Voluntary and Community Groups to Share Council Grants Totalling £162,000

A TOTAL of 35 voluntary and community groups across Reading will share grants totalling over £150,000 after successful bids to the Council’s hugely popular Small Grants Fund initiative.

In the autumn, the Council invited bids from groups to encourage grassroots and innovative community action, and to create participation and volunteering opportunities for residents. As part of the Council’s continued commitment to help tackle inequality in the town, it set aside £150,000 for this year’s Small Grants Fund. The fund aims to benefit areas of the town where need is greatest and where residents may experience disadvantages, in acknowledgement that not all residents enjoy the same life chances.

Grants of up to £5,000 were available, with bids of under £2,500 also encouraged with the aim of providing direct support to some of the smaller scale local activities which operate in Reading’s communities. At the conclusion of the biding process, a total of 61 bids were received by the Council, with 35 successful.

While processing bids, the Council also identified a number which could be funded from separate Refugee and Asylum and Homes for Ukraine budgets. Three bids are funded from these different pots of money, bringing the total number of groups in Reading to benefit this year to 38, funded through more than £162,000 in total grants, including six grants for under £2,500.

Just a few of the examples of local schemes which will be supported, and the residents they will benefit, are:

• Graft Thames Valley Ltd:  helping disadvantaged job seekers, including those with autism or mental health challenges, to access meaningful employment
• South Reading over-50’s Social Club: providing social opportunities for vulnerable older people in Whitley Wood and South Reading
• Stepping Forward: expanding support and advice for disabled individuals and carers
• Faith Christian Group: Running a network of food pantries to serve the local community and residents on low income
• Kidical Mass Reading: Running bike repair workshops to provide core skills for marginalised groups
• Forgotten British Gurkha Veterans Charity: Supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of elderly and vulnerable Gurkha veterans and their families
• Reading Athletic Club: Recruiting young athletes through taster sessions in targeted primary schools
• East Reading Festival: to help operate the popular east Reading event, including performances, activities and stalls
• Barbados and Friends Association: Promoting healthy living initiatives and educating young people on financial matters
• Enrych: enhancing the quality of life of physically disabled adults, reducing social isolation and improving mental and physical wellbeing
• Reading Ukrainian Community Centre Library: Sustaining and expanding the library which provides access to over 700 books in Ukrainian and English

Reading Council Leader, Councillor Liz Terry, said:

“We know Reading is a town where not everybody has the same life chances. These grants allow the Council to help communities to build self-sufficiency and to access opportunities, whether that is through skills and training for future employment, or by simply offering people chances to volunteer or participate in local activities, which can make a big difference. We recognise the enormous value this wide range of activities bring to people’s lives, which is why we have continued to set aside this funding which highlights that our priority continues to be to enable as many residents as possible to share in our town’s success.”  

Councillor Ellie Emberson, Lead for Corporate Services and Resources, added: 

“Reading’s incredible community and voluntary sector has again come to the fore through this latest opportunity to bid for funds. We know grassroots groups can reach individuals and communities which we would otherwise find difficult to, and I look forward to seeing the results on the ground of another amazing array of activities which will be on offer.”

For a full list of the successful grants go to List of successful bidders for Small Grants Fund 2024-25