A total of £1 million has been awarded to Dorset businesses to tackle climate change.

The grants come from the Dorset Council’s ‘Low Carbon Dorset’ programme, dedicated to helping businesses and community groups reduce their carbon footprint.

In May alone, the programme helped fund more than £1.9 million worth of low-carbon projects.

The grants contribute to 40 per cent of the overall funding of the projects.

The funding supported the development of the county’s first zero-carbon development site and solar panels for five schools and five hospitals through Dorset, as well as two new biomass boilers for Thorngrove nursery and a brand new energy system at Gillingham leisure centre.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s spokesman for highways, travel and environment said: “Dorset Council is in a great position to demonstrate leadership in tackling climate change on a local level and programmes like Low Carbon Dorset fully support this.

“The projects funded by this programme are a great example of businesses and community groups putting clean growth and sustainability at the heart of their operations.”

Since launching, Low Carbon Dorset has helped reduce the county’s carbon emissions by more than 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

The programme will continue to provide free support and grant funding to businesses, communities and publicly funded organisations until the end of 2020.

For more information see lowcarbondorset.org.uk/apply