Community groups urged to bid for a grant

A SHARE of a £25,000 is on offer to organisations working to benefit communities in Stafford borough.

The Stafford Borough Council Small Grants scheme is open to groups and volunteers who aim to make life better for residents.

Grants of up to £1,000 can be used to cover costs such as new equipment, training or go running events.

The fund is administered by independent charity the Community Foundation for Staffordshire. More than 90 projects have been supported by the scheme since 2016 to the tune of more than £65,000.

The closing dates for applications is May 31, with a decision expected on successful initiatives in mid-June.

Among the groups that can apply are community and voluntary groups, registered charities, and social enterprises.

Previous recipients include A Child of Mine, which supports bereaved families,- the Stafford branch of Parkinsons UK and a community group which helps tackle isolation among people aged over 55.

Councillor Jill Hood, council cabinet member for communities, urged groups not to miss out.

She said: “We have some tremendous local voluntary groups and organisations across the borough who work unselfishly for the benefit of our communities and the small grants scheme is a way we can help support their ongoing work or make new initiatives come to life.

“I’d encourage people to submit an application as soon as possible if they could use the additional money to bring about a lasting benefit to the wider community or help increase their organisation’s sustainability.”

Details on applying are available from Stafford Borough Council Small Grants – The Community Foundation for Staffordshire.