£8,000 in small grants awarded to community groups in Staple Hill

More than £8,000 in small grants has been given to several local community groups based in Staple Hill.

The sum was part of a total of nearly £30,000 awarded by the Chase Area Forum last week to groups across the Kingswood, Staple Hill, Mangotsfield and Downend areas.

Staple Hill groups that are benefiting include:

•    £1,625 for the Our Place Community Flat – this will support and develop the project and provide essential running costs.

•    £1,600 to the Friends of Page Park – to pay performers so that the newly-restored bandstand will be used.

•    £1,525 towards the Christmas on the Hill Festival – enabling training in preparation for this year's festival, and organisation on the day.

•    £1,500 for the Staple Hill Regeneration Partnership – to help bridge a shortfall in funding for Staple Hill's community umbrella organisation.

•    £980 to the Staple Hill Methodist Youth Project – supporting essential running costs including room hire, internet fees and administration costs. (NB Councillors also awarded this project £6,000 from their youth services budget to fund youth outreach work.)

•    £800 to the Citizens' Advice Bureau – to support basic infrastructure to enable services to be expanded.

Speaking about the grants, the local ward councillors Ian Boulton and Shirley Potts (Labour, Staple Hill) said:

"The number and variety of community groups that have submitted a bid for a grant shows that there is vibrant community interest within Staple Hill.  We support all of our locally-based groups with our time, energy and encouragement, and we are pleased to be able to support them by voting through this financial aid as well."