East Suffolk Council
Funding boost for Bungay community groups
Two East Suffolk councillors have distributed £15,000 in funding to community groups and organisations in the Bungay area.
Each year, East Suffolk’s 55 councillors have an allocation of £7,500 in their Enabling Communities Budget to spend on community projects or to develop new projects which tackle community needs in their area.
Cllr Toby Hammond, East Suffolk’s cabinet member for Economic Development and Transport and ward councillor for Bungay and Wainford, and Cllr Anthony Speca, Chair of the Council and ward councillor for Bungay and Wainford have each allocated their full £7,500 to groups and organisations which will directly benefit local residents.
Between them, Cllrs Hammond and Speca have allocated the following funding to local projects over the past year:
- Fisher Theatre Youth Group: £2,942.95 to provide theatre and performing arts activities for young people.
- Black Shuck Festival Group: £2,250 for the Black Shuck Festival Wellness Afternoon
- Back in the Grove CIC: £1,800 for the expansion of their chair-based music and movement wellness programme for the elderly and people with disabilities.
- Bungay Stakeholder Group: £1,500 to support the new Bungay Life magazine.
- Bungay Town Council: £1,500 to establish a comprehensive youth provision over the next two years.
- Lightwave: £1,300 to extend their ‘Spud Club’
- Annis Hill Green Management Group: £1,024
- First Bungay Sea Scouts: £930 to improve and repair the scout hut
- St Audrey’s Studios Limited: £870 to support four Bungay artists to take part in an exhibition.
- Redisham Parish Meeting: £320.05
- Bungay in Bloom: £300
- Rumburgh Parish Council: £200
- East Suffolk Council’s Ease the Squeeze programme: £63
In a joint statement, Cllrs Hammond and Speca said: “We are pleased to have been able to provide funding to a wide range of deserving community projects and organisations, all of whom are working hard to support local people and enhance the lives of those living and working in Bungay and the surrounding area. All East Suffolk councillors have an Enabling Communities Budget which can be provided to eligible applicants within each ward. We would encourage those who are in need of funding, whether this is for new equipment at a village hall, to support activities which bring the community together or any other community project, to apply to their district councillor for funding this financial year.”
East Suffolk Council’s Enabling Communities Budgets support activities delivered by community, voluntary and social enterprise organisations.
Previous projects which have benefitted from Enabling Community Budget funding include play areas, village hall refurbishments and equipment, community events, projects supporting people with disabilities and the purchase of defibrillators.
Community groups wishing to apply for Enabling Community Budget funding should contact their district councillor or check the application information.