Community Project Grants Up For Grabs
Police are offering grants of up to £500 to voluntary and local groups in North Worcestershire for projects that will help support crime reduction and community safety.The grants are up for grabs from a £10,000 pot being made available by the North Worcestershire Division of West Mercia Police.
Voluntary and community groups in Redditch, Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest are invited to bid for a share of funding for 2009-10 following the success of last year’s pilot scheme.
Projects must contribute to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, protecting vulnerable people and reducing the harm caused by drugs and alcohol abuse. These are all key aims for West Mercia Police.
The funding is for schemes that must be completed and the grants spent by March 31, 2010. They are available to registered charities as well as voluntary and community groups.
The funding is part of a Community Safety budget held by North Worcestershire Division.
Past schemes have benefited projects providing diversionary activities for youngsters to reduce anti-social behaviour during school holidays and crime prevention schemes.
Among the schemes that benefited last year was a Drop-In Centre run by Youth Outreach Stourport, providing Friday night activities for 13-18 year-olds in the town. The scheme, which has the full support from the Local Policing Team is still going strong and is extremely popular.
Hagley Youth Project also received a grant towards running costs and one-off trips, while Age Concern Wyre Forest used the funding it received to support its gardening and handyperson service for local pensioners – helping to deter doorstep crime.
Announcing this year’s scheme Support Services Manager for North Worcester Division, Rachel Hartland Lane, said: “This scheme was very popular last year and helped to fund some very worthwhile projects for the benefit of the people involved and the wider community.
“Due to the demand last time around we felt it was important to continue with this scheme and we hope the grants available this year will help groups and organisations finance equally valuable work for people living in North Worcestershire.”
Application forms are available from the West Mercia Police website at www.westmercia.police.uk by visiting the Local Policing pages and clicking on the North Worcestershire link. Contact details for Local Policing Teams can also be found there along with more information about West Mercia Police’s key objectives.
Applications must be made by Monday, August 31, and those awarded grants will be notified by September 30. Groups applying are being encouraged to discuss their bids with their Local Policing Teams.