Collingham Rural Advice and Resource Centre has secured a life-saving grant donation from Newark and Sherwood District Council that will allow it to continue to support the community throughout the next year.

The centre, which has been running for more than 20 years, serves Collingham and the surrounding villages, offering free and confidential advice on a wide-range of issues including debt, benefits, employment, housing, immigration and disability.

It also houses Newark and Sherwood Citizens Advice Centre and is an important signposting service, helping to connect people with community support.

Committee Member at Collingham Rural Advice and Resource Centre, Linda Dales, said: “The funding really saved us from closing. It would have been difficult to see how we would have kept going without the extra boost.

“The centre is vital for Collingham and the rural communities surrounding it and we’re over the moon with the funding. A big thank you to Newark and Sherwood District Council and we’re looking forward to an exciting year ahead supporting the most vulnerable in the community.”

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic the centre closed its doors to the public, but it still continued to support people online and through telephone calls.

The centre is self-funding and normally raises funds at summer shows and raffles to pay for the advisory service, rent, insurance and computer services. However, as many summer shows became cancelled the future of the centre was put in jeopardy.

Newark and Sherwood Council launched a Discretionary Grant Fund in the wake of the pandemic to support small and micro businesses that are not eligible for other grant schemes.

Collingham Rural Advice and Resource Centre was successful in applying for the scheme and secured nearly £4,000 in funding so they can continue their work.

The grant means they have sufficient funds to extend their contract with Citizens Advice for 2021 and gives them the breathing space to fundraise from other sources during 2021 for the following two years.

Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, Coun David Lloyd, said: “The Discretionary Grant Scheme was made available to provide much needed financial support to those businesses who didn’t receive government funding and had been adversely impacted by COVID-19.”

“It’s rewarding to see the grant make a real difference in the county and it’s done a great job supporting those who need it most.”

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