Local community and voluntary groups have received a total of £29,219.81 in community, councillor and festive grants during 2022/23, thanks to the small grant schemes from Tamworth Borough Council.
More than 40 groups have each been awarded grants of between £100 and £1,000 from one of the three council grant schemes that is available for community, not for profit organisations or for identified not for profit projects to work collaboratively and flexibly to meet the needs of the residents of Tamworth.
Annual budgets for the period of 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023, for the three schemes were: Community Grants: £18,590, Councillor Community Grants: £9,000 and the Festive Grants: £3,000.
Councillor Martin Summers, Tamworth Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health and Community Partnerships, said: “As a council we are committed to responding to our residents needs and those particularly impacted by the recent cost of living, or may be isolated.
“We are delighted to have awarded nearly £30,000 in community grants this past financial year. These funds are vital to help us deliver services through our volunteers that provide a valuable service for our community and help to support residents.
“If your organisation or group is looking to hold a community event, launch a new scheme, reach out to the community or is short of funding to support existing projects, then please get in touch for more information about the next awards available.”
Awards included:
- Belgrave Community Allotment: £500 to help create a community sensory and wellbeing garden around the orchard, including all year plants, pollinators, a natural assembly area for picnics.
- St John Ambulance: £1,000 towards a new events tent to be used as a treatment centre.
- Tamworth Grassroots Basketball Academy: £1,000, towards new equipment including basketballs, training vests, agility equipment and additional hire of the sports hall facilities to accommodate the increased growth of the group. There is also a requirement to train more qualified coaches to run the sessions, while focusing on introducing more girls to the sport.
- Belgrave Community Allotment: £374.81 to be used for an additional Glasdon Eco Rest Bench, that will be placed in the orchard for locals to use for picnics and visitors.
- Changes: £1,000 towards ongoing costs to provide continued support for the community. Changes Tamworth is a user-led mental health charity providing a unique recovery and wellbeing service to those in mental distress.
- Dosthill Rainbows: £500 towards opening a new ‘feeder’ unit on Saturdays to offer more places for the popular Tamworth group
- Tamworth Athletic Club: £1,000 to purchase athletics throws training equipment, for the academy age group 8-14 years.
- Wilnecote Sports & Recreation Association (Wilnecote Cricket Club): £300 for the cost of Level 1 Coaching training.
- Lego Club: £200 to purchase supplies, lego bricks and figures for a community club.
Organisations that received more than one funding award during the year, from more than one of the grant schemes:
- Heart of Tamworth (HOT): An annual total of £2,840 for food parcels to be distributed through primary schools.
- Tamworth Foodbank: An annual total of £1,460 towards the purchase of packs for homeless clients and the purchase of non-perishable food for residents.
- Tamworth Pantry: An annual total of £3,100 towards the purchase of food packs for local residents.
More information about grants.
All projects and activities are asked to complete an evaluation form, as part of the grant terms and conditions of the agreement.
Notes:
The Community Grants scheme is available for community, not for profit organisations or for identified not for profit projects to work collaboratively and flexibly to meet the needs of our communities.
Grants will be awarded for projects/activities that can meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Assists community recovery and resilience from the Covid-19 pandemic
- Helps tackle the causes of inequality in our communities
- Helps develop and safeguard our environment and open spaces
- Increases opportunities to participate in arts, heritage, and sports activities
- Increases volunteering and civic pride
- Helps tackle causes and effects of poverty and financial hardship
- Considers outstanding individuals or groups who by achievement in arts, culture or sports support and promote Tamworth as a place
- Promotes and develops community cohesion
All grants should continue to demonstrate value for money and value to the people of Tamworth and have specific outcomes that can be recorded.