund to harness the positivity and energy of young people in Dorset who are as passionate about preserving our natural world as Paul was.”
I want this fund to harness the positivity and energy of young people in Dorset who are as passionate about preserving our natural world as Paul was
Tom will be donating £25,000 a year for the next three years from the Paul Cornes Fund, which was set up after his death. He is seeking donors to match the donation each year in order to establish a £50,000 annual fund to make grants of up to £5,000 to groups of individuals for projects that support practical water environmental conservation, educational opportunities or careers advice for young people.
Tom said: “Dorset is widely celebrated for its natural beauty, with 52 per cent of its land officially designated as a National Landscape. But the stark ecological reality is that a staggering 83 per cent of surveyed freshwater points in Dorset suffer from unacceptable levels of nutrient pollution; none of Dorset’s rivers are considered to be in good overall health and there has been a devastating 74 per cent decline in semi-natural habitats in the county since the 1930s – leaving our remaining grasslands and heathlands critically fragmented.
“If we want to preserve our natural heritage for future generations we must look to build a community response that understands how vital it is to live and work in harmony with nature.”
The new fund will also complement the Lord Lieutenant’s Fund for Creating Harmony in the Community, which promotes greater environmental awareness across Dorset, in line with The King’s vision for the need for balance between people, generations, and between humanity and the natural world.
Michael, who is also a patron of DCF, said he is pleased to be supporting the new fund. “It perfectly reflects the principles of harmony by recognising that people, place and planet are interconnected,” he said.
“The young people I meet across Dorset give me great hope. They are passionate about creating positive change and determined to leave the world better than they found it. The Green Futures Fund will help turn that passion into action, empowering the next generation to make a real and lasting difference in their communities and for the environment.
“I warmly congratulate Tom for ensuring that Paul’s legacy continues to inspire future generations.”
Tom said the fund has already been supported with a donation from Paul’s former employer, corporate legal firm Linklaters. “I’m very grateful for their support and I’m hoping it will be the first of many who share my, Michael and Paul’s belief in protecting our natural world,” he said.
“I know there are people who want to make the same difference that Paul did and I’m looking forward to speaking with them.”
To find out more about the fund contact DCF Philanthropy Director Gareth Owens on 01202 670815 or gareth@dcf.org. Find out more about the work of Dorset Community Foundation at dorsetcommunityfoundation.org.
Pictured: Dorset Community Foundation Chair Tom Flood CBE, centre, and Dorset Lord-Lieutenant Michael Dooley and DCF Philanthropy Director Gareth Owens at Knoll Beach, Studland, for the launch of the Green Futures Fund
