Following the announcement last December that the Department for Communities and Local Government would contribute £150,000 to the appeal for a fund, with a further £50,000 kindly donated by Diageo PLC, the Community Services Grant is now live.
The first four projects for the Pub is The Hub’s new Community Services Grant were signed off this week and work will begin in Cornwall and Devon on a community shop and post office, plus two further community shops and a community play area.
The Government support is split over two years with one-third of the fund being set-aside to administer and provide advice, support and measurement for projects around the country. The remaining two-thirds will be awarded in grants to those pubs who fulfil the required criteria.
Reg Clarke, the regional advisor for Cornwall and Devon has other projects in the pipeline for which he has been able to obtain grants from other sources but these four projects fell between any other funding opportunities.
John Longden commented: “Our appeal for a new Community Services Grant is available for those licensees who wish to diversify for the benefit of their communities but have exhausted all other avenues in sourcing appropriate community or local authority funding. We are thrilled to be able to give the go ahead to the four new projects in the South West and are confident of the impact they will make on their communities. We hope other donations to the fund may enable greater support to be provided for new projects by licensees around the country.”
The photograph shows Holly Jones, Projects Co-ordinator and Simon Theakston, both for Pub is The Hub. Holly is watching Simon sign off the first grant application!