Success stories
Hythe showcase
Every year a celebratory event is held in
Hythe to showcase community projects who have benefited
from member grant funding. Hosted
by Chris Capon, member for Hythe, this
year's event took place on 4 February at Hythe Youth
Club. Paul Carter. Leader of Kent County
Council, and Deputy Leader Alex
King also attended the celebration.
The event launched the 2011 Folkestone Funding Fair and
celebrated the work of the 16 community groups and 19 community
projects in Hythe which have been supported by a total of £25,283
in member grants..
Kent goes wild!
The High Weald Project purchased two branded
marquees with the funding they received from local member
grants.
The marquees mean they can now promote their work
within the local community in all weathers, at community
events such as last year's Kent Goes Wild. The event
encouraged members of the local community to become interested in
wildlife recording and conservation, and offered children the
chance to take part in junior recording activities.
Maidstone Voluntary Transport Scheme
For more than 30 years, Voluntary Action Maidstone (formerly the
Maidstone Volunteer Bureau) has run a car scheme with volunteer
drivers using their own cars.
For
a small charge, the scheme enables people who are unable to manage
on public transport to maintain their independence by driving them
to medical appointments, to visit friends or to go shopping.
To be eligible, clients must live in the borough of Maidstone and
are generally aged over 60.
The voluntary car scheme provides around 720 trips per
month (over 8,000 per year) and is run by two part time staff using
a software system that enables the smooth handling of such a
large number of calls. When it became clear that the
computers used were increasingly slow and unstable, Voluntary
Action Maidstone applied successfully to the Maidstone Small Community Capital Projects Fund to replace
them.
The new computers are quicker than the old ones and will enable
this scheme to maintain and expand its cheap, friendly and reliable
service to the vulnerable and elderly people within the
borough.
Secret Jungle, Northdown Park, Cliftonville, Margate
The Secret
Jungle children’s garden offers an outdoor play space designed
around the needs and wishes of disabled children. Children of any
disability and their families can relax and feel safe in this
natural and fun environment. A successful Local Schemes Grant application to the Thanet
Local Board funded a project co-ordinator who ensured that the
local community were involved in the project development and worked
with architects and others to ensure the garden’s success.
Replanting the Gordon Road island garden
Many of the
buildings in Gordon Road, Cliftonville have been repainted over the
past few years using regeneration grants. To enhance the look
of the area further, local residents wanted to replant the road’s
island with evergreen plants and shrubs.
A local gardening company gave up its time for free and helped
by local volunteers, replanted the island using plants and tools
provided from a successful application to Thanet’s Member Community Grant funding scheme. The
result, a lovely all year round splash of colour.
Ashford Youth Theatre
The Ashford Youth Theatre received a £3,000 grant to keep going
until they find a new home when the warehouse it currently uses is
demolished.
Stella Critchley, who runs the group, said, "We are exceedingly
grateful to Kent County Council for supporting us. The youth
theatre has over 40 regular members who organise and run at least
two productions a year and many have gone on to professional stage
careers.”
Around 20 other arts groups use the space for a huge variety of
things, from bands using it as a rehearsal room, other theatre
groups painting their scenery and artists in their creative work.
It has also been used for filming and computer and media
workshops. Stella has received an MBE for her work with the
theatre group.
Your area
Find out which projects in your area have received
support in your local district's
annual report.