Nottinghamshire County Council’s Local Improvement Scheme will be sharing £350,000 of investment between 80 voluntary organisations, community groups, parish council and charities across the county.
The scheme is helping local communities to be more vibrant and sustainable by providing grants to local organisations.
County Councillors gave the go ahead to the funding for 80 schemes at the latest Communities and Place Committee meeting.
To help mark next year’s 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower to the United States, successful projects include new gateway signs at Scrooby, where the leaders of the Pilgrims and many of their followers who set sail on that voyage originated from.
Other Mayflower Pilgrims themed projects include:
- Two new gateway signs at Scrooby — to help further celebrate its strong pilgrim links (£3,300) as well as £1,000 towards display panels at St Wilfrid’s Church in the village
- St Peter and St Pauls Church, Sturton le Steeple, Retford, to buy information signs (£1,302)
Beauvale Abbey, near Eastwood — set to create a 10-metre long timeline to promote local history, including the Mayflower Pilgrims story (£5,000) - North Notts Artisan and Tourist Information Centre in Retford plan to create an interactive display, including commissioning a local artist to help celebrate the Mayflower 400 story (£3,525)
- Friends of National Civil War Centre are set to create a new Mayflower-inspired garden at Newark Museum (£1,300).
New gateway signs, building refurbishments and improvements to sports clubs are also included in a mix of capital funding awards which seek to make a difference in their local community.
Committee Vice-Chairman, Councillor John Handley, said: “This funding scheme is a great example of how Nottinghamshire County Council is helping local communities to help themselves.
“Successful bids include 11 new village gateway signs which will help give these communities even more of a sense of identity — and a chance to showcase their history. Many congratulations to those who have been successful and we look forward to seeing these projects progress over the coming months.
“A staggering 35 million people claim an ancestral lineage that runs back through 15 generations to the Pilgrims on board the Mayflower. Projects across the county, including those at The National Civil War Centre will really help bring this fascinating history to life.”
The Local Improvement Scheme has a number of aims and objectives which include:
- Supporting local communities to make Nottinghamshire a great place to live, work, visit and relax.
- Helping people to help themselves through encouraging volunteering and community involvement.
- Encouraging the protection and development of the local environment and heritage
- Supporting members in their roles as community leaders to respond to local ideas that bring community and economic benefit to the county.
Eligible organisations can apply for one-off capital grants up to a maximum of £50,000 in support of local projects that meet the LIS strategic aims.
The County Council are able to provide free help and support for organisations to consider the implications of the funding decision — this support may include free advice on alternative sources of funding. To find out more about this service, please email the Communities team at cvs.team@nottscc.gov.uk.