Charities, community organisations and projects that provide a lifeline to vulnerable people in Mansfield, Ashfield, and Newark and Sherwood are to share more than £600,000 to help with their invaluable work.
The money is part of the latest round of funding from Nottinghamshire County Council’s Covid-19 Partnership Social Recovery Fund (SRF) and the Community Hub Food Plan Fund.
Funding totalling £500,000 is to be given to 29 organisations from the SRF, while Communities Committee members also gave the go-ahead for £117,632 from the Community Hub Food Plan Fund to be shared among 11 projects.
Both funding initiatives were launched during the pandemic to support organisations that provide much-needed help and assistance to some of the most vulnerable residents.
Coun John Cottee, chairman of the Communities Committee, said: “Nottinghamshire is blessed with a wealth of community groups and charities. I have visited some of the groups and organisations that have benefited from funding to hear how the work they carry out is making a real difference to the lives of people in their communities.
“I cannot thank them enough for the work they have done and continue to do.”
Projects that will receive £5,000 or more from the Covid-19 Partnership Social Recovery Fund include:
£15,700 — Sherwood Forest Educational Partnership CIC, New Ollerton (Active Partners Trust and Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust) to boost physical activity rates for younger people in an area with poor health outcomes.
£12,629 — Mid Notts Dementia Friendly Community Partnership, to deliver four weekly train the trainer dementia interpreter courses in Ashfield and Newark and Sherwood, which will provide a memory café, chair-based exercise, and a carers’ wellbeing programme.
£39,740 — Newark Emmaus Trust, to provide a support worker and additional therapy expertise for young homeless people, as well as access to a range of services, particularly support with mental health and wellbeing.
£46,860 — Bassetlaw, Gedling, Newark & Sherwood & Rushcliffe CABs in Partnership, countywide to help the programme deliver an additional 330 training days across the network, recruit a minimum of 36 new shared volunteers to support at least another 1,200 clients with a range of services.
£15,700 — Sherwood Forest Educational Partnership CIC, New Ollerton, a partnership project between Active Partners Trust and Sherwood Forest Hospital Trust will use the funding to boost physical activity in an area with poor health outcomes and activity rates for younger people.
£10,000 — Newark Rugby Club, to deliver a one-year supported programme of mental health first aid training for 32 volunteers across the senior and junior sections of the club.
£6,000 — Newark Friendship Group, to help the group continue to provide a safe and supported environment for people of all ages to meet, with plans to partner with other organisations and venues to extend its offer.
£5,000 — Literacy Volunteers, countywide, to recruit, train and support 50 new volunteers to help deliver reading in Nottinghamshire’s primary schools.
Projects that will receive £5,000 or more from the Community Hub Food Plan Fund include:
Money will also be used to pay for a polytunnel, greenhouse, raised beds’ equipment and compost.
£7,730 — Newark and Sherwood District Council, to establish two social eating events each month at three social housing venues, providing food safety training and volunteer opportunities for 10 people.
For further information on how residents and community groups can access a range of grants and funding schemes, visit www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/financialsupport