That’s a wrap for the Highland Community Waste Partnership

Four years ago, when we were putting together a funding proposal rooted in communities to help inspire waste reduction across the Highlands, we could never have imagined the collaboration it would generate, the amazing contributions from our partner community groups, the tangible outputs delivered or the more subtle changes it has inspired.

Today, we bring the hugely impactful Highland Community Waste Partnership to a close, with three years of funded project activity coming to an end.   While we’d love to see the partnership continue as is, we’re focusing on the legacy of the work to date, and looking forward to supporting our partner community groups as they explore the next chapter.

Having worked together to reduce waste in communities across the Highlands by influencing the way that people consume – that is buy, use and dispose of things – the partnership has succeeded in reducing the impact of waste and inspired people to make the most of what they already have.

Some of the tangible impacts of the three-year partnership involving eight partner community groups which we coordinated include:

• 729 events reaching 12,454 people.
• 250 hospitality businesses working to reduce food waste.
• 72+ tonnes of food waste diverted from landfill.
• 3,300+ items of clothing, homeware, electronics and other appliances diverted from landfill at more than 370 sharing, repairing and upcycling events.
• 2,000+ items of clothing diverted from landfill at more than 60 sharing events
• 400 businesses engaged with packaging waste campaigns

While the activities the partnership has led on wrap up, our focus is now turning to ensuring that the legacy of the project lives on and that all the learning generated is shared as widely as possible, so others, across Scotland and further afield, can build on it. 

Barry Fisher, our CEOsaid, “When we submitted the funding bid to National Lottery Climate Action Fund our aim was to address the climate emergency, by inspiring people to change the way that we all consume and support them to move towards a more circular economy, where we both use and waste less.

“Over the past three years, the team here at Keep Scotland Beautiful have worked tirelessly with the eight partner community groups to build lasting relationships, share ideas, common challenges and have together built solutions which will continue to inspire positive action for our environment in the future.

“I’d like to thank the team – Georgina, Ellie and Joanne - and all those across the Highlands who have supported the partnership and helped make it the success it has been.  I wish all those who have been involved the very best of luck as we look to the future, and work to bring the legacy of the partnership alive.”

If you're interested in learning more about our impact and activity, over the past three years check out our series of legacy webinars – on partnership working, food waste and composting, share and repair and single-use items and packaging.

Laura Donelly, Transition Black Isle said, “The value of being part of the Highland Community Waste Partnership has been fabulous because we’re learning from each other, and we don’t feel as if we are alone in our own areas.  We don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time, because we’ve got a partner who has maybe tried something, that we can learn from, or we’ve been leading on certain areas that our partners can learn from, so we’re spreading the learning across the Highlands and reaching further than our own area.”

Over the coming months, leading up to Summer 2025, we'll be building a legacy website that will aim to showcase our work, share learning and signpost to resources and ongoing projects to get involved with.

We’re incredibly proud of all we’ve achieved and look forward to sharing it over the coming months as part of the #HCWPLegacy  for now, you can watch a snapshot of what has been achieved in our legacy film.