Nottingham Community Groups set for cash injection

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 17 August 2021

Thousands of pounds to support community projects in some of Nottingham’s most deprived neighbourhoods is being offered by social impact company Castle Cavendish.

The organisation, which distributes Nottingham City Council’s area-based grants to help community and voluntary sector organisations, has £82,000 in small grants to help local groups make a difference in their communities.

The local charitable foundation already works with a range of organisations across nine areas of the city, including Basford, Hyson Green, Radford and The Meadows and wants to hear about more community-led ideas as part of its locally identified needs grants programme again this year.

 Van Henry, Castle Cavendish’s area partnerships manager, said:

“It might be a celebration event, a community-based project or a local issue that has emerged and needs addressing urgently, as we’ve found a number of times during lockdown.

 “There's a very simple and straightforward application process. We've stripped away as much of the red tape as possible so that we’re able to respond quickly to meet local needs. It also acts as seed funding, allowing grassroots groups to access small grants to develop their ideas and grow.”

The money is part of the £455,000 that Castle Cavendish is currently distributing over the next year to support community-based activities such as play and youth provision for children and young people, employment and training schemes and wider support for communities to reconnect post-pandemic. Castle Cavendish also provides a wider offer of support.

“A local group might apply for a small grant to fund a community event but we will also support them in other ways, like planning and promoting the event, making sure they have the right policies and procedures in place, identifying and tapping into other support networks, encouraging more volunteers and training staff,” said Van. 

“We try and provide whatever they need to grow and develop, to be resilient and increase their offer to local communities.

“We’d really like to hear from more local groups. There are a number of priorities that we’re looking to address, particularly around tackling loneliness and isolation, food insecurity and digital inclusion – all issues we have responded to during the pandemic.” 

It recently provided grant funding to the Mesopotamia charity shop in Basford towards the creation of a new community launderette and a food parcel delivery van. The charity helped more than 11,000 people during the pandemic by delivering weekly food supplies. 

Speaking about the laundry venture, the charity’s founder and director Rachel Miller said: 

“This has never been done before in Nottingham and we’re so pleased that with the funding and ongoing support from the team at Castle Cavendish that it’s now a reality.”

Councillor Neghat Khan, Nottingham City Council’s portfolio holder for neighbourhoods, safety and inclusion, said:

“Community organisations and projects have always had an important role, especially among some of the disadvantaged neighbourhoods we have in Nottingham, and during the pandemic we have only seen the support they provide become ever more vital.

“Small grants can go a long way to address issues that unfortunately have only worsened over the past year-and-a-half, and the extra help that Castle Cavendish provide to make sure groups have the right processes in place to make the most of any funding is really helpful.”

Dave Brennan, chief executive of Castle Cavendish, which has been delivering an area-based grants programme since 2013, added:

“It’s not just about grant distribution but about making an impact locally, particularly at such a challenging time. We’re a flexible and responsive organisation and can see where support is most needed and we are able to act quickly.”

To apply for a small community grant, visit the Castle Cavendish www.castlecavendish.org.uk

For more information on Castle Cavendish and how they can support local organisations and charities, visit the website or contact them via email on info@castlecavendish.org.uk

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