THE Examiner has been a trailblazer by securing a massive cash bonanza for groups across the town – way above what was expected.
And we have been described as being ‘audacious’ in the way we have managed to get thousands of pounds extra.
Dozens of groups had applied for a share of the £50,000 up for grabs in our highly popular Community Cash Giveaway.
But with so many after the money and the quality of the applications so high, we have been able to get an extra £18,000, bringing the final tally up to a whopping £68,000.
This is double the amount – £30,000 – we gave away last year and a massive amount for a town of Huddersfield’s size.
The cash comes from a pot of Government money called Grassroots Grants which is managed by the Community Development Foundation and funded by the Office of the Third Sector. In Huddersfield, the grants are decided by the Community Foundation For Calderdale.
The money is part of a nationwide drive by the Government to support thousands of groups and projects across the country working hard to improve their local communities.
Applications were only open to groups with an annual income of £30,000 or less. They must have been going for 12 months or more, be mostly run by volunteers and could apply for up to £900.
Last year around 50 groups benefited, but now this tally has virtually doubled to almost 90 groups which will receive, on average, about £840 each. These groups represent more than 1,000 volunteers providing over 40,000 hours of time per year to make a real, everyday difference to their neighbourhoods and communities.
The successful groups will now be informed by post and invited to a special cheque presentation event at the Galpharm Stadium next Monday.
Chairman of Grassroots Grants Kirklees Shaukat Hafez said: “We were delighted at the Examiner’s boldness to run the 2009 £30,000 Community Cash Giveaway last year in conjunction with ourselves, the Grassroots Grants Kirklees Panel and Voluntary Action Kirklees. It was an outstanding success and helped to trail-blaze a number of similar initiatives across the country.
“This year, when the Examiner asked to raise it by two-thirds to £50,000 we applauded the paper’s ambition but wondered if it might be a step too far. But, instead, they promoted the campaign so effectively and the local voluntary and community sector in Kirklees is so vibrant that not only did they meet this ambitious target, we have had to find much more to ensure that every eligible complete giveaway application for projects that met the Grassroots priorities has had an award.
“In fact, the Grassroots Panel was so impressed by many of these groups – their activities, their needs and their goals – that in some instances they have been awarded extra to help them with their sustainability and development.’’
He added: “This means that in two years the Examiner has helped put almost £100,000 into the communities of Kirklees, which is a tremendous achievement.’’
Steve Duncan, chief executive of the Community Foundation for Calderdale, added: “The Examiner’s audacity has meant this year alone almost 90 groups will receive help so they can continue with their trips, meetings, community service, replacing equipment, publicising their group, advertising their new initiatives, training requirements, health and safety needs, room hire, tools, insurance, fencing, uniforms, volunteer expenses, computer hardware and software, lunch clubs, artists … the list seems almost endless.
“And these all help make real improvements to helping make Huddersfield an even better place to live, work, learn, play and visit.’’
Grants officer Mark Fleetwood added: “The grants help hardworking volunteers feel good to have somebody recognise the value of their efforts by actually giving them money to help make things happen.’’
