VOLUNTARY and community groups in Redditch are being invited to bid for grants of up to £500 from Redditch Council.

The latest opportunity for ‘Stronger Communities’ grants comes after more than 20 groups were awarded grants earlier this year.

These included for a parenting course at the Christ Church Community Project, a research project into a book on local people that gave their lives fighting in the First World War, and Olympic-style martial arts for young people at Redditch Community Amateur Boxing Club.

Director of Redditch Community Amateur Boxing Club, Sarah Lee, said: “It’s great that Redditch Borough Council can support local community groups like this. Our grant has gone towards equipment that will help us add a wrestling group to our services extending what we do within the community. It was well worth writing the application."

Stronger Communities is a borough council initiative to provide one-off grants of up to £500 to support a wide range of local community focused projects. It is available in three rounds each year, and this is the second round.

Council leader Bill Hartnett said: “This scheme has supported hundreds of small local projects all over the community and I’d again like to encourage any local voluntary or community group who might have an idea for a community-focused project to apply for funding.

“The money is available to fund anything from new equipment to sports gear, community fun days, self-help groups, parent and toddler groups, the list goes on.”
This round of applications for Stronger Communities funding is open until 4pm on Friday, June 13. To apply go to redditchbc.gov.uk and click on the “Stronger Communities Grant 2014” link under “Apply for it”.

For more information contact the grants team on 01527 64252 ext 3015 or grants.team@redditchbc.gov.uk.