Charities across Nottinghamshire could benefit from thousands of pounds worth of funding thanks to a council grant.
The money is set to fund projects including local food banks, community cafes and groups to continue supporting the most vulnerable people in the county.
Councillors will be asked to approve funding for 21 organisations and charities in Nottinghamshire at next week’s county council Communities Committee on 3 November .
A total of £297,565 of the funding will come from the Covid-19 Partnership Social Recovery Fund and £136,190 will come from the Community Hub Food Plan Fund.
A further £36,136 of funding has already been approved.
Ellen Ryan, Assistant Manager at Bassetlaw Food Bank, said they set up a fruit and veg box scheme with council funding earlier this year.
Next week, councillors could approve an extra £10,000 of funding for the scheme to continue for another six months.
Ellen said: “We provide emergency food parcels but it isn’t really a solution, it is more of a sticking plaster.
“We wanted to do something for people to move away from that situation so we decided to start the fruit and veg box scheme where families pay £3 for a box worth between £15 and £20.
“There’s lovely fresh fruit and veg in there and we deliver every other week from Priory Fruit Shop.
“If we get the extra funding, it means we can keep up the scheme. We’ve proved there is a need for this, people really appreciate it.
“People who are disabled can now access it and families are eating more healthily.”
Full list of projects set to be approved by councillors
- £10,000 – Bassetlaw Food Bank – To provide a fruit and vegetable box twice a month to 50 families in Bassetlaw in receipt of Universal Credit, Pension Credit or ESA.
- £5,270 – Willow Community Group, Bassetlaw – The funding requested is for an outdoor shelter at the café based at the community gardens which connects vulnerable residents experiencing depression, loss of confidence.
- £9,000 – Hope Nottingham CIO, Broxtowe and Gedling – The funding will pay for a Linking Lives Coordinator for 20 hours per week for a befriending programme using volunteers who telephone people who are lonely and isolated.
- £10,800 – Beeston Community Resource CIO, Broxtowe – To provide funding to support the full re-opening of a Community Cafe in Beeston. The funding will cover staff and catering costs for six months.
- £11,500 – Relate Nottinghamshire, Broxtowe – This funding would enable
Relate to make 560 free calls supporting approximately 900 residents with issues including job loss and relationship breakdown. - £11,781 – Mansfield CVS One Step at a Time – The funding will pay for a coordinator and equipment for the walk and talk programme, targeting those with mild depression and people who are isolated and lonely.
- £15,600 The Friary Advice Centre, West Bridgford – The centre opened during the
pandemic and funding will contribute to running costs for the next 12 months. - £20,000 – OASIS Community Church, Centre & Gardens, Bassetlaw – The
funding will cover staffing, equipment, and refreshments at the trust which supports vulnerable residents. - £22,000 Nottinghamshire Together Partnership, countywide – The money will fund a survey of the Nottinghamshire Community & Voluntary Sector to establish the health of the sector and to develop an action plan.
- £29,544 – Ashfield Citizens Advice Bureau – Funding will fully support the recruitment, training and salary of a full time Housing Support Officer for 12 months.
- £31,475 – Citizens Advice Broxtowe – Funding will support the costs of employing a Debt Liaison Officer for 12 months.
- £31,745 – Mansfield Citizens Advice Bureau – To fully support the recruitment of a full time Training and Recruitment Officer.
- £98,800 – Citizens Advice, Bassetlaw, Newark & Sherwood, Nottingham – Rushcliffe and Gedling – To fully support the recruitment and salary of three specialist financial support advisors to cover Newark & Sherwood, Bassetlaw, Rushcliffe & Gedling for 12 months.
- £6,495 – Netherfield Forum, Gedling – To support an established community group in Netherfield to make and deliver an estimated 60-80 free hot meals per day to individuals and families over a period of four months throughout the winter.
- £7,317 – Hucknall Cottage Gardener’s Association, Ashfield – To fund a polytunnel, beds and ground preparation to establish a community garden called the Health and Wellbeing Sanctuary.
- £8,063 – Family Action, Ashfield; Mansfield; Bassetlaw; Newark & Sherwood – The funding will buy food ingredients to supplement already subsidised provisions to create a healthy balanced family meal. Funding will be used for a project worker and food costs to help 50 families.
- £11,110 – Let’s All Eat, Ashfield – A social eating project to enable vulnerable people to access affordable and healthy food in deprived areas of Sutton in Ashfield. Funding will be used for venue hire, food, and volunteer training costs.
- £12,500 – Hope Nottingham CIO, Gedling and Broxtowe – Funding will enable
two current posts to continue. - £15,205 – The Social Action Hub, Newark & Sherwood – Funding will support a year of weekly sessions where 35 free communal meals are provided as well as signposting to services and support.
- £30,500 – Feeding Britain, Mansfield and Ashfield – The project is to improve the accessibility and affordability of nutritious food.
- £35,000- Ashfield District Council – Funding for a 12-month full-time post to address food insecurity.
