Kirklees Council announces festive £50,000 fund for community organisations

The extra £50,000 of support will be added to the current Ward Project Budgets fund. This is funding that Kirklees Councillors distribute to organisations and projects in their ward.

The fund was boosted by an extra £690,000 from Kirklees Council (£30,000 for each ward) in Spring 2020 to help tackle the pandemic. It has already been used by many organisations to provide vital support to citizens.

Councillor Cathy Scott and Coun Paul Davies, Kirklees Council Cabinet leads for Harnessing Voluntary Sector Capacity said: “Community organisations are incredibly important for people’s wellbeing, especially at such a difficult time for many people.

"We’re working with and alongside dedicated and inspiring groups in our local places.

"We recognise that these local organisations who are so fundamental for keeping people connected and safe are often facing their own financial challenges.

"So we want to make sure that vital local groups are supported through and beyond the Christmas period.

"We’re continuing to work closely with TSL Kirklees to understand what other support local groups will need in the months ahead.”

The Council said that community groups have found it especially difficult to generate income to support their work.

Key events over the Christmas period usually provide essential funding for many smaller organisations in particular.

Without the local Christmas lights switch on events, lunches, Christmas fairs, carol concerts and other seasonal activities, some groups are finding that this support has all but disappeared said the Council.

The Christmas fund for voluntary and community groups is a way of helping local organisations to meet some of the challenges they have faced.

It’s based on feedback from community groups, as part of ongoing work between Kirklees Council, Third Sector Leaders Kirklees and organisations in our local places. Kirklees Council’s Cabinet agreed to support the funding.

Hilary Thompson, Chair of Third Sector Leaders Kirklees said: “TSL Kirklees supports a variety of voluntary and community organisations across Kirklees.

"We know just how challenging things are for many groups right now. If you’re part of a community group or organisation, we’re here to share advice on all sorts of things, including funding opportunities.

"We can also connect you to other people and organisations. Supporting each other has real value for voluntary and community organisations – the strength of peer to peer support is it helps us find innovative ways to a solution. We’re here to help.”