THIRTEEN COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS SHARE IN £20,000 WINDFALL
Thirteen community groups across Norfolk, north Suffolk and east Cambridgeshire are to share a combined windfall of more than £20,000, following the latest round of grants from Lovewell Blake’s LB150 Fund.
The money was raised over the past 12 months by staff and partners at the leading regional firm of chartered accountants, business advisers and financial planners.
A wide range of charities, voluntary groups and community organisations have received grants ranging from £320 to £2,000 to help deliver a variety of community activities. The recipients of the grants were chosen by a panel of Lovewell Blake staff, assisted by the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Community Foundations, which administer the LB150 Fund.
The organisations receiving grants, which totalled £20,498, were:
- Aylsham Community Gym, which received £2,000 to purchase a refurbished commercial standard treadmill
- Centre 81 in Great Yarmouth, which was given a grant of £2,000 to update flooring and replace chairs
- SIMPLE Norfolk in Thetford received £2,000 to purchase equipment for a media studio in a new community centre in the town
- Sunbeams Play in Great Yarmouth, which received £2,000 to help pay for staff to provide one-to-one support and workshops for parents with autistic children, aimed at improving confidence, assertiveness and mental wellbeing
- TPF – FreeG in Norwich, which received £2,000 to purchase a range of equipment packs to enable young people to practice and learn jumping, balance and landing manoeuvres in a safe environment
- Beccles Lido, which received a grant of £2,000 to replace existing lockers at the swimming pool
- Home-Start Suffolk, East Ipswich and Coastal, which received £1,935 to support the cost of running a volunteer preparation course in Beccles
- Kirby Cane & Ellingham Parish Council, which was given a grant of £1,500 to fund a children’s roundabout
- Steel Bones, which received £1,500 to support a range of approaches to help the charity engage with people in Norfolk affected by amputation
- EP Youth, which was given £1,443 to support the group’s drop-in programme for young people in Fakenham
- Little Thetford Preschool in Cambridgeshire, which received £1,300 to set up a forest school
- Hethersett Village Screen, which was given a grant of £500 to purchase a portable projector and undertake more publicity to expand audience numbers
- Ormesby Village Preschool, which received £320 to produce a variety of story sacks for children to take home and encourage reading as a family
“Once again we are delighted to be able to support such a variety of fabulous organisations which are doing such great work in our communities,” said Gary Flatt, Lovewell Blake’s CSR partner. “These groups are what bind our communities together, and they are the inspiration for our staff and partners to undertake fundraising activities throughout the year.
“We are very proud to have been able to give out grants exceeding £20,000 once again this year, and we would like to thank everybody who has supported our fundraising efforts during the past 12 months.”
The LB150 Fund was originally set up in 2008 as part of the firm’s 150th anniversary celebrations, with the aim of raising £150,000 for local charities and community groups in five years. Once the target was achieved, the firm decided to continue the fund, and to date it has raised over £220,000 since its foundation.