Witney News - Grants to fund community projects

Grants to fund community projects

Two West Oxfordshire villages are a step closer to getting new play equipment for young people after the District Council’s Cabinet recommended approval of grant funding.

Eynsham and Kingham will receive funding towards new play equipment, while Sandford St Martin Cricket Club will get a grant towards new training nets.

Cabinet Members agreed that grants totalling £10,940 should go to:

Eynsham Parish Council - £5,000 to help towards the costs of replacing play equipment for children up to eight years at the village’s Wytham View play area. The existing equipment is more than 20 years old and is in need of replacement. The Parish Council has already secured a £45,000 Playbuilder grant to provide equipment at the play area for older children up to the age of 13.
Kingham Youth - £4,250 towards climbing rocks at Kingham’s play park. Kingham Youth is a residents’ group set up in 2006 to improve facilities for young people in the village. The group has organised fundraising events and applied for grants from different bodies to purchase equipment for a new play park and meeting area. The village’s existing play park has been closed for over a year and the climbing rocks are part of the refurbishment project.
Sandford St Martin Cricket Club - £1,690 towards replacing two all-weather cricket nets and carpets. The Club’s nets were last replaced 15 years ago and the existing carpets are worn and damaged.

Cllr Hilary Biles, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Tourism and Health, said: “These grants will go to very worthy projects and we are extremely proud to support our local communities in this way.”

Kingham Youth said the District Council funding will move the village a step closer to getting a new play area. Mother-of-three Emily Lawrence is one of 11 parent-members of the fundraising group, which has raised £8,000 by holding fundraising events over the past three years towards the project.

Mrs Lawrence, group secretary, said: “Our play area has been closed for about 18 months because it is not fit for purpose, so we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to secure all the funding we need for the new area to be built next year. It’s brilliant that the District Council has agreed to give this funding towards the climbing rocks and we’re very grateful.”

Children in Kingham have helped to draw up plans for the new play park and the group is applying to the Lottery’s Community Spaces Fund for the majority of the £60,000 needed to fund the project.

The Council is giving funding to Kingham Youth and the other community projects from its Outdoor Recreation and Play Facilities and Sport and Active Recreation Grants Schemes 2009/10.

For more information about grant aid that may be available, visit the Council’s website www.westoxon.gov.uk/grants.