Community groups share borough council grants

The grant awards were confirmed by the council’s Cabinet at a meeting on 9 June 2014, and include additional one-off allocations from the borough council and Public Health Warwickshire.

Amongst the recipients are Age UK (£17,000), Rugby Citizens Advice Bureau (£55,000), Rugby Foodbank (£2500) and five community organisations (£7500 each).

Apart from these organisations which have agreements with the council to provide services on its behalf, voluntary and community groups shared out nearly £21,000 on projects that would benefit the communities they served. Amongst others in this category, grants were awarded to Rugby Fibromyalgia Support Group (£500), ROSA (£1500), Warwickshire Association for the Blind (£1198) and 12th Rugby Scout Group (£1368.18).

Grants have also been awarded for rural development, totalling £27,000, play (£6400), arts (£1550), sports (£10500) and public health (£6900). Just over £3000 that was unallocated is available through the year for projects meeting priorities around public health or regeneration.

Amongst the more unusual grant awards was for £10,000 to the Rugby Model Engineering Society, who will match these funds with income generated from sales of tickets for train rides and children's parties. The project will see the Society double the length of their existing miniature railway tracks, providing a unique facility for families across the borough to enjoy on their popular running days.

Cllr Leigh Hunt, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for Sustainable Inclusive Communities, said: "The award of grants to community organisations provides a valuable opportunity for the voluntary and community sector in Rugby.

"We know that funding is tight, so we have maintained our service level agreements and increased the funding available through our community grants.

“The grants we have awarded all meet our criteria and so we know that they will help a wide variety of organisations to develop and improve their facilities or services for our residents, or to try something new with a little bit of extra funding. I look forward to hearing how these schemes have made a difference to the communities and organisations involved.”