Town community schemes get grant cash

SIX community schemes in Hinckley have received cash support from the council to improve facilities for patrons.

The money has come from the recently relaunched Hinckley Community Initiative Fund, a sister grant pot to those available for small scale projects in the parishes.

Managed by the Hinckley Area Committee the scheme has been reinstated this year following a motion carried at a meeting last November.

A total of £13,735 has been given out by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council with clubs and organisations in the town encouraged to find out how they might attract backing.

Councillor Jan Kirby, chair- man of the Hinckley Area Committee, said: “It’s a real pleasure to be able to award these grants to local community projects for the benefit of the community.”

Those to benefit are Hinckley Town Tennis Club, with £320 for new tennis equipment to offer free weekly coaching and training; St Mary’s Church with £7,994 for replacement of existing carpet and new flooring in communal areas of the church; Wykin Social Club have been given £2,125 to help re-carpet the main bar area; St Francis Community Centre with £776 to replace window glass to improve security and energy efficiency; Emmaus gets a donation of £520 to buy computers to help users enhance IT skills; and mental health charity Accept gets £2,000 to allow members to go on an outward-bound course.

The fund allows for a maximum grant per project of £10,000 with a maximum of 50 per cent of the capital cost provided.

Only capital items are funded and only constituted community groups with a bank account within Hinckley may apply.