READING Borough Council has awarded £100,000 of grants to charities and voluntary organisations tackling inequality in the town.
The Small Grants Fund sees annual support for organisations who bid for grants to help them with community-led projects.
This year saw nearly 100 applicants with a theme of tackling inequality in Reading, as the council sought to drive skills attainment, education, training, and access to employment.
Among the organisations seeing support in this round of funding is Age UK Reading, which has been granted £5,000 for the creation of a new dementia club in north Reading.
The Baker Street Area Neighbourhood Association received a grant to support its annual street party which raises awareness of the climate emergency, as did Berkshire Women’s Aid, for providing one-to-one and group work to support vulnerable children and families dealing with domestic abuse.
The Caversham Muslim Association was granted funding for the establishment of a community development coordinator and the provision of youth activities and education, as well as sessions aimed at women in the community.
Double Okay received a partnership grant with the Rising Sun Arts Centre to continue collaboration on creative, arts-based activity sessions for the LGBTQIA+ community and tackle isolation, health issues, and issues with discrimination.
First Days Children’s Charity has received funding to support the Safe Place to Sleep Project, which ensures children in Reading from struggling families get bedding.
Sport in Mind received funding to help provide a weekly football session for 12 students or refugees with English as a second language for an academic year as well as sport, exercise, and mental health workshops.
A grant was also given to Reading Welfare Rights, who will be running one-to-one sessions to advise and empower parents, guardians, or carers of adults with learning disabilities with support applications.
Funding has also been granted to the Becoming Mums organisation, in partnership with Alana House; Browns Community Services CIC; Dance Reading; Dingley’s Promise; First Days Children’s Charity; Grassrootz; and Lynn Everett, who provides food and support to Southcote residents through St Matthews Church.
Me2 Club, No 5 Young People, Parenting Special Children, Rank & File Theatre, Reading Welfare Rights, and South Reading Over 50s Social Club have also been given grants to support their work.
Councillor Jason Brock, Reading Borough Council Leader, said: “Many residents will benefit from this injection of funding.
“The selected organisations work directly with people facing a variety of barriers in their lives and provides the opportunity to build the skills needed to get into education and employment.”
“Giving people the chances, and the choices, they need to up-skill or get into employment contributes to making our town an incredible place.
Cllr Brock explained: “This is why the Small Grants Fund is so important – it supports projects at grassroots level across our community.
“It is also encouraging to receive so many applications for funding. It shows the range of ideas and opportunities within the local voluntary and community sector, and we’ll work with unsuccessful bidders to help them refine their projects.”
Councillor Liz Terry, Lead Councillor for Corporate Services and Resources, said: “We are committed to helping community and voluntary groups of all sizes to tackle inequality in Reading.
“The benefits to people this money will bring is just fantastic– we are dedicated to giving people access to skills and learning in areas where it is needed the most, so they can contribute and enjoy our town along with everyone else.”
She continued: “We look forward to hearing back from our community and voluntary groups who receive Small Fund Grants to tell us about the residents who have benefited them.
“We would also like to thank Reading Voluntary Action, among other organisations, who helped to spread the word about the grants and held a network meeting helping organisations apply.”
