Community groups urged to bid for funds
The latest round of Worcestershire County Council's grants for Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations includes a £225,000 opportunity to help vulnerable people around the county.The money is available to fund a three-year 'Mentoring Support Project for Vulnerable People', which will help local residents with housing problems, particularly those who've been in trouble with the law in the past.
Also available in this fifth round of County Council grants is funding for community arts projects, known as First Base Arts Grants, and funding for Celebrating Diversity initiatives.
Applicants for First Base Arts Grants can bid for up to £500 per project, while Celebrating Diversity Grants offer up to £1,000 per project.
Three special information sessions will take place in March and April for Voluntary and Community Sector groups to learn more about the grants, how to make an application and find out about the full range of support that's available. The events are being held at:
• Redditch Town Hall on Thursday, March 25, at 10am;
• Worcester's St Peter's Baptist Church on Monday, March 29, at 10am;
• Malvern's Prospect View Health Centre on Thursday, April 1, at 10am.
The deadline for applications to be received is 4pm on Friday, April 30, and full details can be found on the VCS pages of the County Council's website at www.worcestershire.gov.uk/voluntary
Some examples of previous projects that received VCS Grants funding include a 'nature-art' play area for children, a street dance project for young people and sessions with a fitness instructor for older people.
Councillor Simon Geraghty, Worcestershire County Council's Cabinet Member for Planning, Economy and Performance, said: "This is a very significant round of funding because it includes a large amount of money to help vulnerable people with their housing needs. Tackling social exclusion helps everyone in the county by making a more stable and secure community. I hope to see some very high quality applications from VCS groups, who have proven time and time again that they can deliver excellent value for money and very impressive results."
For more information, please call Suzy James, Worcestershire County Council's VCS Unit Coordinator, on 01905 728650 01905 728650 or email sjames2@worcestershire.gov.uk.