Community-led facilities and activities, like many things, were quickly suspended during the onset of the national coronavirus lockdown.
When life slowly started returning to some degree of normality we were keen to help local communities get back to doing the things they love safely and confidently, so we created a special fund to support them.
Over the last three months our Reconnect Rebuild Recover Community Fund has provided over £217,000 grant funding to 131 organisations across Devon to help local people to reconnect, rebuild and recover their community-led facilities and/or social activities.
The money is being used to support people to participate in activities that improve their physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing; provide safe community-led transportation links and services which encourage and help people to re-connect and re-socialise safely within their communities and encourage people to develop skills and learning through volunteering their time, knowledge and expertise to help and support the facilities and/or social activity and the people using them.
Councillor Roger Croad, Cabinet Member for Communities, said:
“Devon has a fantastic network of community groups that work hard to support vulnerable residents and maintain people’s physical and mental wellbeing.
“As we recover from this pandemic it is important our communities remain well-connected and resilient, so I’m pleased that through this fund, we have continued to support these organisations and the inspiring work they do to help the people in their communities to live healthy and fulfilling lives.”
Applications for funding will close at 12 noon on Wednesday 27 October. You can find out more, including how to apply before then, on our website.