New grants awarded to community groups during the Christmas period

Councillors have been spreading some festive cheer by giving out cash awards across the borough to support an event, scheme or special project that brings residents together or supports isolated residents during the Christmas period.

The Festive Grant Scheme is an initiative designed to reach a wide range of voluntary or community groups in each of the borough’s 10 electoral wards, towards projects which boost community spirit, support our vulnerable and tackle loneliness.

Tamworth Borough Council invited voluntary and community groups across the town to discuss proposals with one of their Ward Councillors who helped the bidders to complete and submit an application form to the Cabinet Grants Sub-Committee.

More than 24 councillors pooled their £100 festive grant allocation to support several anchor voluntary and community organisations, to enable an award to make a bigger impact on the communities they support.

Eight groups have now been awarded grants of a total amount of £3,850. Successful groups are:

• £1,000 for Communities Together CIC, to provide festive breakfasts and lunches with Santa.
• £1,000 for the Tamworth Foodbank, to provide up to 150 festive frozen food parcels to families and individuals during the festive period.
• £250 for the Heart of Tamworth, for Christmas meals for the homeless and isolated on Christmas Day.
• £1000 for Home-start and Number 8 Charity, for Christmas lunches for 50 home-start volunteers, young mums and volunteers at No 8 Charity.

• £300 for the Rotary Club Tamworth, towards the upkeep of the Christmas Sleigh.
• £100 for the CAMEO Club, towards a festive lunch for 22 isolated residents in Wilnecote.
• £100 for the Wilnecote Congregational Church, towards a Carol Service for the Manor House Day Centre residents.
•  £100 for the Community Children Count, towards a Christmas choir in the community and a Christmas film night with a party including a Santa visit.

Local community and voluntary groups have also received £2,000 of community grants, thanks to additional funding during the COVID-19 recovery phase.

Cabinet recently approved the allocation of more than £27,000 for a central partnerships budget for use as community grant funding from 2021/22.

The funding combined the previous Arts, Sports and Voluntary sector grants. Latest beneficiaries from the new fund include:

• £1,000 for Lichfield and Tamworth Sea Cadets, to purchase two kayaks for the group to help gain more experience and practical skills on the water for new and previous cadets. The grant is agreed on the condition that the Sea Cadets will help facilitate free of charge kayaking activities as part of Tamworth Borough Council’s summer activity programme in 2022.
• £1000 for The Hygiene Bank, Tamworth Branch, to purchase toiletry and household cleaning items for families in the Tamworth area. These will be distributed through partner organisations including 14 local schools, The Food Bank, CAB, Job Centre and The Heart of Tamworth.

Cllr Daniel Cook, Tamworth Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Economy and Waste Services, said:“Christmas is a time of year that should bring people together and remind them that they are not alone. We want to help as many groups and organisations as possible support isolated and vulnerable residents this Christmas.

“It is great to see how many people will benefit this Christmas due to the Festive and additional Community grants.”

More information about grants can be found here: https://www.tamworth.gov.uk/grants.