Grants awarded to community organisations at last week’s Marlborough Area Board meeting

Every year the Marlborough Area Board will award grants to applicant community groups under three main categories – Community Area Grants, Youth Grants, and Health and Wellbeing Grants but also as Area Board Initiative grants as well.

At last week’s Marlborough Area Board meeting, the last one for this financial year, several grants were awarded to deserving local organisations and causes enabling them provide better services to those that rely on them and are regular clients/users.

Two Health and Wellbeing grants were awarded – £585.42 to Carer Support Wiltshire towards the running of the Carer Cafe in Marlborough over the next financial year. The Carer Cafe is a monthly group open to all carers, enabling them to take a break from their caring role, make new friends, enjoy some tea and cake, and chat with others in relaxed, friendly surroundings. There is always a volunteer on hand to help and discuss issues carers face.

The same sum was awarded to Alzheimer’s Support, to help support a Local Memory Cafe project in East Grafton. A project, part of the Creating Connections programme of community-based activities, where those living with dementia and their carers can join together over tea and cakes to strike up friendships, chat informally to professionals, find out more about dementia and available support from a wide range of speakers.

An ‘Area Board Initiative’ award of £280 was made to Marlborough’s ‘Enablement Hub’, now resident in Elcot Lane to support young people with additional needs through empowering engagement with a variety of activities.

Community Area Grants were awarded to several local institutions: To the ‘Chilton Chicks’, a toddler group in the village of Chilton Foliat, which will go towards the creation of a necessary storage shed for all the toys and equipment purchased for the club by volunteers.

The Board also granted £3,500 to Greatwood, the equine charity at Clench Common, towards the installation of a CCTV system which is needed to further enhance onsite safeguarding of the vulnerable learners who visit Greatwood.

The Kennet Valley Hall in Lockeridge was awarded £3,971.50 towards the replacement of the popular external shelter and ‘outside gym’ that was now almost completely worn out through active use over the many years since it was installed.

“We are very pleased to help these organisations as this helps the community”, said Area Board Chair Wiltshire Councillor Jane Davies who welcomed the awarding of these grants.

The Area Board for the Marlborough area is able to award several different types of grant – ‘Community Area’ Grants, ‘Health and Wellbeing’ Grants, ‘Young Persons’ Grants and ‘Area Board Initiative’ Grants.

If you or any organisation wish to consider applying for any of these types of grant, normally awarded on a matched funding basis (if over £1,000), contact Andrew Jack, Area Board Community Engagement Manager at Andrew.jack@wiltshire.gov.uk.

To find out more about the criteria for the types of grant awards available click here to either view of download.