NEARLY a quarter of a million pounds has been handed to community and voluntary organisations by Rugby Borough Council.
The annual grants, totalling just under £245,000, are up from last year’s total of £220,000.
Among the more unusual grant awards was for £10,000 to the Rugby Model Engineering Society, who will match these funds with income generated from sales of tickets for train rides and children’s parties.
As reported in The Observer back on November the project will see the society double the length of their existing miniature Rainsbrook Valley Railway tracks on Onley Lane, providing a unique facility for families across the borough to enjoy on their popular running days. The society has already fitted new access gates ready to accommodate the extension.
Other recipients included Age UK (£17,000), Rugby Citizens Advice Bureau (£55,000), Rugby Foodbank (£2,500) and five community organisations (£7,500 each).
Apart from these organisations which have agreements with the council to provide services on its behalf, voluntary and community groups shared out nearly £21,000 on projects that would benefit the communities they served including Rugby Fibromyalgia Support Group (£500), ROSA (£1,500), Warwickshire Association for the Blind (£1,198) and 12th Rugby Scout Group (£1,368).
Grants have also been awarded for rural development, totalling £27,000, play (£6,400), arts (£1,550), sports (£10,500) and public health (£6,900).
Just over £3,000 unallocated is available through the year for projects meeting priorities around public health or regeneration.
Coun Leigh Hunt, Rugby Borough Council’s communities spokeswoman, said: “The award of grants to community organisations provides a valuable opportunity for the voluntary and community sector in Rugby.
“We know that funding is tight, so we have maintained our service level agreements and increased the funding available through our community grants.
“The grants we have awarded all meet our criteria and so we know that they will help a wide variety of organisations to develop and improve their facilities or services for our residents, or to try something new with a little bit of extra funding.
“I look forward to hearing how these schemes have made a difference to the communities and organisations involved.”
