Council awards nearly £80,000 to Community Groups
Wealden District Council has announced grants to 16 community groups totalling £78,787. The organisations receiving grants were selected from among the 37 applications received, according to how closely their projects reflected the needs of Wealden communities.
Councillor Bob Standley, Cabinet member for Finance and Assets, said: “Wealden’s Community Grants Programme supports exciting and worthwhile community projects right across the District. Some of the projects are working with young people, older people, or less able people and many are for everyone. They support local shops, local people, environmental action, film, sport and other themes that serve our local communities. I look forward to seeing the benefits of the projects in the near future.”
“It’s a pity we can’t fund all the applications Wealden received because there were some great projects that we reluctantly had to turn down.”
Wealden applies a scoring system which takes into account the applicant’s ability to deliver a successful project, evidence of need and availability of 50 per cent match funding. All the projects have to show they will contribute to local priorities. For example, the Mastersports and Play Community Interest Company’s project is directly involved in delivering Wealden’s priorities on facilities for people with disabilities and on the offer of a range of sporting opportunities.
“Our grants officer holds seminars to help organisations complete applications. She also helps them to get grants from other funders, and I am pleased to say, that over the past year the two people who have been in the post have additionally helped secure around £555,000 for Wealden community groups from outside sources,” said Councillor Standley.
Bids are assessed for their contribution to the eight themes of the Wealden Community Strategy: environment; health and social care; housing; learning; cultural activities and leisure; prosperity; community safety; and transport and access.
Tony Slack, Chairman of the Crowborough Partnership Local Business Network, says their £4500 award is "good news for the retailers who have been working out how best to promote the town and what it has to offer local residents and people who live in the surrounding area.”
“They are planning events that should appeal to families and the community generally, among other ideas. We are very grateful to Wealden District Council for allocating the funds to the Retailers that would help revitalise our retail shopping areas."
Kate Shaw of Now Accessories, a member of the Crowborough Partnership, exclaimed: "Wow, some good news at last! I think this could work as a turning point for Crowborough with people as passionate as us all behind it."
The £5,000 award to the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) will help protect water supplies across rural Wealden. Steve Podd, FWAG Farm Conservation Advisor said: "We are seeing a rapidly rising interest in efficient water use right across the South East, and FWAG are delighted that Wealden are supporting us in our drive to take action on this issue. This project will enable us to point farmers to cost effective solutions for reducing water use, as well as effectively using non-mains water. The net result is more and cleaner water in our ditches and ground for our reservoirs, and a reduction in demand for mains water – which benefits the community as a whole."
The directors of Mastersports & Play Community Interest Company said the £1,400 Community Grant was much appreciated. It will enable Mastersport to provide sport and physical activity sessions for adults in the Hailsham area who have mental health conditions. Initially these will be football sessions at Hailsham Recreation Ground in partnership with the local mental health service, but with further support we would like to extend what we are able to provide to more rural areas. The grant will also enable older people to take part in Boccia – a sport like French Boules for people with a disability – in the Uckfield area.
Charlene Collison from the Transition Forest Row group, which received a £5,000 grant, said their project was "to publish and publicise a new energy action plan for Forest Row, which the group is engaging the local community to create.”
“Over the next year Transition Forest Row will be looking for ways to reduce the community's carbon footprint and our dependence on fossil fuels. Groups will form to explore, for example, options for local energy generation, local food production, travel and ways of engaging our community towards a more sustainable future," she said.
Other recipients of Revenue Grants are:
Buxted Court Arts & Crafts Society – £2,853 – to enable members of the society based in Buxted Court sheltered accommodation to develop skills in computer generated imagery, to produce artwork for exhibition, and greeting cards, calendars etc for sale/distribution.
East Sussex Association For The Blind – £4,046 – towards a Wealden Co-ordinator post for home visits to advise and support people newly diagnosed as sight impaired, and their families.
Forest Row Film Society – £3,015 – to buy new portable projection equipment to enable continued screening of films in new technology for wider groups including young people, schools and people for whom English is not their first language.
Furniture Now! – £1,250 – to train NVQ assessors, enrol volunteers for training and to deliver a programme supporting recycling initiatives.
Gallery North – £4,530 – to run a ten day Hailsham Arts Festival in September 2008 including exhibitions, performances and demonstrations.
Hailsham Trust – £6,600 – on the core costs of ‘Juiced Up’, a Hailsham social enterprise venue and work experience opportunity for young people.
Herstmonceux Luncheon Club – £390 – for a publication of free WWII reminiscence project work as a book.
The Antiquarian Society – £4,500 – to host a five-day family orientated event in September 2008 to promote ancient history, local cultural attractions, environmental opportunities and alternative energy options.
Uckfield PHAB Club – £974 – to deliver a new and extended programme of arts and crafts to members. The club brings together physically able and disabled people in a social setting.
Wealden Citizens Advice Bureau – £5,000 – to deliver a new pilot money advice service to Wealden council tenants with rent arrears.
A further £30,000 has been reserved for capital grants but the final allocation awaits decisions from the Lottery Fund so that Wealden’s grant can achieve the maximum effect with the match funding opportunities available.
