Local groups prosper through Community Chest
Archived press release
Date Published: 08/06/09
The celebration event was held at Stewkley Village Hall
Aylesbury Vale-based groups and organisations continue to benefit from a £5 million funding pot designed to boost local communities.
At the end of its second year, the Aylesbury Vale Community Chest, managed jointly by AVDC and the Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust, has provided over £822,000 of funds to more than 160 local community groups and charities.
Many of this year’s successful grant recipients attended a celebration event at Stewkley Village Hall on 3 June to mark the second anniversary of the scheme.
Over the past year, the grant fund awarded a total of £463,811. This money has been spent on a wide variety of projects, such as community planting schemes, playgroups, a scuba diving club and even uniforms for a choir, along with some much needed community services.
More than £46,000 was awarded in 55 micro-grants, helping to fund projects with a total cost of £380,000. It is estimated that 68,000 people benefited from these projects.
The Maids Moreton Pre-school were one of the 55 to receive a micro-grant of up to £1,000. They were awarded £1,000 by the Community Chest last year to buy gardening equipment for the pre-school’s garden.
Children, aged two to four, went on to grow their own vegetables, which won second prize in the Buckingham Horticultural Society’s autumn show.
The Community Chest Grants Officer, Sarah Rothwell, then told the group about the Big Lottery’s Breathing Spaces fund and encouraged them to apply, which they did. They were delighted when they were awarded a staggering further £10,000 to develop the garden for use year-round.
The pre-school now has a colourful and safe playground surface, with a versatile outdoor classroom that provides shelter and shade, letting the children play outside, whatever the weather.
A total of £252,201 was awarded in 20 project grants of up to £25,000. Successful applicants included:
• Ashendon Playing Fields Association – received £24,000 towards a new multi-purpose sports pavilion
• Cancer and Bio-Detection Dogs - obtained a £20,000 grant towards the development of their work with dogs that are trained to detect human disease by odour
• Aylesbury Youth Action – awarded £12,000 to help encourage young volunteers from a diverse range of backgrounds and abilities to get involved in local projects
• Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio – received £10,000 towards the cost of a new studio
The grants panel also approved nine long-term revenue grants totalling £165,000 per year. The Healthy Living Centre in Aylesbury (£25,000), Vale Volunteers (£20,000) and the Buckingham and Winslow District Citizens Advice Bureau (£19,750) were amongst the groups to benefit.
Councillor Kevin McPartland, Chairman of the Aylesbury Vale Community Chest Grants Panel, said: “Since its foundation in 2007, the Aylesbury Vale Community Chest fund has allowed community and volunteer groups to bring dozens of important projects into fruition all over the district. These groups and organisations provide a variety of choices and opportunities to people, often in rural areas where, without the hard work and dedication of volunteers and community groups, the same chances would not always be open to residents. We are proud to support and help these local groups and we would encourage anyone who is keen to deliver a community project to contact our grants officers.”
For more information on how to apply for funding, see www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/community-living, call the grants team on 01296 585634 or email communitychest@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk