Worcester City Council is encouraging local community groups, charities and voluntary sector organisations to apply for grants of up to £2,000 to help strengthen and enhance local communities.
Community grants will be considered for any proposal which will clearly benefit people living in Worcester.
Grants have already been paid to a wide variety of initiatives this year.Artist Jilly Oxlade-Arnott received a community grant towards the cost of mono prints, which residents and staff in local care homes coloured in during the COVID 19 lockdown.This engaging activity helped to relieve stress, and provided a distraction while visits to care homes and other activities had to be cancelled.
West Mercia Animal Refuge (www.westmericaanimalrefuge.org.uk)
received a community grant from the City Council to support its new pet fostering service for individuals fleeing domestic abuse. The service, which attracted heightened demand during the COVID lockdown, providing a safe foster placement for animals, so victims could be reassured that their pet was safe until it was possible to be reunited.
Boughton Park Lawn Tennis Club also successfully applied for a community grant to help make tennis accessible to over 2,000 children in St. John's, Worcester.The funding will help to set up tennis clubs in seven schools in the area as well as a summer school tournament and tennis camp, which offers free places.
"These are challenging times for local communities, while we continue to cope with COVID and the impact it has on our lives, our health and well-being," says Councillor Lynn Denham, Chair of Worcester City Council's Communities Committee.
"Funding is available to support initiatives which have a clear benefit to the community. I strongly encourage local groups and charities to apply."
Applications are open between now and 31 March 2021. All applications must provide match funding equal to the amount of funding requested – but this can be in the form of volunteer hours, cash contributions or gifts in kind.
For more information and to apply, go to https://grantsandevents.worcester.gov.uk/
