Cash Boost For Community Projects In Kingsbury Episcopi and Isle Abbotts

A couple of pieces of good news to report as two of Yeovil's satellite villages are awarded grants to help with local projects.

Both grants came courtesy of the district council's Area North Committee and will go towards the completion of ongoing community projects.

First off, a grant of £10,000 was awarded to the Kingsbury Episcopi Recreation Trust as they look to bring the village of Huish Episcopi near Martock a step closer to a new Multi Use Games Area for the community. The money will add to funds already raised by the parish council, youth club, Yarlington Housing, Avon and Somerset Police Trust, Garfield Foundation and Cloth Workers Foundation.

The trust and local people have worked hard to raise funds and the council grant brings the total amount raised to just over £30,000 towards the £80,000 needed. An application has been made to the Big Lottery open spaces grant scheme for £50,000. If successful, along with the £30,000 already raised, the funding could enable the project to be completed later this year.

The scheme, which will be shaped by views given by young people and village residents, is set to include time controlled floodlighting, the refurbishment and upgrade of the existing kick wall, and a brand new outdoor court marked out for a range of sports.

Les Collett, Area North Community Development Officer said: “We are extremely pleased to be able to support this project. One of the main things we hear from keen groups who want to improve their communities is that they think there is no funding available.

"The key is that there is money out there, perhaps not in large amounts from local councils, but by getting smaller grants from the district council they can use it as a platform to attract further funding, which is exactly the hope here with the Big Lottery Fund.”

Ros Williams of Kingsbury Episcopi Recreation Trust added: “The village is very family orientated and we believe the MUGA will be a fantastic community facility which when complete, will benefit hundreds of young people and their families and be a real asset for the village. We are delighted with the support of South Somerset District Council and their officers who have worked hard with us on this proposal.”

In a similar development, the refurbishment project to revamp a Victorian village hall in Isle Abbotts near Ilminster has received a £5,000 boost.

The scheme will mend and insulate the hall’s leaking roof, rewire the facility with new electrics, replace old inefficient heaters, provide secondary double glazing for two large windows and install a hearing loop. The district council granted the funding from the remains of a Village Halls budget which is being used to support similar small and medium scale projects across the district.

The hall committee needs to raise fifty per cent of the outstanding funding in order to gain a significant grant from Biffa and the £5,000 means the committee will have met this criteria. The work will not only weatherproof the facility, but will reduce the hall’s ongoing energy consumption and costs.

Les Collett said: “As a small community the village hall is the main focus of the village - acting as the social, learning and development centre as well as community meeting place.

“Inevitably, grants budgets at the council are declining, but there are amounts of funding both here and from external sources. A little can go a very long way and we want to help communities to attract further funding and support as part of our community development and regeneration role.

“We are pleased to be able to support the village, who have worked very hard to raise funds, for this project which they have identified as a local priority.”

Robbie Robson, Chairman of the hall committee added: “Many people in the village have, in one way or another, been very supportive whilst we have been raising funds towards the proposed improvements and refurbishments of the village hall.

"The present Trustees are anxious that the hall is retained as the focal point of the community and must be maintained to an acceptable standard. As Chairman, I am extremely grateful to everyone who has been involved in this scheme.”

Photo: HowardLake, flickr