30.01.2023 £50,000 FOR LOCAL PEOPLE AS ELEPHANT AND CASTLE TOWN CENTRE TEAM AND GET LIVING UNVEIL NEXT ROUND OF COMMUNITY FUND
The Elephant and Castle Town Centre team and Get Living have today announced the launch of the second year of the Inspiring Elephant Community Fund. The £50,000 a year fund provides grants to local groups, supporting short term projects, and contributing to longer term initiatives in the community. The guidance for the fund can be viewed here.
Following a successful inaugural launch last year, which saw 12 local community groups receive grants of between £2,500 – £4,950 to help support local initiatives, fight inequality and promote positive ageing in the area, this year’s fund will help deliver greater social value for local residents. Each application should seek to focus on one of the following key areas – health and wellbeing, young people and training or cost of living and sustainability.
In addition to last year’s funding, over the next four years, the Elephant and Castle Town Centre team will distribute £200,000 to the local community. Local organisations are able to apply for multi-year grants of up to £5,000 and a panel of local community leaders including members of Southwark Council, Get Living and members of the Community Hub who will consider all applications.
Since the launch of the Community Hub in 2019, the Elephant and Castle Town Centre team have been thrilled to watch the community come together over the activities it offers. The team is working hard to bring the much-loved Community Hub back to a physical space later this year to create a new place for everyone across the area to enjoy various activities from arts and crafts to yoga and dance.
Ailish Christian-West, Chief Operating Officer at Get Living said: “After a successful first year, we’re excited to be able to announce the second year of funding for the Inspiring Elephant Community Fund.
We recognise the cost of living emergency hitting communities right now and we’re giving additional priority to applications that focus on health and wellbeing, young people and training or cost of living and sustainability.
The fund helps to build on the success of the Community Hub which since opening in 2019, has become a key component of the community for classes and support.
Good luck to all applicants!”
Diana Barranco, Community Director at Elephant and Castle Town Centre said: “We are delighted that the second year of our Inspiring Elephant Community Fund is launching today to deliver greater social value for local residents and the local community.
The award builds on the initiatives led by the Community Hub and we hope that local people will have a variety of opportunities to make friends, support each other, and come together in Elephant and Castle.
I want to congratulate all of those successful in this round of funding!”
David Workman, Youth and Community Director, Southwark Playhouse said:
“The Inspiring Elephant Fund is rooted in our local community here in Southwark, and so to have their support for our work with young people aged 11 – 18 feels particularly special. All of our work for young people is free, allowing anyone to access it regardless of their situation, and the Fund has helped us continue that into 2023, which has proven invaluable.”
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