Invite to WLCAN’s screening

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We’re hosting a screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing on 28 September in Broxburn. This is open to members (group and individual) but also people who live or work in West Lothian. It’s a chance to watch this hour-long, fact-based presentation into the realities of what climate change means for our health, food supply, security and economy.

Hosted by Chris Packham, it draws on the National Emergency Briefing which brought together leading experts to present the latest evidence on the climate and nature crisis to politicians and other leaders. The aim is for the film to act as a catalyst for a wider public conversation and a stepping stone towards a live televised national briefing, and community groups across the country are hosting screenings now.

We invite to people living and working in West Lothian to come and view the fact-based, and honest, assessment of the threat posed by climate change to communities everywhere. There will be an opportunity for discussion afterwards and we will be providing more information of grants we are making available to our members for community groups to host their own screenings. Whether or not you’re a member of WLCAN, the People’s Emergency Briefing is essential viewing for the future security of food, fuel and the planet. If you would like to attend this screening, please RSVP Wendy@wlcan.scot. Full information is on our Events page.

Free Fruit Trees Are Coming to West Lothian!

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Update – Thank you West Lothian!

We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to our free fruit tree giveaway — thank you to everyone who registered their interest, and a special thank you to everyone who shared the form with friends, neighbours and local groups. Your support helped us reach communities right across West Lothian. We’ve now reached capacity, so the sign-up form is closed.

If you’ve already registered, we’ll be in touch by December to confirm if you have a tree.

Thanks again for your support for community climate action in West Lothian!

Would you like your own fruit tree to grow and care for at home?

SIGN UP for a West Lothian Climate Action Network giveaway.

This winter, West Lothian Climate Action Network (WLCAN) is giving away hundreds of free fruit trees to households across West Lothian — inspired by Climate Action Fife’s popular “A Fruit Tree for Every Garden” scheme. Growing your own fruit means fresh, seasonal food with zero food miles, right on your doorstep. Fruit trees also are beautiful, lock away carbon, support bees and other pollinators, and provide shelter for wildlife for decades to come. 

Growing a fruit tree is easy, once established it only needs maintenance a couple of times a year, WLCAN will provide support and advice on what to do.

What’s on offer

Free bare-root apple, pear, plum and cherry trees — the best way to plant a fruit tree, and ready to go straight into the ground this winter.

A planting and care guide with every tree, so you know exactly how to give it the best start.

Who can apply

Any West Lothian household, group or community space with room to plant a tree is welcome to apply. 

Council tenants: WLCAN is working with West Lothian Council to offer an allocation of trees to council tenants. If this applies to you, please check with your Tenant Participation Team.

How it works

Register your interest online from Friday, 14 August, 2026. Complete form. 

We’ll be in touch in December to confirm your nearest collection point, based on your postcode.

Collect your tree at a local pick-up event in February 2027, along with your planting and care guide.

Please note: registering your interest doesn’t guarantee a tree. Trees are limited and demand is expected to be high, so please register as early as possible once the form goes live.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this really free?

Yes — completely free, funded by WLCAN, with no catch.

How many trees can I request?

One each.

What types of fruit tree will I get?

Apple, pear, plum and cherry trees will be available. We can’t guarantee a specific variety, and allocation will depend on stock.

How big will the tree be?

When you first get the tree it will be quite small, just one year old. The tree will eventually grow to a height of 3- 3.5m. No, the trees we will offer are on a semi-dwarfing rootstock so they stay small enough for most gardens.

Can community groups or schools apply, not just individual households?

Yes — groups and community spaces are welcome to apply through the sign-up form.

When and where do I collect my tree?

Trees will be collected at local pick-up events across West Lothian in January/February 2027. You’ll be allocated your nearest collection point automatically, based on your postcode.

What if I can’t make my collection date?

We’ll get in touch to try to find a solution for this.

Do I need gardening experience to plant a fruit tree?

No — every tree comes with a planting and care guide, and we will also have future training if you’d like to know more.

What maintenance does a fruit tree need

The most important thing in the first summer is to water the tree once per week during dry spells (no need if we have a wet summer).

What happens if I register but don’t get a tree?

We will keep a waiting list and if we run the scheme again, we may also get in touch if others can’t come to collect their tree.

Are council tenants included in this scheme?

Yes — WLCAN is working with West Lothian Council to offer an allocation of trees to council tenants. More details on this will be available from the tenant participation team. Email the team: TP@westlothian.gov.uk

Is this only open to West Lothian residents?

Yes — this scheme is for people who live in West Lothian.

When does the sign-up form open?

The Expression of Interest form is open from 14 August 2026. Council tenants should contact their tenant participation team. 

Stay updated

Questions? Get in touch: info@wlcan.scot

WLCAN becomes a charity

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West Lothian Climate Action Network has transitioned its status from limited company to becoming a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO).

As outlined at our annual gathering, this will give us a stronger foundation to support local climate action and unlock greater access to funding opportunities. This will go straight back into helping our communities build a greener, more sustainable West Lothian.

One of WLCAN’s founding Trustees and Treasurer, Donald Stavert, has overseen the transition. He commented: “WLCAN are delighted to be accepted as a Scottish charity by the official register OSCR this week. This will open new funding opportunities for us and gain us a new standing in the West Lothian community that we serve. Our climate change Network is open to all concerned with our future sustainability.”

The whole Board of Trustees and WLCAN’s staff are excited to join other charities in West Lothian and to begin the next phase of our work supporting local community work.

Eco Fund 6 launched

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New funding is available for your climate projects. The application deadline is 5pm on Sunday 16  August, with £15,000 to be issued across eligible projects which must be spent by 31 March 2027. The form includes guidelines for applying. If you haven’t applied before, to help you get started, look at how funding has been distributed previously, and what climate impacts are being targeted. Visit the Eco Development Fund page, from where you can access the application form, which is also available through the link below.

What makes a good bid?

● Demonstrate climate impact and clear benefit to community
● Show match funding effort, and wider support base
● Joint bids with other members or community groups; shared resources
● Projects that can evolve and feed to new work – stretch what’s being funded
● Detailed costings that show commitment to local climate action
● Tips for future bids – attend our Q&A. Read guidance notes on form

Download the application form here. If you are not a member and wish to start an application, please join WLCAN through the button at the top right of this page before applying.

You can also scan the QR codes in the graphic for membership joining form and application form.

Competition time!

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Good with video? We’ve teamed up with West Lothian Youth Action Project for a competition to show off projects based around recycling, upcycling, re-use and re-purposing – aka circular economy. Whether it’s clothing, textiles, furniture, gardens, household items – if you’ve breathed new life into something, we want to see it, in the form of a short video.

You can take part as an individual or with friends if you’re over 13 and based in West Lothian. Under 13s can take part through any youth organisation based in West Lothian. The best part? There’s a prize for the best video – a £50 voucher for individual entries, or £100 for youth group entries. The competition is open for summer 2026. Enter by 7 August.

All the rules and entry form are on our Youth CAN page – click here.

 

West Lothian Eco Gathering – book your place

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We’re looking forward to bringing all our group and individual members together for the third West Lothian Eco Gathering. This will be a chance to meet diverse community organisations all doing something, large or small, to improve West Lothian’s environment, natural resources and amenities for those living and working here.

This will include plans to expand local energy generation, make travel less reliant on cars and fuel, growing more food locally and helping to reduce cost of living when it comes to home energy, food, clothes and household items. Giving people the skills to improve what’s around them is also what the Network is key to.

Helping the region become more resilient to the impact of climate change has numerous community benefits, from improving the supply of affordable energy and food, better land, water and air quality, and implementing flood mitigation measures. Come along and hear what’s been happening to improve West Lothian’s green and blue spaces, make community-owned energy a reality and expand the circular economy. All of these things are making a real difference in West Lothian.

The programme for the day will be finalised shortly. In the meantime, please register for attendance. Entry is free and will include a light lunch and refreshments.

A note of the location and time is: West Lothian Eco Gathering, 10am-3pm, Friday 17 April, 2026, Howden Park Centre, Livingston.

Job vacancy

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We are recruiting for a Development Worker to join the team. This is a fixed term post until 31st March 2027 with possible extension subject to funding. Flexible 18-35 hours. Applications close on Sunday 8 March and interviews will take place the week commencing 16 March.

For more information and the application pack visit Goodmoves.

 

Eco Development Fund 5 awards

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We’re delighted to announce our fifth Eco Development Fund has been disbursed across 14 bidders. A total of £10,715 has been spread across groups to help new projects or further develop others. These include circular economy work to extend the life of textiles and clothing; installing solar power systems to improve food productivity and community meeting places; creating wildlife habitats and flood adaptation; regenerative work for bat habitats; rain capture systems and expanding more community gardens.

Read the summaries of awards here.

Visit Eco Development Fund page for full list of all our allocated funding to date.

 

New year updates

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We’ve really enjoyed seeing the work of the network develop and thrive. These grassroots projects are making tangibly made a difference across communities. Our first event of 2026 was a circular economy meet-up in time for the Scottish Government’s Draft Circular Economy Strategy. 

It was great to hear from network member groups working in circular economy, Polbeth Community Hub, Stoneyburn and Bents Future Vision Group and 1st Step Development. There are great projects to keep clothing out of landfill, share surplus food from retailers and teaching communities skills to make new items out of textiles and cook more. Find these groups on our members page.

Don’t worry if you missed this event – circular economy is one of the themes in which we will regularly be bringing groups together. Watch out for the next one or get in touch if you’d like to know more.

The Circular Economy consulation (closing 13 January) is being swiftly followed by the government’s Draft Climate Change Plan (closing 29 January). Please take part and shape Scotland’s response to climate change. You can find details and respond on Your Voice.

One other early new year update – apply for the next Eco Development Fund – deadline is on 18 January. More information and the application form can be found here.

 

 

Eco Fund 5 open

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New funding will be available for your climate projects in the new year. The application deadline is 5pm on Sunday 18 January, with £10,000 to be issued across eligible projects which must be spent by 31 March. There will be a quick turnaround, so the form is available now. It includes guidelines for applying. If you haven’t applied before, to help you get started, look at how funding has been distributed previously, and what climate impacts are being targeted. Visit Eco Development Fund page, from where you can access the application form, which is also available through the link below.

What makes a good bid?

● Demonstrate climate impact and clear benefit to community
● Show match funding effort, and wider support base
● Joint bids with other members or community groups; shared resources
● Projects that can evolve and feed to new work – stretch what’s being funded
● Detailed costings that show commitment to local climate action
● Tips for future bids – attend our Q&A. Read guidance notes on form

Download the application form here. If you are not a member and wish to start an application, please join WLCAN through the button at the top right of this page before applying.

You can also scan the QR codes in the graphic for membership joining form and application form.