Council helps fund community groups
More than 20 voluntary and community groups that help vulnerable people have been given grants of up to £5,000 by St Albans City and District Council
The awards have been issued by the Council’s Community Grants Fund.
The grants support local projects that help local vulnerable people. It is hoped the schemes will have a positive and lasting impact.
Among the 22 grants issued is an award of £1,750 to the Talking Newspaper’s Outreach 2015/16 programme to expand its service to blind/partially-sighted local residents.
The grant will enable more listeners to contribute to weekly programmes and will also help launch Blind Spot meetings in local cafes.
St Albans Mencap is to receive £3,888 for its Buy, Cook and Eat project.
This will contribute to the cost of eight-week courses in basic cooking skills, helping around 40 vulnerable adults with learning disability, autism or mental health issues.
The YMCA, West and Central Herts, will receive £4,993 to help young people aged 13 to 17 in Cunningham, St Albans, enter the 2016 Youth Bike competition.
The teenagers will build a motor bike during weekly sessions and work towards gaining a Youth Achievement Award by writing reports, taking photos and carrying out practical tasks.
The Community Grants Fund is designed to support the Council’s Inclusion Strategy, targeting all sections of the community.
Applications were received from community organisations that have been helped before as well as groups that had not been funded previously.
Councillor Beric Read, Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement and Localism for St Albans City and District Council, said:
“These grants help many local people. They are going towards a wide range of projects and reach out to the young, the old, the disabled and many others. We are pleased to support the good work done by many voluntary and community groups in the District.
“These awards are part of our continuing £500,000 a year commitment to our local voluntary sector.
Councillor contact:
Cllr Beric Read, Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement and Localism at St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 07956 220264, Email: cllr.b.read@stalbans.gov.uk
Contact for the media:
John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City District Council
Tel: 01727 296130
E-mail: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk
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Note: More information on St Albans and District Talking Newspaper can be found on the website http://www.sadtn.org.uk/; St Albans Mencap’s is on http://www.stalbansmencap.org.uk/; and YMCA West and Central Herts website is on https://oneymca.org/