New grants awarded to community groups during the Christmas period

Festive grants awarded to nine community groups, Grants awarded between £100 and £700, Grants used to support community groups with Christmas meals for isolated and vulnerable residents

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.

Many 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.

Nine groups were awarded grants of a total amount of £2,600. Successful groups are:

• £300 for Better Way Recovery - to provide Christmas meals
• £300 for Manor House – Tamworth Foodbank in Wilnecote - To purchase non-perishable food goods
• £700 for Communities Together CIC - to provide festive breakfasts and lunches
• £100 for Monday Club for the Blind – to help towards a Christmas pa
• £600 for the Heart of Tamworth Community Project - to provide Christmas parcels to families identified through schools
• £200 for Community Children Count - for Christmas meals
• £100 for Changes Tamworth – continue support of their work
• £200 for Dosthill WI - to hold an open day for the community of Dosthill, with seasonal crafts and activities, a visit to Santa and an Elf trail in Dosthill Park to solve the mystery greeting
• £100 for Tamworth Hygiene Bank – towards the purchase of personal hygiene care and household cleaning essentials - including deodorant, shower gel, shampoo, make-up, nappies, toilet roll, laundry detergent and surface cleaner.

Councillor Martin Summers, Tamworth Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Voluntary Sector, Town Centre, Evening Economy and Community Safety, said: “Christmas is a time of year that should bring people together and remind them that they are not alone. We wanted to help as many groups and organisations as possible support isolated and vulnerable residents at Christmas.

“I want to thank all of our voluntary and community groups, for their hard work and support they offer our residents all year round.”