£17,140 GIVEN OUT TO SEVEN COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS IN LATEST GRANTS ROUND

Seven community groups across the north of Norfolk are set to share in a £17,140 windfall, following the latest round of grants from Victory Housing Trust’s Community Fund.

Free legal advice, learning for employment, support for those misusing substances are all among the community initiatives being supported by the latest round of grants – as well as gymnastics equipment,  a youth club, and even a new mower for a bowls club.

This latest announcement means that the Fund has handed out 116 grants totalling £326,072 since it was established in 2008.

Organisations receiving support were:

• Sculthorpe Parish Council, which received £4,000 to provide a safe and modern play area for the village
• Learning 4 Everyone, which received £3,700 to support skills development amongst residents, with the aim of assisting them to improve their employment prospects and social inclusion
• The Matthew Project, which received £3,000 to hold one-to-one interventions for those affected by substance misuse in the Cromer area
• Norfolk Community Law Service, which received £2,000 to provide free legal advice weekly in Cromer
• Ludham Bowls Club, which received £2,000 to contribute towards the cost of a replacement mower
• North Walsham Gymnastics Club, which received £2,000 to provide upgraded equipment for use within the gymnastics facility
• Great Witchingham Village Hall, which received £440 to cover venue hire for a volunteer to run a youth club

The grants were decided by a panel of Victory residents, advised by the grants team at Norfolk Community Foundation, which administers the Victory Housing Community Fund.

Victory resident Penny Holland, a member of the residents panel which made the grants decisions, commented, “The seven organisations which are receiving money from us in this grants round are all making a big difference in their communities, providing vital services at grassroots level.

“It is a pleasure to be able to give grants to a range of such worthwhile organisations, which between them are impacting on a wide cross-section of people in need in our communities.”

“We are delighted once again to be able to give out a substantial sum in grants to very worthwhile community organisations, despite the financial cuts which we are facing,” said Victory chief executive John Archibald.

“Budgets are undoubtedly tight – and government announcements are making them even tighter.  But we remain committed to supporting communities, and giving help to groups which are working with people in need.”

Full details of the Victory Housing Community Fund can be found at www.norfolkfoundation.com.