Community groups benefit from £90k grant funding in Basingstoke and Deane

More than 80 community organisations across North Hampshire have benefitted from nearly £90,000 of grant funding this year.

The funding has come from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s councillor community grant scheme.

Through the grant scheme, each borough councillor has an allocation of £2,000 to award grants of between £250 and £2,000 to local groups and organisations.

Councillors can also pool funding with one or two other councillors in the borough to provide grants up to a maximum of £3,000.

The 2023/24 scheme closed for applications on March 1 with applications from 85 organisations being approved for funding.

Groups to benefit from the 2022/23 scheme included the Headley with Ashford Hill Community Shop which received money for a coffee machine and café equipment, and Tadley and District Community Association, which used its £1,000 funding to purchase a freezer and some shelves for its food pantry.

Ashmansworth Parish Council also received £590 for a defibrillator, Community Church Tadley nearly £1,000 for a laptop and multimedia equipment and Tadley Town Council used its £920.07 grant to purchase three litter bins.

The scheme will re-open for applications in June and full details of the grant criteria and how to apply will be made available by the council then.