Parklife Community Fund opens for local groups to apply

Support for ‘Superjosh’ Brain Tumour Charity continues as Manchester City Council and Bury Council are awarded festival donations.

Parklife Festival is inviting local community groups to apply for grants from their 2017 Community Fund.

The fund, collected from contributions made at the festival by guest list attendees, is now open to community groups based near Heaton Park, in co-operation with Manchester City Council and Bury Council.

The fund adds to Manchester City Council's Neighbourhood Investment Fund and also enables Bury Council to increase funding for its own annual scheme.

Special consideration will be given to groups and projects that support parks and green spaces and youth projects.

The Manchester fund covers Higher Blackley and Crumpsall wards, with an application from the Friends of Blackley Cemetery already having been awarded. Current bids include Heaton Park Astronomy Group and the Heaton Park Beekeepers. The application process is open to Manchester-based community groups year-round.

The Bury fund covers Sedgley, Holyrood and St Mary’s Wards, as part of the council’s participatory budget, with individual award limits of £1,000 and a deadline of 4pm on Wednesday 4 January. A vote on all Bury-based projects pitched will take place at 7pm on Monday 6 February at the Longfield Suite, Prestwich.

The Parklife Community Fund will be open for applications annually, with a further round of awards to be made next year.

It has come about as a result of the festival’s approach to partnership working with Manchester and Bury councils to reach out to community groups who might benefit from additional investment.

The Community Fund also supports its official championed charity ‘Superjosh’ for brain tumour sufferers and families.

Councillor Luthfur Rahman, executive member for culture and leisure at Manchester City Council, said: "The Parklife Community Fund provides an excellent opportunity for north Manchester residents to apply for grants which will enable important local projects to take place. We are particularly keen to hear from young residents in Higher Blackley and Crumpsall and for any groups with great ideas for their local green spaces to come forward."

Prestwich councillor Alan Quinn, Bury Council’s cabinet member for the

environment, said: “I’ve been liaising with Parklife for a couple of years now encouraging them to spend money with local businesses in Prestwich and for Prestwich to benefit from the Parklife event. Last year I approached Parklife and asked them to set up a community fund for the areas around Heaton Park and they agreed.

“This money will be used for predominately youth and ‘green’ groups; each group can bid for up to £1,000 for their projects and the bids will be decided on by the Prestwich Township Forum, to ensure clarity and transparency. I urge people and groups to come forward and put in a bid as soon as possible.”

Jon Drape, Parklife Festival Director, said: "I am really excited to get the Parklife Community Fund launched and see another year of projects kick-started. We recognise that Parklife does have an impact on the local community and whilst trying to mitigate the effects on the weekend of the event, it is nice to contribute something to the communities living around Heaton Park all year round. I encourage all groups to make applications so we can help support their projects.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 13 December 2016.