16/09/2013 - Permalink

Community groups urged to apply for share of £30 million grant scheme

Related topics: Community / Partner organisations

Community groups and organisations in Shropshire are being encouraged to apply for funding to help build links between civilian and armed forces communities.

The Ministry of Defence has allocated £30 million to the Armed Forces Community Covenant grant scheme, and Shropshire groups are being encouraged to get involved.

Recently funded applications from other parts of the country include:

  • Plans to replace a Scout and Guide headquarters in North Yorkshire with a new building that can be used by community groups and armed forces families with £159,000 of funding.
  • A play area for a creche serving civilian and armed forces families in south Wales received almost £33,000
  • An arts centre in Hampshire received just over £18,000 towards a film project involving local schools exploring the lives of servicemen and women.
  • £7,000 given to a project in Wiltshire to develop services to prevent social exclusion among ex-service personnel and their families.

The grant scheme is aimed at projects that deliver tangible results and meet the overall aims of the community covenant scheme.  An application for funding can be submitted by any part of the community, such as volunteer groups, charities and schools.

Applications are considered on a regional basis, and there are three funding panel meetings each year when decisions are made.

Anyone who is interested in applying should email covenant-grantscheme-westmids@mod.uk for more details.

More information about the grant scheme is available online at www.gov.uk/the-armed-forces-covenant

The main aims of the Community Covenant are:

  • To understand the contemporary experience of life in Shropshire for serving and former serving personnel and their families.
  • To eliminate unfair disadvantage faced by serving and former serving personnel and their families.
  • To encourage understanding and awareness among the public of issues affecting the armed forces community.

Armed Forces organisations, along with Shropshire Council, West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly, Shropshire Business Board and Shropshire Association of Local Councils signed up to the community covenant on 3 May 2012.

Shropshire Councillor Tim Barker, chairman of the covenant steering group, said:

“We are really keen for people to come forward and ask for details about the grant fund.  I’m sure there are lots of groups out there with great ideas about how the work they do could help build links with the armed forces community, and this is a wonderful opportunity to make things happen.”