At the close of COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last week, Transition Town Totnes ramped up its efforts to help residents adapt and face the challenges ahead.

The charity received an £18,000 windfall from the Postcode Local Trust – a grant-giving charity funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

The cash will enable the grass-roots charity to roll out its award-winning Transition Streets (TS) initiative to at least another 25 streets.

TS aims to reduce carbon emissions and improve community wellbeing in participating streets and beyond.

It first launched in 2009, when it reached 550 households in Totnes and the surrounding villages, each of which made average savings of £570 and 1.3 tonnes of CO2 per annum.

After a successful pilot this year to update the handbook and relaunch the scheme, the charity forecasts that financial savings could be doubled, along with further savings on CO2 emissions.

Tabith, who took part in the pilot, said: “The handbook is a wonderful resource for our slow and steady future plans.”

Another, Louise said: “I enjoyed meeting my neighbours, sharing information and ideas about local sustainability and green living resources.”

Project manager, Myrtle Cooper, who oversaw the TS relaunch, said the project is not just about saving the planet, it also helps people to become happier, healthier and more resilient in the face of climate change.

Myrtle explained: “Transition Streets brings people together in supportive and safe neighbourhood groups to talk about the climate crisis, catalysing personal and collective environmental and civic action.

“We launched a pilot to evolve the project - which originally ran over a decade ago - to reflect changing understanding and calls to action that the urgency of the climate crisis demands, and in response to the Totnes community asking for its revival.

“Navigating the project during the pandemic and launching new online and in person groups has been a creative challenge, so we’re delighted to have been awarded funding to offer many more local groups and grow the project over the next year.”

Having led the successful pilot to its fortunate position of receiving funds, Myrtle will soon be handing over the reins to a new project manager to take the project forward. Applications are invited from local residents living in Totnes and the surrounding villages.

The closing date for applications is Monday November 29.

For more information and to apply, visit www.transitiontowntotnes.org