Group offers grants to helping ex-mining villages during Covid

Former mining communities across Airdrie and Coatbridge could benefit from funding from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust as they recover from the impact of Covid-19.

The organisation has set up a new programme, entitled Adapt and Thrive, offering grants of £500 to £5000 to help community groups re-establish their services following lockdown.

Organisations including youth clubs, community centres, miners’ welfare centres and sports clubs can apply for help to continue existing projects, develop new ones and adapt their services.

The funding can be utilised to help with using additional spaces to reduce group sizes, staggering opening times or using outdoor areas, to meet government guidelines and minimise coronavirus infection risk. Coalfields Regeneration Trust chair Nicky Wilson explained: “Some groups will need to find more space to allow for social distancing, or open longer hours to limit numbers at certain times –these sorts of changes cost money, and that’s where our fund will help.

“Throughout the Covid-19 lockdown we have been doing everything that we can to support groups in former mining areas, and have seen and heard that the pandemic has exacerbated existing problems including health and wellbeing, unemployment and education gaps.

“We set up Adapt and Thrive to enable groups to support their communities as we emerge from lockdown, and would encourage groups to get in touch to find out more about our new programme.”

More details of the organisation are available at www.coalfields-regen.org.uk, and interested groups can email david. wright@coalfields-regen.org.uk for an Adapt and Thrive application form.

Groups should get in touch