Home Page Haverhill News

Times are difficult for many people and their local communities in the current economic climate, but help may be at hand from a new community funding source.

The West Suffolk Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) Community Chest Capital Fund is open to voluntary and community groups and town and parish councils across the West Suffolk area including Haverhill and surrounding villages.

There is up to £2,000 available per application for items that are one-off capital costs, eg furniture, building materials, sports equipment, outdoor play areas or computer equipment.

If your organisation needs to purchase capital items to support its community activities, the West Suffolk LSP would like to help.

Already in 2010, the West Suffolk LSP has provided funding to over 30 local projects covering a range of activities and organisations.

The projects have been well supported by the local communities and have included training young people in sailing, SOS Bus in Newmarket to provide help and support for young adults, materials for an embroidery group, healthy eating and lifestyle workshops, through to cutting carbon emissions and advice on how to manage your personal finances better.

Laurna Compton, West Suffolk LSP manager, said: “I am delighted with the range of projects we have funded over the past year, many of which are already having a significant impact on the communities they are working in.

"Partnership is at the heart of everything the WSLSP does and has achieved to date in order to improve services and provision in the west Suffolk area.”

Only parish and town Councils and community and voluntary sector organisations are eligible to apply to the WSLSP Community Chest. All bids must benefit some or all of the residents of west Suffolk which covers St Edmundsbury Borough Council, Forest Heath District Council and the western part of Babergh District Council.

The deadline for applications to the West Suffolk Community Chest is 5pm on December 8. To find out further details go to www.onesuffolk.co.uk/wslsp.