A NEW environment initiative in Stroud which launched last month has already secured almost 70 per cent of its initial investment target of £30,000.

Community R4C launched its ‘Trash to Treasure’ share scheme last month for Gloucestershire residents to invest – and has already seen a huge showing of support from the community.

It has now passed the two thirds mark in its goal and raised almost £21,000.

The initiative is now increasing the target to £50K to allow more people to invest before the Crowdfunder page closes on June 10.

A number of celebrity environmentalists have already given money, including British actor Jeremy Irons, who heads up a promotional video on the website.

The group is fundraising to support important community environmental projects that will encourage a circular economy.

The first of these will be a project to build a waste recycling plant near Stroud, which its creators hope will make the proposed Javelin Park Incinerator obsolete.

The plant will use advanced MBHT (mechanical, biological and heat treatment) technology, which CR4C claim can put more than 90 per cent of the county’s waste to valuable use instead of burning it.

Community R4C board director, Sue Oppenheimer said: “We have been very pleased by the immediate investment support so far from the people of Gloucestershire in our ‘Trash to Treasure’ share scheme.

“We’ve also had investments from a number of celebrity environmentalists, including Jeremy Irons who fronts our Crowdfunder video. “Because we’ve already achieved more than two thirds of our initial investment target of £30K, we are increasing this to £50K to allow more people to invest.

“If the R4C plant goes ahead as planned we hope to provide a good return on investments in three years.

“However, the plant has the potential to make the Javelin Park incinerator obsolete before is built, in which case the benefits to Gloucester will last a lifetime. We can’t thank our investors enough for their support thus far. ”

Recyclates and recovered material – glass, plastic, paper, metals and high quality fuel pellets – will be sold.

And 25 per cent of profits will go into a community chest to fund other ‘circular economy’ projects to improve the way we deal with waste.

For more information please visit communityr4c.com/

To donate via the Crowdfunding page visit http://goo.gl/HGuRd2