Grants to help community groups in Haverhill

Grants have been awarded to community groups and organisations that needed funding towards projects which improve the quality of life for people in the town.

Groups were invited to apply for up to £5,000 from a special grant pot, made available to ONE Haverhill by St Edmundsbury Borough Council. This is the sixth round of grants ONE Haverhill has awarded since 2012.

Applications were considered from groups that could demonstrate that the funding will make a real difference to the people of Haverhill, had clear objectives and plans for the project and a plan to how they will measure its effectiveness.

Rosanne Kilbourn from MENTA, Chair of the ONE Haverhill Grants Panel, said: “It is great that so many local initiatives have benefitted from this fund and that some of the entries are first time applicants.

Among the recipients were Haverhill Family History Group who were awarded £1,945 towards their Haverhill At Work project, an occupational oral history project that seeks to capture a portrait of the town’s workforce during and post expansion by recording the employment experiences of those with both long and new town roots.

Castle Manor Academy received £2,202 towards their Community Orchard project to make its orchard accessible to community groups.

Haverhill Blackjacks Baseball Club were awarded £1,700 to improve field and training facilities for baseball to coach children with the ultimate goal of building a permanent youth structure at the club.

A total of £1,000 was given to Haverhill Scouts and Guides for their HaverTri, a race on October 4.

Haverhill Town Council received £1,300 towards its project Kids Takeover and £1,600 towards its Youth Takeover project which will see a group of children aged 9 to 13 years old and 14 to 19 years old being given the chance to produce their own event or programme of events at community venues in Haverhill.

They will be mentored and given masterclasses.

Haverhill Summer Bash organisers received £1,000 towards the Haverhill show on July 19, an event which raises money for charities and good causes.