£550,000 for Suffolk community organisations helping with the cost of living
A mobile foodbank in Haverhill is one project getting funding
Half of West Suffolk Council’s £550,000 pot for community organisations will go to those helping with the cost-of-living crisis.
The council’s cabinet approved a year’s worth of funding for 32 community and voluntary organisations, out of 52 applications.
Cllr Robert Everitt, portfolio holder for families and communities, said: “There are a lot of organisations doing a lot of good work in West Suffolk.
“Unfortunately, we are not in a position to fund all the organisations that applied.
“Where funding has not been secured or has been given in part rather than the full amount applied for, we have worked closely with organisations to help them attract additional money.”
All 52 applications came to more than £1.1 million, but Cllr Everitt explained the council was not in a financial position to award this in full.
The pot of money for community organisations has been increased by ten percent to support those helping residents with the cost of living.
Cost of living challenges
Over £315,000 of the funding is allocated to ten projects helping people with cost-of-living-related challenges.
These include a mobile foodbank in Haverhill, a community grocery in Bury St Edmunds, a community café in Hundon and district-wide support services helping people with debts and budgeting.
Citizen’s Advice West Suffolk asked for £250,000 but has been awarded £245,379 – almost two per cent less.
Of the £557,529 pot, £44,123 is from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, launched in April last year to help overcome nation-wide geographical inequalities.
The organisations to receive the full amount they applied for are: Haverhill Community Trust, Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds (cost of living project), St Mary’s Church in Haverhill (cost of living project), Bury Drop In in Bury St Edmunds – and the West Suffolk branches of Suffolk Accident and Rescue Service (SARS), St Nicholas Hospice Trust, Art Branches CIC and Wood Monkey CIC.