Community groups are being urged to apply for grants of up to £1000 being offered by East Cambridgeshire District Council. The money can be spent on new or existing projects designed to improve the quality of life for residents.

Cambridgeshire-based charity Blue Smile was recently successful in applying for a £1000 grant to help support children from St Andrew’s School, Soham who have been struggling with their mental health.

The charity which is now in its third year of providing support to children at the school, delivered a term of arts-based therapy for around 20 pupils.

Other recipients in the last funding round were Soham Men’s Sheds, Isleham Community Pantry, Burwell Cooking Together, and PosAbility which offers chair-based and specialist exercises to people living with long-term neurological conditions including stroke, Parkinson’s and arthritis.

Councillor Julia Huffer, Chair of the Operational Services Committee, said:

“This grant is a great opportunity for all community groups across the East Cambridgeshire district.

“It could be the boost they need to launch a new project or inject cash into an existing initiative.

“It’s fantastic to see how such relatively small amounts of money can make a huge difference to people living in our local communities.”

The East Cambridgeshire Community Fund will be open to applications until 27 February 2023.

Applying for this grant is simple. Information about the grant including eligibility criteria and application guidance can be found on the community fund webpage.