GREEN-thinking groups in the Cotswolds have the chance to pool their ideas to reduce landfill and win a prize that will help finance future improvements.

Cotswold District Council wants communities to find innovative ways to Reuse, Recycle and Reduce waste and alongside service providers Ubico Ltd and Gloucestershire Joint Waste Partnership is launching the gRRReen awards.

The initiative reflects the council's three Rs' (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) programme and the top three competition winners will receive a total of £2,000.

The competition began this weekand and runs until February 20.

Groups will be able to enter over the next three to four weeks, as there will be sufficient time to put their ideas into practice before the February 20 deadline. The entries will be judged at the end of February by a panel drawn from the council, the Joint Waste Team and Ubico, and they will award £1,000 to the best entry, £700 to the runner-up and £300 to the third placed group on the understanding that that prize money would be used to continue progress with green initiatives.

To enter the competition email waste@cotswold.gov.uk, phone 01285 623123, or write to gRRReen awards competition, Cotswold District Council, Trinity Rd, Cirencester, GL71PX, for an application form and information sheet. Copies are also available at the Council’s Cirencester and Moreton offices.