Daventry district communities to benefit from £61,000 grant funding from council

The money has been awarded to seven different groups for projects in Cold Ashby, Long Buckby, Walgrave and Daventry as part of the council's Capital Grants scheme.

Cold Ashby Playing Fields Association was allocated £6,000 towards a £20,000 project to replace fencing and improve drainage at its multi-use games area.

Two Long Buckby projects will each receive £11,500 grants. The children's recreation ground will put the money towards its £32,600 scheme to provide new play equipment for older children, while the community centre will use its grant as part of its £32,000 project to upgrade the building and provide two new activity rooms, toilets and an office.

Walgrave Village Hall & Playing Field Association was awarded £6,000 towards a £14,500 project to upgrade the toilet facilities at the hall.

The Daventry Area Community Transport (DACT), which was recently given a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, will get £10,000 to put towards a £71,000 project to replace one of the older mini-buses in its fleet.

Daventry Contact - the charity that offers a service collecting unwanted household items which it then refurbishes where necessary before distributing to those in need - was awarded £14,500 towards a £120,000 project to improve their South March headquarters.

Drayton Grange Football Club was awarded £1,900 towards a £4,800 project to refurbish the shower facilities at Mayfield Sports Park ahead of next season.

Councillor Alan Hills, Daventry District Council’s community, culture and leisure portfolio holder, said: “We’re very pleased to support local community and voluntary groups through our Community Grants programme.

“We’ve received a lot of applications in recent months, and all of the groups we have awarded money to are very deserving. These are excellent projects that will be of benefit to the wider community, so we’re thrilled to be able to help local people in this way.”

Daventry District Council’s Capital Grants programme can provide community and voluntary groups with up to £15,000 to cover up to half of the total cost of a capital building project.

The council also offers grants of up to £1,000 to allow groups to purchase items of equipment, cover expenses or for training courses, and up to £500 to help communities put on events.

Community and voluntary groups, as well as schools and pre-schools, can also still apply for one of the council’s OVO Energy Women’s Tour event grants. Up to £500 is available to put on events or activities which promote sport, health and wellbeing.

Find out more about DDC’s Community Grants scheme here.