Helping Communities flourish through our local community grant scheme
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Published 8 Aug 2024 in Raising Awareness
Thanks to the support of our members, customers and colleagues, over the last year we have donated £112,000 to 249 community groups, helping communities flourish.
This week we’re highlighting four community groups that we’ve been able to support though the community grant scheme which all focus on creating greater access to green spaces within their communities, and the many health and wellbeing benefits of being outdoors in nature.
FarmAbility
FarmAbility is an outdoor programme for adults with learning disabilities and autism (co-farmers) on farms and green spaces in Oxfordshire. Their farm-based programmes encourage people to engage in purposeful, outdoor activities that improve physical health and well-being, foster a sense of community, and allow the development and strengthening of skills and abilities.
Their grant funded a day of joyful outdoor celebration, bringing together co-farmers and their families to celebrate their hard work. Held at one of the farm sites, the celebration included fun pizza making, spinning, and weaving, a BBQ, and lots of cake!
Find out more about them here.
Wild City Collective CIC
Wild City Collective CIC is on a mission to inspire learning and foster connections between children, families and the wonders of nature in its urban green corner of Tilehurst in Reading. Their passionate team aim to enable people of all ages to connect creatively with the outdoor environment around them, helping them develop holistically into happier, healthier people.
The donated funds were used to hold a community event, connecting locals with green spaces for their wellbeing.
Find out more about them here.
Barracks Lane Community Garden
A beautiful green space and eco building at the heart of a vibrant community in Oxford. As a charity, the Garden Project is run entirely by members of the local community who volunteer their time and expertise to help it flourish as a green space for relaxation, leisure and learning.
The grant enabled them to hold a free community day, bringing people together to learn and connect with a plant and seed swap, children’s workshops and refreshment open to the whole community.
Find out more about them here.
Dorrington Community Garden
Dorrington Community Garden (DCG) is a green space used by the local community in Dorrington, Shropshire, to grow produce in a social setting and is a vital part of its community space, helping to develop a strong green identity that makes a difference to the local environment, community health and wellbeing, and the provision of social opportunities.
Their grant was used to help create a vibrant space where children can play, and families grow. It enabled them to improve the facilities on offer including introducing polytunnels and raised beds to sow and grow edible crops all year round.
Find out more about them here.
Giving back to our communities - Our Remarkable colleagues...
Beyond our Community Grants, we want to also thank you, our remarkable colleagues, who are not only passionately delivering an outstanding service every day, but also actively giving back to your communities through volunteering for local projects – over the last year we have delivered over 21,250 volunteering hours.
These are just a small sample of the hundreds of community groups and organisations we have supported, Doing Good Together in our communities. If you’ve been involved with any of the groups mentioned in today’s update it would be great to hear about it. Look out for more updates coming up.