Funding boost for voluntary groups in South Cambridgeshire

Community groups in South Cambridgeshire have been given a funding boost thanks to grants from the District Council.

Supporting local people with their mental health, helping families with young children, supporting the elderly, tackling poverty and disability transport are among the community groups to share more than £148,000 in grants.

A total of 11 voluntary sector groups have received funding for the coming financial year as part of the Council’s Grants to the Voluntary Sector scheme.

Cllr Bill Handley, Lead Cabinet member for communities, said: “The grant process this year has prioritised more funding to projects that support those people who are being impacted the most by the cost-of-living crisis. We are extremely proud of the continuing work we do to support the voluntary sector in our communities. These groups are invaluable in making sure that people who require it, receive timely and compassionate support.”

The groups receiving grants are:

• Home Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire £13,711 - provides early-intervention, volunteer-led home visiting support for vulnerable at-risk families with diverse and often complex issues. The grant will help support the mental wellbeing of 10 families in South Cambridgeshire.
• Cambridge Dial-a-Ride £5,000 - provides local transport services to elderly and disabled residents through a membership scheme which is safe, affordable, and accessible to community groups and individuals who have difficulty accessing public transport.
• Care Network Cambridgeshire £8,000 – helps communities to involve local people to support each other both individually and through groups and activities. Supports 29 community car schemes and around 900 people across the District.
• Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service £11,400 - provides independent support services to community and voluntary groups in South Cambridgeshire. Also supports and advises parish councils on community related projects and advice on non-statutory governance matters.
• Cambridgeshire Older People’s Enterprise £2,000 - a voluntary organisation comprising residents aged 50+ fulfilling various health-related functions including social contact, friendship, support and information. The grant will help produce a bimonthly newsletter of health and general articles with details of local social and fitness groups, circulated by post, email, libraries, GP surgeries and other groups for older people.
• Arts and Minds £4,000 - Supporting positive mental health and wellbeing through creativity, with an aim to increase resident engagement in programmes such as the twice monthly creative cafe, weekly choir and pottery workshops.
• The Voluntary Network £5,000 – provides very low-cost community transport and befriending service. The grant will help provide Dial A Ride transport, a community car service, recruit new volunteer drivers for the South Cambridgeshire area and a referrals only befriending scheme to help build friendships and support networks.
• REACH Community £5,000 - a charity that tackles poverty and recognises that debt, low/no income and homelessness can have a devastating effect. The grant will help provide an outreach adviser to various villages in and around Haverhill.
• Disability Huntingdon £6,289 - providing advice, information and advocacy services for people of all ages with disabilities, including children, carers and older people, through outreach where possible.
• Royston & District Community Transport £7,000 - providing a very low cost, door to door, demand responsive, transport service to residents of South Cambridgeshire, who for reasons of age or infirmity or social isolation cannot use or have no access to public transport.
• Citizens Advice £100,000 - provides free advice to meet the needs of everyone who lives, works, or studies in Cambridgeshire and South Cambridgeshire, with general information, advice and advocacy on rights and responsibilities in areas including debt, benefits, employment, housing, legal and family matters.

The grants are given at the start of each new financial year and the Council makes a pledge to continue that support for the next three years, subject to satisfactory progress reports.