£233,000 boost to improve community facilities in Nottinghamshire

Community projects which include improvements to sporting facilities, play areas and the local visitor experience are set to share more than £233,500 worth of grants.

Twenty-eight groups and organisations are to receive capital grants via the latest round of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Local Communities Fund (LCF).

It means they will be able to use the funding to continue their tireless work improving the health and well-being of residents and helping make communities an even better place to live.

Eligible groups were invited to apply for up to £20,000, with the next round of grants due to open later this autumn.

Councillor John Cottee, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said he was delighted so many groups, voluntary organisations and parish councils applied for funding.

He said: “We are proud to continue to offer these capital grants which help support the wonderful work of the voluntary sector in Nottinghamshire.

“Community groups and charities provide a crucial lifeline to people of all ages and those who have been successful in securing funding this time have all demonstrated that they are helping residents to live healthier and more independent lives.

“Since it was launched almost two years ago, the LCF has proved to be a huge success and has made life so much easier for groups and organisations to access support to continue their invaluable work.

“I’d like to thank all the organisations for taking the time to apply for funding and wish them well for the future.”

The 28 groups that will share £233,537 of LCF capital grants are:

• Attenborough Elderflowers – Station Adopters – £1,200 – the grant will cover the costs of design work and buying art materials as part of a project to create ‘Street Art' for the benefit of visitors to Attenborough Station;
• Blidworth Parish Council – £2,000 – to purchase trail boards and digital information as part of a project to create a ‘Blidworth Walking Trail’ depicting the history and points of interest of the village;
• Calverton and Woodborough Allotment Association – £2,000 – the grant will be put towards purchasing ‘greener’ equipment and tools and improving an access road and paths at the allotments for the benefit of residents, in particular wheelchair users;
• Calverton Parish Council – £20,000 – to buy and install new play equipment to improve James Seeley Park;
• Chilwell Memorial Institute and Hall – £15,000 – to cover renovation costs and buy a 100-year plaque as part of a project to develop Chilwell Memorial Hall by converting a room to provide an additional, accessible, and environmentally-friendly community space which will accommodate a wider range of activities for the benefit of the community;
• Coddington Village Hall – £7,500 – to cover the costs of refurbishing the toilet facilities and improving access and a baby-changing area as part of a scheme to improve the building’s facilities;
• Cropwell Bishop Parish Council – £1,250 – the funding will be used for buying and installing carbon reduced lights at the Parish Council Clerk office (The Old School) as part of ongoing efforts by the council to reduce its carbon footprint;
• Egmanton Village Hall – £7,900 – the funding will be used to help cover the costs of developing the building and installing a new, energy efficient heating system and insulation;
• Farndon Cricket Club – £20,000 – for the installation of a steel cricket cage and nets to improve safety. It is hoped the improved facilities will attract more players, thereby improving health and wellbeing;
• Friends of Cotgrave Country Park – £4,592 – the funding will be put towards the design, manufacture, and installation costs of information boards as part of ongoing efforts to improve the park’s visitor experience;
• Friends of Moor Pond Woods – £2,175 – to cover the costs of replacing the interpretation boards and creating a virtual tour as part of the ongoing drive to improve the visitor experience and tourism;
• Friends of Woodlands and Coachwood Green – £20,000 – to further develop part of the former Shireoaks Colliery site as a ‘Wildlife Discovery Area’ by enhancing the biodiversity, providing a space to learn about the habitats and species. Improvements also include providing a welcoming and safe car park and better access for visitors;
• Hawton Parish Council – £4,745 – to purchase three gateway signs as part of a project to create a visual impact and ‘a sense of place' for residents, visitors and passing traffic;
• Keyworth Table Tennis Club – £1,327 – to upgrade facilities to improve user experience and attract new members, helping to reduce loneliness and improve health and wellbeing, especially for children and vulnerable adults;
• Our Centre, Kirkby in Ashfield – £9,078 – to cover the costs of improving security and implementing energy efficient measures as part of a programme of refurbishments;
• Radcliffe Methodist Youth Group and Community Bus – £6,800 – to put towards purchasing a community minibus used by young people which provides a meeting place and promotes health and wellbeing;
• Ravenshead Parish Council – £20,000 – to fund the refurbishment and modernisation of Ravenshead Leisure Centre and to also help it meet Football Association-quality standards;
• Retford Cricket Club – £2,743 – to improve the female toilets and shower facilities as part of the modernisation of the cricket club’s premises, which will benefit the growing number of women and girls participating in the sport and/or social events;
• Retford Cricket Club – £936 – the funding will be used as a contribution towards the costs of improving the male toilet facilities;
• Retford Tennis Club – £7,184 – to develop the courts with the aim of encouraging more people and volunteers to engage in tennis/walking tennis;
• Skegby Parish Church – £14,883 – to help pay for building improvements –including a new heating system, radiators, and toilet facilities – to create a warm, welcoming and accessible space for the benefit of the community which uses the building for a range of activities;
• Southwell Town Council – £20,000 – for the installation of a new multi-use, wheelchair-accessible skatepark and Bramley Apple Lawn as part of a project to celebrate the Southwell Bramley Apple heritage;
• St John Ambulance – £10,000 – for the provision of an environmentally-friendly, adaptable, mobile ‘Community Support Unit’ and equipment which trained drivers use to offer rapid first aid services for the benefit of countywide residents;
• The MOB, Retford – £500 – to help purchase radio microphones for a project which provides young people aged eight to 18 with opportunities to take part in musical theatre experiences, activities, and community performances;
• The Social Action Hub, Rainworth – £10,849 – funding will be put towards the cost of redesigning and improving the community space, including the kitchen and toilet facilities, to make it more accessible, welcoming and environmentally friendly – particularly for disabled people;
• Whatton-Aslockton Playing Field Trust – £3,625 – to help cover the costs of upgrading the pavilion and making it more accessible to encourage teams and residents to use the facilities;
• Woodborough Parish Council – £6,572 – for the installation of an extended rubber mulch area to provide a safer, cushioned surface to improve the safety of the Governors’ Field Play Area;
• YMCA Robin Hood Group, Newark and Sherwood – £10,678 – to help fund the purchase of bicycles, bike rack and bicycle storage as part of a wider project to develop safe cycle paths and accessible, connecting routes to improve the health and wellbeing, and bike-riding confidence for people of all ages in the Newark and Sherwood area.

For online financial support and advice, check the council’s dedicated cost of living support page www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/business-community/cost-of-living-support