Archived press release

Date Published: 13/03/07

Aylesbury Vale District Council has announced that £25,000 in grants has been allocated to various local community and voluntary groups. The awards are part of the fifth round of funding that the council has paid out this financial year, wi...

Aylesbury Vale District Council has announced that £25,000 in grants has been allocated to various local community and voluntary groups.

The awards are part of the fifth round of funding that the council has paid out this financial year, with five groups in the district benefiting this time around.

The council’s project grant scheme can support organisations with grants of up to £5,000, although some larger capital funding is available. Any group that has a constitution, a bank account, a non-profit ethos and are of benefit to the local community may apply for a grant.

Schemes to win financial backing in this round of grants are:
• The Old Gaol Museum (Buckingham Heritage Trust) – £5,000 for the provision of a new, permanent exhibition on local literary figure, Flora Thompson
• Quainton Parish Council - £5,000 towards the cost of providing a new skate park in the village
• Long Crendon Tennis Club - £5,000 to help pay for the construction of a new tennis court
• Edlesborough Parish Council - £5,000 towards the cost of replacing the original flooring at the village hall
• Leckhampstead Village Hall - £5,000 to help pay for improvements to the village hall, including replacement of electrics, upgraded toilet facilities and a new kitchen

So far in this financial year, just over £132,000 has been awarded to projects across the Vale, allowing a total investment in the district of £1.3 million. This means that for every £1 that AVDC has awarded, a further £10 has been invested in local projects.

Projects to receive support include improvements to a number of village halls, such as at Great Horwood and Cheddington, and children’s play areas at Northall and Stoke Mandeville.

Many other community projets have also been awarded grants, including the Riverside Walk in Buckingham and the Skidz project in Aylesbury.

Councillor Pam Pearce, Cabinet Member for Community Matters, believes the grants will make a huge difference in the local area and is pleased that many people will benefit from the financial assistance. She said: “These groups do a tremendous job in the local community and I am pleased that we are able to assist them with these grants. It is important that local community and voluntary organisations across the district realise that they can apply for grants and I would encourage others to come forward and make applications to see if there is a way the council can help.”
 
Information about applying for a grant is available on the council’s website. Although applications cannot be made online, it will be possible to request forms and make enquiries by calling Anne Vujanic on 01296 585186 or emailing avujanic@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

The next deadline for grant applications will be in May 2007.