Around £60,000 in city council grants provided hot meals, support for trauma victims, social clubs for the lonely, clubhouse renovations and much more over the last year, coming as a lifeline for many charities and groups recovering from pandemic challenges
In the last year, Milton Keynes City Council has funded projects for 24 local charities and voluntary and community groups through its 2050 Community Capacity Fund, shared on its behalf by the MK Community Foundation.
The City Council first set up the Fund in 2019 with a £150,000 donation and adds £50,000 annually so that the Foundation can share essential the funding with small charities and groups.
Just a few of the projects provided with funding over the last twelve months are:
- Action4Youth – helping the group stay afloat during the pandemic and to set up new initiatives including outdoor education for disadvantaged young people.
- Aylesbury Vale and Milton Keynes Sexual Assault and Abuse Support – funding the employment of a counselling co-ordinator. Local people can access therapeutic interventions and practical support.
- St Marys Church, Bletchley – providing hot meals and food to the community (one guest commenting “I am so grateful this support is there as without it, things would be so much harder.”)
- Stony Stratford Town Football Club – helping to meet the cost of repairing the clubhouse roof, which had fallen into disrepair.
- 26th Milton Keynes Scout Group – to buy equipment to run a ‘back-woods cooking club’ - teaching cooking life skills in an interesting outdoor environment.
The Community Capacity Fund is just one of many ways the City Council supports local charities, notably also providing £1 million to help charities including MK Foodbank and Baby Basics.
“It’s heartening to see how our funding has supported so many small charities and groups over the past three years, acting as a lifeline to help some to stay afloat through the pandemic. For a grassroots group, even a small amount of funding for new equipment or repairs can make a massive difference and it helps to unlock vital support or activities for communities.”
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with the City Council to distribute funding where it is most needed in the community. With the city providing funding via our endowment programme, we will be able to continue to deliver support for years to come.”