Businesses in the South Hams are receiving free specialist advice on how to reduce their carbon footprint as part of a scheme funded by South Hams District Council (SHDC).

The project, which has received £60,000 of UK Shared Prosperity Fund money from SHDC, aims to help local businesses to save money “by becoming more efficient” and “boosting their resilience for the years ahead while reducing their carbon footprint”.

The charity Libraries Unlimited is providing specialist consultancy for the project, and those who take part in the scheme can also apply for Rural England Prosperity Fund grants to help pay for their decarbonisation plans.

So far, 24 businesses in the district have signed up to the scheme.

Cllr John McKay, SHDC’s executive member for climate change and biodiversity, said the work being done by Libraries Unlimited was important as businesses “can have a huge impact on the environment that we may not even realise”.

Richard Love, business and IP centre manager for Libraries Unlimited, said the programme had been designed to cater to small and large businesses, adding that firms can apply for a grant of up to £10,000 to implement recommendations upon receipt of their decarbonisation plan.

Alex Pickstone, who runs Brackenhill Glamping, one of the businesses who have signed up for a decarbonisation plan, said his firm’s ongoing commitment to green tourism was also “on our guests’ minds” as they were “looking for sustainable options”.

Businesses can sign up for the project by registering online at https://bipc.librariesunlimited.org.uk/decarbonisation-plans/