Local good causes benefit from almost £8k in grants from the Community Fund

Twelve local good causes have been awarded almost £8,000 in grants from the West Berkshire Lottery Community Fund.

The community fund allows one-off grants to be made to lottery causes, in addition to the income each cause raises from the tickets it sells. From each £1 ticket 50p goes to a cause chosen by the player and another 10p into the West Berkshire Community Fund. This funding is awarded for specific projects by an independent panel on behalf of West Berkshire Council.

Good causes successfully secured additional funding to go towards new equipment, staff training, and providing extra services:

· Brimpton C of E Primary School are putting the funds towards purchasing new musical equipment and travel expenses as they take part in a massed choir event at the O2 on 23rd January, 2020.

· Citizens Advice West Berkshire are funding specialist training for staff and volunteers so they can help them support to victims of domestic violence.

· The Friends of Chilton Foliat School have plans to create extend their early years outdoor area and create an interactive garden for pupils at the school.

· Lambourn RDA are purchasing a new ‘Junior Riding Games Kit’ that will help young riders who take part at each of the four weekly sessions that they provide, which is also part of the Riding for the Disabled Curriculum.

·  The Newbury Spring Festival have received funding to pay for rehearsal room hire and an accompanist for their 70-strong Newbury Festival chorus to help them prepare for one of the largest concerts in the festivals programme.

· New Life (Special Care babies) will be using the funds to help them purchase extra equipment to allow families with multiple premature and Neonatal births to be supported and accommodated together.

· Flag DV are using their funding to support the CPD (Continuing Professional Training) training of staff to meet the needs of groups such as men, BAMER communities and older survivors of domestic violence.

· Swings & Smiles have plans to provide new specialist sensory equipment to allow children who may not usually be able to access play activities the chance to join in with their peers.

· Time to Talk West Berkshire are using the funding towards assessment costs at their Newbury premises to enabling them to carry out assessments for young people and provide them with counselling. This will ensure over 300 young people per year will be assessed within 2 weeks contacting them.

· As part of their Developing Community Outreach Programme, City Arts, Newbury will be providing free 10 week arts and craft courses for elderly and isolated people in West Berkshire.

· The Inkpen Memorial Paying Field Trust (IMPFT) are putting the funds toward the construction of a woodland playground which will provide an area where children can be active and learn about their surroundings.

· Community hub, The Purley Sports and Social club have plans to upgrade the security, not only to their premises but also for the members who rely on the facility the club provides to them.

Laura Lewis, Charity Director at Swings & Smiles commented:

“We were thrilled to have been awarded this funding from the West Berkshire Lottery to allow us to purchase some specialist sensory equipment. Many of the children that come to play at Swings & Smiles struggle to access play activities and the opportunity to join in with their peers…we have benefited hugely from being a good cause both in terms of this funding and the ongoing support we receive each month and would encourage people to get involved and help make a difference to small organisations like Swings & Smiles.”

Luisa Rayner, Manager at Time to Talk West Berkshire said:

“We were delighted to receive funding from the West Berkshire Lottery, which will be invaluable in supporting us to offer counselling services to young people in need in West Berkshire.  The funds will enable us to offer assessments to 6 clients a week, ensuring that all young people are assessed within an average 2 weeks from joining our waiting list. Thank you so much!”

Since the West Berkshire Lottery was launched by West Berkshire Council in March 2019, 50p from every £1 ticket sold has gone directly to local good causes with a further 10p going into the community fund.

Councillor Clive Hooker, Vice-Chairman of the council and chair of the lottery panel commented:

“West Berkshire Council recognises the vital contribution the voluntary sector makes across West Berkshire. Working with the voluntary sector is a priority in the council strategy, making the district a greater place to live, work and learn.

We are thrilled for the good causes who secured additional resources through the community fund and for the 113 good causes who continue to raise funds through the lottery ensuring that they can continue to provide these invaluable services to their communities. A big thank you must also go to their supporters, who have ensured that by playing the weekly, the lottery looks set to raise over £60,000 for the community.”