Eighteen Maidstone community groups have been awarded grants of between £500 and £4,999 in the first round of Maidstone Borough Council’s Community Grant Scheme, with more rounds planned before Christmas and in the new year.
Projects for isolated older people, young people, families and residents who struggle to get online are among 18 Maidstone community groups sharing council grant money announced on Monday 26 October.
Maidstone Borough Council says the first round of its Community Grant Scheme received 28 applications and 18 projects have been funded, with awards of between £500 and £4,999. The council describes the round as a share of £48,000; the 18 awards it lists add up to £47,149.
Who has been funded
The largest grants, £4,999 each, went to five organisations:
- Age UK Maidstone, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, for outreach and support for isolated older residents facing loneliness or digital exclusion.
- Involve Kent, for its Digitally Connected drop-ins, one-to-one support and workshops.
- Making a Difference Maidstone, for outreach support for people experiencing poverty and homelessness.
- We Click CIC, for its community hub at The Mall, which helps residents facing digital exclusion, poor literacy, unemployment, financial hardship and isolation.
- Maidstone Street Pastors, for the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable people in the town centre at night.
The other 13 grants are:
- Maidstone Trans Network, £3,140, for the Maidstone Inclusive Town Safety Initiative (MITSI), aimed at safe and inclusive access to toilet facilities across the town centre.
- Communigrow, £3,000, for Savvy Spoons workshops on cutting food waste and household bills.
- Maidstone Family Church, £3,000, for the Wildfire Youth Club.
- Stones Community Trust, £2,530, for FitStones @ MCSC exercise sessions for residents aged 50 and over.
- Hi Kent, £2,000, for a social group and technology support for deaf and hard of hearing residents.
- CAP Enterprises, £2,000, for its WomenKind training programme for young women.
- Rewrite Your Story, £2,000, for its Town Centre Connect programme for young people and vulnerable residents.
- Hinckley Harriers, £1,000, for free, inclusive weekly running sessions in Maidstone town centre.
- Switch Youth Services, £1,000, towards a youth centre.
- The Princess Project, £1,000, for Mum Hubs supporting isolated and vulnerable families.
- Making Miracles, £1,000, for its Volunteers Matter project.
- Hear Say, £984, towards a parent support group for families of children with additional needs.
- Maidstone Baptist Make Lunch, £500, towards a holiday lunch club for vulnerable families with young children.
What the council and the groups say
Councillor David Naghi, the council’s Cabinet Member for Community Cohesion and Safety, said: “We are fortunate to have so many organisations working hard to support Maidstone residents, providing services that make a difference to people’s lives.”
He added: “I am delighted that Maidstone Borough Council is able to support these projects through its Community Grant Scheme, helping them continue their valuable work and make a lasting difference to local people.”
Phoebe du Maurier of the Maidstone Trans Network said the money would pay for 500 advice packs, inclusivity audits and support for more than 50 venues to adopt a “safe refuge pledge”, with window vinyls marking the venues taking part.
Nigel Downes, coordinator of Maidstone Street Pastors, said the grant helps the group train and equip its volunteers, adding: “Without grants like this, we simply could not do what we do!”
What happens next
The council says more rounds of the Community Grant Scheme are planned before Christmas and again in the new year. Details are published on Maidstone Borough Council’s news site.