COMMUNITY organisations across the borough have benefited from £70,000 of funding thanks to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s (BDBC) community grants scheme.

Now in its second year, the grant scheme has seen 91 community and voluntary organisations receive funding to help them deliver small-scale, local initiatives that make a difference in people’s lives and help bring communities together.

A wide range of items has been funded including bat boxes, gardening equipment, tools and wildflower seeds to support local conservation group volunteers. Scout groups have been able to purchase camping and outdoor equipment and homeowners in one area can now receive information on heat loss from their properties, thanks to new thermal imaging camera attachments.

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Furniture, IT equipment, kitchen items and even sinks have also been funded to help local organisations to continue to offer a huge range of activities, facilities and support in their communities.

The councillor grant scheme gives each ward councillor across Basingstoke and Deane a £2,000 pot to support community and voluntary group projects in their area.

Cabinet member for partnerships Cllr Jenny Vaux said: “The councillor community grant scheme is in its second year and really gaining momentum with lots of applications being received by councillors.

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“I’m delighted we have been able to award £70,000 across the borough to support a fantastic variety of projects that will make a real difference to so many communities. This funding helps the council to get to the heart of our communities and support some key projects within our wards that bring huge benefits to people in that area.”

The councillor community grant scheme will be open again for applications at the end of May and information on how to apply will be available on the council’s website basingstoke.gov.uk/cllr-community-grants.