18 March 2005

Community and voluntary groups cash in

Forty-four local voluntary and community groups are set to benefit from more than a quarter of a million pounds in grant funding to help them with their important work.

Sevenoaks District Council's Cabinet agreed the funding at its meeting on Thursday 17 March. In approving the grants, Members paid tribute to the valuable work carried out by voluntary organisations across the District.

Despite budget pressures, the Council has continued to support the voluntary and community sector through its Community Grant Scheme, which exists to help voluntary groups that provide services for local people, especially those with the greatest need.

The Scheme aims to drive forward the Community Plan, which aids community safety, youth work, health improvement, the provision of services for the elderly and groups working with people with disabilities.

Forty-one local voluntary groups who work in such areas will share grants worth between £100 and £9,700. A number of new groups have received funding this year for the first time. Bridges Thursday Supper Club in Edenbridge will receive £500 towards its healthy cooking programme and Sevenoaks Area Youth Trust will receive £2,000 to help with youth work in Sevenoaks and Kemsing.

The largest grants will help fund local Citizens’ Advice Bureaux, which last year gave advice to more than 20,000 clients. They will receive:

£45,020 to Edenbridge & Westerham CAB

£49,800 to Sevenoaks CAB

£42,750 to Swanley CAB

Last year, Sevenoaks District's Citizens Advice Bureaux received the joint third highest funding per head of population out of the 13 local authorities in Kent.

Cllr Felicity Broomby, the Council's Cabinet member with responsibility for Community Services, says: "These organisations provide services that are of immeasurable benefit to the community and we are delighted to be able to support them with these grants. I am confident that this funding will help make a difference to the lives of many of the District's residents."

For further information please contact: Daniel Whitmarsh on 01732 227414 or e-mail daniel.whitmarsh@sevenoaks.gov.uk