These Calderdale community groups have benefited from grants worth £600,000

The Council awarded the funding in 2015 as part of its strategic grants scheme, and a new report highlights the impacts in local communities over the last three years, including:

Councillor Daniel Sutherland, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Environment, said: “We appreciate the important role that voluntary groups play in strengthening communities across Calderdale, so we help them to thrive through our grants and support services.

“We’re thrilled with the impacts of our 2015 – 2018 round of grants, which have helped some of our most vulnerable residents, supported Calderdale’s unique arts and culture scene and helped make our areas safe, welcoming and talented.”

The grants were awarded after a bidding process, and the successful applicants were:

Barnardo’s – the funding helped to deliver the ‘Positive Identities’ project to create safer and stronger communities for young LGBTQ people in Calderdale.

Calderdale SmartMove – this organisation helps vulnerable people to access housing services, gain employment and improve health and quality of life. The grant helped workshops to run in schools to help prevent people from becoming homeless.

Cornholme and Portsmouth Old Library – the funding enhanced access to activities and services, including health services, within the local community.

Hebden Bridge Arts Festival – by showcasing Calderdale’s distinctive landscape and creativity and enhancing partnership working, the funding helped a wider range of people to experience art and culture, and attracted more tourists.

Square Chapel Arts Centre – the grant helped to make arts and culture accessible to all, including the most disadvantaged people, contributing to Calderdale’s regeneration and playing a vital role in the visitor economy.

Street Angels – the money helped to provide a safe place and friendly advice during evenings to create a cleaner and safer night out in Halifax.

Threeways – the grant-funded Volunteer Plus (V+) Project promoted volunteering across North Halifax, reducing the negative impact of unemployment.

At the V+ Project at Threeways, over 90% of those who completed the eight-week construction programme asked to continue their volunteering at Threeways afterwards.

In total, the organisation recruited an extra 121 volunteers between 2015 and 2018 thanks to the Council grant.

At Square Chapel Arts Centre, volunteers provided 14,319 hours of support during the grant period. That’s more than 90 hours a week. They said: “Our outreach work has targeted older people living with Alzheimer’s, Roma and migrant communities and the South Asian communities in Halifax.”