Mayor launches £900,000 community chest

Communities across Greater Manchester are invited to bid for a slice of £900,000 to build strong neighbourhoods, boost volunteering and empower the region’s young people.

Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has launched three funding pots - the Active Citizens’ Fund, Commissioner’s Neighbourhood Fund and the Youth Aspiration Fund. Community groups and organisations can apply for small grants up to £5,000, to investment in projects up to £30,000.

Tony said: “There is real ambition and spirit engrained throughout Greater Manchester to bring communities together and make a difference. I’ve met hundreds of people who take real pride in where they live, working together to take ownership of their local area and, with support from agencies such as the police and local authorities, transform their local area.

“This funding will help that work to thrive and empower more local people to work together to build strong, cohesive, and safer neighbourhoods.”

There are three funding pots available:

• Commissioner’s Neighbourhood Fund (£200,000): Grants up to £1000 are available for projects aimed at reducing demand on policing services, building safer neighbourhoods, increasing neighbourliness and encouraging communities to help themselves and others.

• Active Citizen’s Fund (£200,000): Grants up to £5,000 for projects that encourage citizens to become involved in local community projects and organisations and supports volunteers.

• Youth Aspiration Fund (£500,000): Youth groups and organisations can apply for grants of up to £30,000 for projects aimed at empowering young people and developing their life skills.

Last year, more than 30 projects won a share of the Youth Aspiration Fund, benefiting thousands of children and young people across Greater Manchester.

Challenge 4 Change used youth aspiration funding to run its ‘Team Mates not Inmates’ scheme to work with young people to educate them on the consequences of getting involved in risky behaviour.

In Bury, New Springs Community Project Group has used the funding to provide activities for local children.

Ray Wallis, director of New Springs, said: “The funding helped provide a successful Fun 4 Summer programme of exciting events and trips for local children. We are also setting up a youth club pilot scheme – volunteers have been recruited and training is underway. Without this money, this would not have been possible.”

Other projects included hard-hitting initiatives using mock prison cells and real-life experiences to educate young people about the consequences of crime, the development of a youth hub in the heart of the community where young people can get support, advice and learn new skills, and interactive, theatre-based projects exploring issues of grooming, bullying and anti-social behaviour.

For more information or to apply for a grant, visit www.gmpcc.org.uk/funding.

ENDS

Issued: 28 January 2016.

Picture: Bury project New Springs – Cllr Tamoor Tariq, Bury Council's lead on community safety, with community development worker Rachael Bamber and local helpers and children.