Sports Relief cash grants are up for grabs in city

COMMUNITY groups and grassroots projects in Plymouth are being invited to apply for grants in a £62,500 giveaway aimed at improving lives.

For the first time, Plymouth will get a share of a Community Cash fund raised through Sport Relief.

The charity is offering grants of between £500 and £1,000 – but groups must apply by March 5 to get their hands on a share of the money.

Peter Argall, UK grants learning and development manager for Comic Relief, said: "The whole point of the project is to try and support very small, grass-roots organisations and local people in areas where there's a bit of deprivation and where they're really trying to do something about that.

"We're trying to get money as far down the funding food chain as we can."

Mr Argall said by aiming the grants at a very local level, relatively small amounts of money could have a big impact.

"People might say that £500 doesn't go very far, but our experience as grant- makers is that it can make a huge difference to a group of people," he said.

"Community Cash is benefiting people's lives. Supporting the guy in the village who runs a football club every week – that's fantastic.

"Local people know what they need," he said. "I think that's why it can have such a great impact."

Mr Argall added that the application process had deliberately been kept as simple as possible, in order to encourage small groups to apply.

"We want to ensure that the money gets to the deserving groups in Plymouth," he said. "There's lots of activity out there, and people doing good work.

"Putting £62,500 into Plymouth will allow at least 60 or 70 projects across the city to get some funding."

The grants should be used to support work where there is clear evidence of it producing a sustained, beneficial impact on people's lives. Priority in awarding grants will be given to small groups or organisations which are based in areas of disadvantage and which have a clear understanding of the needs of their local community.

The grants are part of a £1million fund distributed across UK cities, and the money has been raised through Sport Relief and Red Nose Day for Comic Relief.

The Sport Relief 2010 fundraising campaign launches today, and organisers are asking people in Plymouth to rise to the challenge and run the Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile on Sunday, March 21.

City Olympic champion Sharron Davies has pledged her support. "Rising to the challenge and helping to raise loads of money for those who really need it in the UK and around the world is what Sport Relief 2010 is all about," she said.

Comedian and Sport Relief fundraiser David Walliams, who swam the English Channel in aid of the appeal, said: "Sport Relief has teamed up with The Herald to give the local organisations that help people living incredibly tough lives in Plymouth the chance to apply for a grant of up to £1,000 – part of our £1million- worth of grants that will be awarded to groups working to improve their local communities all across the UK.

"I'm encouraging readers of The Herald to rise to the challenge to support poor and vulnerable people in Plymouth, the rest of the UK, and the world's poorest countries by entering the Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile in Plymouth on March 21. Visit sportrelief.com today to take part."

Councillor Glenn Jordan, city council Cabinet member for leisure, culture and sport, said: "I'd like to encourage everyone in the Plymouth area to sign up and take part in our local event.

"The fabulous setting of Plymouth Hoe provides the perfect location for the South West's flagship Sport Relief Mile."

How to make your bid

YOU can download an application pack for Sport Relief Community Cash by clicking here

The Devon Community Foundation will provide advice and support, if needed, to help you make an application.

Two workshops and surgeries to help applicants will be held on Wednesday, February 3, from 1pm to 3pm and 4pm to 6pm. To book a place email grants@devoncf.com.

Contact Len Richards on 01752 896816 or email him at lenrichards@devon2.plus.com for further help and advice, or visit the website at www.devoncf.com

Who can apply for help?

GROUPS NEED TO:

Be working in a disadvantaged or deprived area within the local authority area of Plymouth.

Be small groups run by local people and with an income of less that £50,000 in the last year.

HOW MUCH CAN WE APPLY FOR?

The minimum grant award is £500 and the maximum is £1,000.

Grants are restricted to one per group. A group cannot apply for more than one set of funding from this particular programme.

EXCLUSIONS

Grants will not be awarded to the following:

to individuals.

to statutory organisations, including PCTs and schools.

groups which are not constituted.

GRANTS WILL NOT BE AWARDED FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:

to fund trips abroad.

to fund buses, minibuses or other community transport schemes (not including transport costs forming part of a project).

to fund building costs, including access adaptations to buildings.

Choose your distance

THE Plymouth Mile takes place on the Hoe and is one of 16 flagship mile events taking place around the country.

You can choose how far you run – one, three, or six miles, whichever is a challenge for you – and there are several start times to suit everyone.

The event takes place on Sunday, March 21.

Several smaller events are also taking place across Devon and Cornwall on the same date.

To enter, visit the website www.sportrelief.com/the-mile, which also has advice on fundraising and getting fit.