Cabinet backs £400,000 community investment cash boost

A major investment of more than £400,000 in community led projects to benefit residents in West Suffolk has been backed by Cabinet members.

Projects designed to help residents’ health, family support, counselling, advice and advocacy, community activities and initiatives involving young people in arts and sports, are set to receive funding from West Suffolk councils’ Community Chest.

Members of the West Suffolk Shadow Executive (Cabinet) agreed at their meeting on Tuesday unanimously to the recommendations that Community Chest grants being awarded.

Forest Heath District and St Edmundsbury Borough Councils have given a total of more than £1,480,100 over the last three years in Community Chest grants across West Suffolk. The money is part of the Councils’ Family and Community approach to achieve better outcomes and resilient communities.

Robin Millar, Cabinet Member for Families and Communities at Forest Heath District Council, said: “Community Chest is about empowering people – people who often have seen or experienced a social issue and have creative idea on how best to help their community put it right. Our role is to help enable those ideas to develop so that they can improve the lives of some of the residents that we represent. The success of Community Chest lies in strengthening families and empowering local communities to deal with the many challenges that we face in all walks of life.

“From breaking down the barriers between generations and creating role models among our young people, to providing emotional and practical support to people who have been impacted by domestic abuse, there are some great projects which I am pleased that my Cabinet colleagues agreed to support.”

Robert Everitt, Cabinet Member for Families and Communities at St Edmundsbury Borough Council ,said: “Local charities, community groups and voluntary organisations are often the best placed to help address some of the issues we face in our society. Community Chest allows us as councillors to help make these ideas happen, to invest in our local families and communities, in turn making life better for residents including some of the more vulnerable in West Suffolk.

“Not only was I pleased to see a strong mix of projects put forward helping parenting, supporting young carers, tackling loneliness and improving health, but glad to see these had unanimous support of Cabinet.”

In Forest Heath 10 organisations are approved to receive a share of £151,478 of funding in 2019/20. These include:

*       £4000 to Alumah community interest organisation to roll out a 12 week Freedom Programme offering practical and emotional support to people impacted by domestic abuse in the Mildenhall area
*       £15,612 to Home Start Mid and West Suffolk for a home visiting service to support perinatal parents and families who have a child with a disability or autism. This service will be provided in Red Lodge, Lakenheath and Mildenhall
*       £7,966 to The Voluntary Network for its new Connect and Support Service helping provide people who have had physio support, with an ongoing programme of gentle exercise as well as supporting people living with dementia
*       £27,160 to Sharing Parenting to take on an additional Outreach Family Support Worker who will engage and support parents with mental health  issues both through one to one work and by encouraging them to get involved with community activities
*       £35,000 to Citizens Advice Newmarket towards its service providing information, advice and advocacy plus supporting new volunteers in the development of their role as digital assistants
*       £40,000 to Citizens Advice Suffolk West to provide information, advice and advocacy across Forest Heath and to support work addressing changing needs including the roll out of Universal Credit in Newmarket and Mildenhall
*       £7,740 to Our Special Friends for its service which provides practical and emotional support to isolated and vulnerable people during illness, bereavement or other crises
*       £5,000 for Arts for Us providing free holiday provision for five to nine year olds in Forest Heath who have been allocated a place by referral due to in family, social or financial pressures
*       £4,000 to Young People of the Year (YOPEY) to set up a YOPEY Dementia Befriender Scheme in Newmarket, with young people visiting people living with dementia, breaking down preconceptions about different generations and showing young people as positive role models
*       £5,000 to The Racing Centre (Newmarket) for community activities open to both members and non members of the racing community

In addition, Cabinet also approved subject to both the budget setting process for 2020/2021 and to more evidence being submitted by each organisation, to three sets of grants in Forest Heath totalling £63,492 to be awarded over 2019/20 and 2020/21.

These include:

*       £11,600 in 2019/20 and another £11,600 in 2020/21 to Fresh Start – New Beginnings to provide one to one counselling and group work sessions to help children and young people who are recovering from the trauma of sexual abuse
*       £2,000 in 2019/20 and another £2,000 in 2020/21 to Relate Norfolk and Suffolk to offer relationship counselling to those who cannot afford to pay the full fee
*       £18,331 in 2019/20 and another £17,961 to The Voluntary Network for its Dial A Ride and Community Car services, supporting the most vulnerable people in Forest Heath

In St Edmundsbury, Cabinet approved Community Chest grants to six organisations for 2019/20 totalling £47,920.

These include:

*       £9,889 to HomeStart Mid and West Suffolk for its Birth and Beyond project in the Bury St Edmunds area which uses music, songs and stories in workshops designed to help parents understand child development, build self esteem and confidence, and reduce mental health issues and isolation.
*       £10,775 to Mentis Tree community interest company for its work supporting young carers through group work, one to one sessions and online chat designed to reduce isolation and improve mental health
*       £3,290 to Bury St Edmunds Concert Youth Band toward the development of the youth band and the cost of musical equipment.
*       £6,800 to Millennium Farm Trust for its Artful Farm providing the opportunity for people living with mental health, learning difficulties or additional needs to explore their emotions and feelings art workshops, work from which will then be exhibited.
*       £3,240 to Honington and Sapiston Village Hall for twice a month community meals aimed at creating friendships and reducing loneliness and social isolation.
*       £13,926 to Stradishall Village Review Group to create a safe community space bringing residents together and providing opportunities for exercise. The money will help pay for play and outdoor gym equipment.

In addition, Cabinet approved subject to both the budget setting process for 2020/2021 and to more evidence being submitted by each organisation, six sets of grants in St Edmundsbury totalling £152,972 to be awarded over 2019/20 and 2020/21.

These include:

*       £10,000 in 2019/20 and £10,000 in 2020/21 to Gatehouse to extend and develop its services for people living with dementia, their families and their carers. This includes developing its lunch clubs and introducing music therapy sessions and exercise classes.
*       £5,000 in 2019/20 and £5000 in 2020/21 in Suffolk Accident and Rescue Service (SARS) to provide training and buy equipment that will enable its team of responders to help provide better outcomes for people injured in accidents.
*       £12,288 in 2019/20 and £12,288 to Bury Drop In toward the appointment of a project co-ordinator to support the trustees in developing the service which helps homeless and vulnerable people. The project coordinator will also help develop fundraising for the charity, helping its sustainability.
*       £9,360 in 2019/20 and £9360 in 2020/21 to REACH Community Projects in Haverhill to launch an online retail making its work helping tackle poverty, more sustainable as well as creating employment and volunteering opportunities designed to increase confidence, self esteem and employability.
*       £14,337 in 2019/20 and £15,800 in 2020/21 to The Voluntary Network Community Transport for its Dial a Ride and Community Car Service supporting some of the most vulnerable people in the Haverhill and Bury St Edmunds areas.
*       £24,371 in 2019/20 and £25,168 in 2020/21 to Haverhill Community Trust for workshops and courses at its community kitchen. These are aimed at families, adults and young people and are designed to build confidence and skills in food preparation and cooking while also improving public health.