Local community groups, residents associations, sports clubs and other grassroots organisations have until mid-January to apply for the latest round of grants available from the council’s ‘Big Society’ fund.

Funding worth upto £5,000 is available for projects that promote good citizenship, support voluntary work, and make a real difference to the quality of life for people who live in Wandsworth.

Groups that have recently received money include youth groups, voluntary agencies and charities that work with disabled people, older residents and those seeking jobs or training.

Just under £50,000 was awarded to 17 local groups in the most recent round of bids. This brings the total awarded to good causes in the borough over the past 18 months to almost £220,000.

Among the recent successful applicants were the BWB Foundation which was awarded £4,700 to run a 12 week programme, in conjunction with Battersea fire station, teaching youngsters the skills and discipline of boxing.

Roehampton-based SHINE Again which supports young children who face the risk of exclusion, have experienced trauma or have been disagnosed with ADHD or autism, received £4,000, while the Furzedown Youth Centre in Tooting was awarded £4,150 to teach young people how to prepare and cook healthy and nutritious dishes from across the globe.

A grant of just under £5,000 is supporting the FAST youth mentoring project in Battersea to help young people improve their job prospects and teach business skills, while the Language Centre in Southfields, is using its £1,000 grant to provide a crèche for working parents, offer foreign language classes for older children struggling with their school work and tuition to verDecember 14, 2012

Cabinet member for finance Cllr Guy Senior said:
“This funding is supporting local organisations and groups of residents who have come together to improve their neighbourhoods and enhance the lives of others. We are now inviting more organisations to submit their bids so that we can support these important initiatives. The council is determined to play its role in supporting local groups that do so much on behalf of the community.”

The next round of applications should be made before the deadline of Wednesday, January 16. All applications will need to address a local need and have local support, demonstrated by the endorsement of a local ward councillor.

For grants above £1,000, the council will be seeking some form of match funding contribution from other sources which may be in the form of cash, donations or volunteer time.

Local groups interested in finding out more about the council’s Big Society Fund can visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/wbsf or request details by emailing wbsf@wandsworth.gov.uk or phoning calling Nigel Chandler on (020) 8871 6206.

Information about volunteering opportunities in the borough can be found at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/volunteering and also at www.volunteeringwandsworth.org.uk. To speak to someone about volunteering call 0300 365 9950 on weekdays between 10am and 4pm or email enquiry@volunteeringwandsworth.org.uk

December 13, 2012