Peterborough community groups celebrating after thousands of pounds of new funding announced

Peterborough City Council's Communities Fund was made possible thanks to the city being chosen as one of five Integrated Community areas across England and Wales in 2018.

Today the second group of grants from the £300,000 fund have been announced.

The winning bids were selected by the Peterborough Together Partnership Board, which looked for applications which clearly demonstrated longevity and a commitment to bring the City’s many diverse and growing communities together.

Adrian Chapman, service director for communities at Peterborough City Council, who sits on the Peterborough Together Partnership Board, said: "We are delighted the Communities Fund has been so successful, we've received close to 100 applications from community groups around Peterborough all with some great ideas on how to engage and integrate communities even further.

"Unfortunately we didn't have an infinite amount of money to give out and so not everyone could be successful, but I know the panel considered each application long and hard and were really impressed by the quality."

Councillor Irene Walsh, cabinet member for communities, said: “I am really delighted to see that the second batch of funding is being used to support a variety of projects which will engage a real cross section of the community - young, old and from a number of nationalities, faiths, cultures, interests and backgrounds. This is exactly what the funding was intended for and I look forward to seeing these projects develop and how they will benefit our residents."

The winning bids were

Princes Trust - £18,802.43 to deliver Peterborough for all - a project to bring together young people to develop skills such as confidence, resilience and communication through a series of open discussions, on stereotyping, well-being and safety, as well as team building activities and career planning. Young people will be encouraged to speak openly and share their experiences, helping to break down barriers and encourage integration.

Thomas Deacon Education Trust - £13,137 for the Gladstone Bilingual Community Project, a community cafe and club designed to bring multilingual communities together to develop their language skills and help them to connect with others.

Refugee Support Network - £16,071 for an educational mentoring programme that matches young refugees with trained community volunteers. The volunteers meet them on a weekly basis for a minimum of six months to support them in their education.

Vivacity - £20,000 for Socius East (formerly Fabric of Society), a dynamic social engagement project for deprived communities and schools with low literacy levels, using textiles and crafts to bring people and families together.

Compass CIO - £16,970 to fund WELCOME, a new project to encourage dialogue and cohesion among members of different communities in Peterborough through cooking and a debate club.

Lord's Taverners - £13,000 to fund Wicketz, which will use the sport of cricket as the catalyst to create everyday interactions and improve community cohesion amongst young people aged 8-16 from deprived areas of Peterborough, including Gladstone, Bushfield and Dogsthorpe.

Hestia Radio Community - £16,600 - To establish and deliver 10 new educational video production/editing courses in the TV broadcast unit and offer two work placements, giving young people and those with a disability a voice.

Gladstone District Community Association - £19,892 - The Inclusive Communities project will promote improved confidence and skills for newly arrived immigrants and communities through the delivery of social, leisure and learning activities.

Peterborough Football & Sports Development Foundation - £7,941.39 to provide a community cafe for the local community, to tackle issues such as social inclusion, loneliness and to support anyone looking for somewhere to go during the day.

Gladstone Connect - £2,875 for a Senior's Club which will build a sense of shared belonging among elderly residents in the Gladstone area, bringing them together from all communities to enjoy a diverse range of activities in safe, welcoming surroundings. Activities may include bingo, board games, singing and other music-related events, dances, gentle exercise, films, and illustrated talks.

Family Voice - £19,954.24 for the Building Stronger Communities project to create a hub for Orton residents and SEND families across Peterborough to take part in activities, and receive advice, signposting and information on topics relevant to them.

So far, £215,000 out of the total £300,000 has been allocated, meaning there is now only £85,000 up for grabs.

The application process has now opened for the third phase of bidding and we expect that the next panel meeting will be the last. In order to support as many groups as possible in applying for the fund, the final panel will be held in mid September. The deadline for bids is therefore Friday 26 August 2019.

Groups can bid for just a few hundred pounds, or a larger sum to develop something bigger. Groups can apply for up to £20,000. There is no lower limit.

Workshop sessions are being held, enabling community groups to meet other groups, share ideas, ask questions and develop their proposals.

Visit www.peterborough.gov.uk/communitiesfund to view the guidance, find details of upcoming workshops and to complete the online application form.