County Council’s COVID-19 Community Fund reopens

Nottinghamshire County Council has reopening its COVID-19 Community Fund to support local community and voluntary groups as they respond to exceptional challenges over the coming period of national lockdown.

The Fund, which awarded almost £700,000 to more than 250 projects between March and September 2020, has reopened to support vulnerable resident impacted by the pandemic by offering essential financial help to local groups. 

Established local charities and voluntary groups, including faith-based organisations, as well as district, borough or parish or town councils taking an active role in responding to the urgent needs of Nottinghamshire residents can apply for up to £10,000 

The Fund will operate with the same criteria as before and will take new applications immediately.

Local groups who have already been awarded grants by the Community Fund include:

• Ruddington Village Centre Partnership awarded £5,000 to help fund its service providing hot meals, food shopping, prescription collection, dog walking and befriending to vulnerable residents. 
• Radcliffe on Trent Parish Council, allocated £5,000 toward its work providing a lifeline to residents such as access to food, medicine and supporting wellbeing.
• Normanton on Soar Parish Council received £1,500 to support the food bank in the Village Hall for vulnerable families and older people struggling to buy food and essentials. 
• Lowdham Volunteers/ Lowdham Parish Council received a £6,500 grant to continue its work to help vulnerable residents with shopping, delivery of prescriptions, a phone support network and delivery of cooked meals provided by local restaurants.
• North Muskham Parish Council awarded £5,000 to support a local buddy scheme offering weekly shopping, prescription delivery and social contact and support to households most in need  
• Citizen’s Advice Bureau in Beeston, awarded £5,764 to help the Bureau continue to provide vital advice and help to the public during the crisis.
• Eastwood-based, British Lung Foundation Support Group Notts West (Breathe Easy), received £720 to deliver food parcels and run their free, weekly seated exercise group
• Clay Responders 2020 received £10,000 (in total) to help meet running costs as part of its 125 person-strong volunteer operation covering the Sturton ward area of Bassetlaw (Sturton Le Steeple and Habblesthorpe Parish Councils).
• The Well Community Projects in Retford received £3,000 to help with extra demand for the debt advice service they deliver as they are part of the financially regulated Christians Against Poverty network. In addition, they have been supplementing food bank provision with fresh produce as well as a project to help combat loneliness and social isolation.  
• Cornwater Evergreens Foundation Trust, Newstead received £3,500 to help support local older people, including those with early stage dementia, by providing cooked meals, food shopping, collecting medication and through regular telephone contact. 
• The Netherfield Forum, awarded £5,000 to provide the community with hot lunches, freshly cooked each day and delivered by local volunteers, as well as providing emergency ‘rescue packs’ to those in need, such as food, toiletries, and other essentials.
• Mansfield and District Samaritans, awarded £2,000 to keep their branch running and their phone lines working to support vulnerable and isolated people struggling to cope
• Age Concern in Mansfield, awarded £2,500 to assist in the coordination of its service which offers emotional support and guidance
• Hucknall Engage, allocated £5,000 to help to expand its foodbank service to more than 100 vulnerable families
• Storehouse – Kirkby Foodbank, awarded £5,000 to continue its essential foodbank service 

County-wide 

• Community Volunteer Services (CVS) across Newark & Sherwood, Rushcliffe, Gedling, Mansfield and Bassetlaw areas received a total of £24,545 to help deliver a volunteer-led shopping and prescription collection scheme, a telephone-based service offering ‘friendship and support’ to maintain social contact during isolation, and help recruit new local volunteers.

To check the eligibility criteria and apply, or to see the full list of groups who have allocated funds please go to:  www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/communityfund 

Those successful in getting funding will have their groups details published on 

www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/care/coronavirus/nottinghamshire-coronavirus-community-support-hub

For further information about the funding, please email LIS@nottscc.gov.uk or call 0115 977 2041.

Earlier this summer, the Government allocated a £858,000 grant from the £63m Local Authority Emergency Assistance Fund to Nottinghamshire County Council.

The Emergency Assistance Fund continues to build on the COVID-19 Community Fund by supporting Nottinghamshire families who are struggling to afford food and other essentials due to the economic impact caused by COVID-19.  More than £291,000 has already been allocated to groups across the county taking an active role in responding to the urgent needs of residents.

Eligible projects that fall into categories such as food banks, soup kitchens, food and shopping delivery will be prioritised for Emergency Assistance Funding.

For more information about the Emergency Assistance Fund please go to: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/assistancefund