Eleven groups get share of £150,000 strategic grant pot

Eleven local organisations have received an early Christmas present from the city council in the shape of a strategic grant.

In total, £150,000 has been handed out in this round of grants, which are aimed at organisations that are already achieving good outcomes for the community and want to take their work to the next level. The recipients are:

• SNAAP (£18,000) – support for disabled children and young people, through a variety of initiatives including a sports club and family days out
• Thanington Neighbourhood Resource Centre (£20,000) – services for young people, a homework club and a programme of youth-led creative activities
• Over Sixties Service (£7,500) – a variety of projects to tackle deprivation and improve the health of older people
• Take Off (£10,000) – mental health services provided across a total of 800 self-help groups and 27 different themes
• Canterbury Festival (£7,500) – a series of projects to improve access to cultural activities for people aged 65 and over
• Age UK Canterbury (£15,000) – to help fund their art outreach project for older people
• Kent MS Therapy Centre (£10,000) – to support their work providing a range of non-invasive therapies that help to relieve the symptoms of MS and improve quality of life
• Catching Lives (£10,000) – funding for their work to reduce homelessness, rough sleeping and insecure housing
• Canterbury Umbrella (£25,000) – to enhance and expand their current health and wellbeing programme for people with mental health problems
• Red Zebra (£10,000) – to help fund  a range of groups providing social support and practical activities to people experiencing loneliness and social isolation
• Age UK Herne Bay and Whitstable (£17,000) – funding for a trial club to support people diagnosed with younger onset dementia

Chairman of the council’s Community Committee, Cllr Neil Baker, said: “Congratulations to all the successful organisations in this latest set of grants. They are already doing great work for residents and this money will support them in helping more people and making even more of a difference.

“We’re very lucky to have a wonderful volunteering community in the district and thank them for everything they do.”

Find out more about strategic grants and the other grants the council offers to local groups.

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