Community Chest a partnership initiative

Year Eight Report 2014 – 2015

Community Chest Annual Report, 2014-15

Above: Working Together, 3rd June 2015 – group photo of Community Chest Grant Recipients, Thomley, www.mjdphoto.biz Front Cover: (clockwise from top left) ENRYCH, Bucks Play Association, with Broughton Parish Council, Community Café, Chilterns MS Centre, Wednesday Club. Photographs in this report are either provided by the projects themselves, taken by Grants Panel members or by MJD Photography unless otherwise acknowledged. www.mjdphoto.biz

£3.6 million distributed through the Community Chest over the past eight years has supported investment in voluntary and community projects in Vale of more than £29 million

More than 1,400 volunteers supported the 75 projects which were funded by the Community Chest in 2014-15

1 Community Chest Annual Report 2014-15

Contents

What is the Community Chest? 3 Case studies 3 Grants panel membership 4 Chairman’s Report 4

Working Together 2015 4 Map (Ward areas and Trust regions) 5 Facts and figures 6

Map and link to interactive map 7 List of all grants awarded in year 8 8

2 Community Chest Annual Report, 2014-15 What is the Community Chest? In 2006, District Council (AVDC) transferred its housing stock to the Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust (The Trust). The two organisations jointly manage this partnership fund for community projects which was formed during the transfer. Each partner contributes equally to the agreed budget of £500,000 per year (including administration costs). This ten year fund ends in March 2017. Applications are welcome from charities, voluntary and • Cohesive and Strong Communities community groups, parish councils and social enterprises, for projects taking place in Aylesbury Vale which contribute to one • Safer Communities or more of our five priority areas, listed in the box to the right: • Thriving Economy During 2014/15, seventy five grants totalling £459,886 were awarded. Since 2007, 626 grants have been awarded, and a • Sustainable Environment total of £3,609,610 has been distributed to benefit people in • Health and Wellbeing Aylesbury Vale. A list of 2014-15 grants can be found on pages 8-9. Funding is awarded through three grant streams: • Microgrants up to £1,000 are assessed and awarded monthly using a scoring system. Forty- two organisations received microgrants in year eight, with an average value of £852. • Project Grants up to £25,000 are reviewed three times a year by a Grants Panel (see below), which consists of three AVDC councillors and three representatives from the Trust. Twenty one project grants averaging £12,719 were approved in 2014-15. • Three Year Revenue Grants (3YR) – up to £20,000 pa. Twelve grants averaging £13,083 per year were awarded by the Panel in November 2013 for the funding period 2014-17. Case Studies Project Grants - The Oasis Partnership wanted to create an art room at their centre in Aylesbury, making a disused space into a light and bright workshop, using experienced art therapists and craft teachers to work with clients trying to overcome addiction problems. In addition to the therapeutic nature of participation in creative activities, clients can also learn transferable skills such as jewellery making, to help them gain regular income and employment in the future. Microgrants - The Aylesbury Society applied for a microgrant to work with Aylesbury Youth Action on a mural to brighten up the canal bridge under Aylesbury High Street. Following on from the success of a previous project at Oakfield Canal Bridge, which still looks great several years on, 25 young volunteers worked with artist Suz Hemming, to design a mural entitled ‘Aylesbury Past and Present’. ENRYCH’s social group, whose members are adults with physical disabilities, visited the Railway Centre at . Waddesdon Wednesday Club, a day centre for older people, had a day out on a working farm in the Vale, meeting the animals, enjoying the open air and reminiscing about their own experiences of rural childhoods and agricultural work. Three Year Revenue Grants (3YR) 2014-17 - Home-Start Aylesbury have a team of 22 home visiting volunteers, who support around 40 families with young children each year. The team are well trained and carefully matched to the families for regular visits, providing respite and support for families dealing with issues such as ill health, bereavement or disability, helping ordinary parents in extraordinary situations, giving them support and the confidence to carry on.

3 Community Chest Annual Report 2014-15

Grants Panel Membership 2014-15

Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust Aylesbury Vale District Council Penny Foulds, Head of Finance Cllr Janet Blake, Member for Kate Russell, Director of People and Performance Cllr Pam Pearce, Cabinet Member for Community Matters and Member for . Masaud Subedar, Head of Community Services Grants Panel Chairman 2014-15 Cllr Ranjula Takodra, Member for & Hawkslade

Report from the Grants Panel Chairman ‘The Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust is committed to strengthening and sustaining communities and improving the lives of local residents. One of the most rewarding aspects of my job at the Housing Trust has been that of a Community Chest Panel member and I would like to say how much of a pleasure being Chair of the Panel has been in the past year. It has been an unforgettable year during which 75 grant applications were approved. We’ve calculated that there have been more than two million beneficiaries through projects that the Community Chest has funded over the past eight years, making a huge impact on the lives of local people in Aylesbury Vale. We passed the milestone of £3.5 million of grants awarded. The success of the Programme is down to the enthusiasm, dedication and hard work of local organisations, volunteers and fundraisers, as I have seen when visiting local projects. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone who applied for a grant. It has been a pleasure to work with other members of the panel. In particular, I would like to thank Sarah Rothwell and colleagues at AVDC and the Trust for enabling me to undertake this role and to the outgoing Grants Panel members for their contribution. I know that working together we are making a difference.’ Masaud Subedar, Head of Community Services, Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust

Working Together 2015 Each year, we hold a celebration and networking event for grant recipients - the venue and presenters have all received funding. This year, we met at Thomley, an activity centre in Worminghall for children and young people with a wide range of special educational needs and disabilities. We were given a tour of the facilities, including the outdoor track, accessible outdoor play equipment, indoor soft play area, sensory room, IT suite and teenage den. We also saw plans for the development of a new café and dining area which will improve facilities for visitors and provide real-life work experience opportunities. Aylesbury Astronomical Society gave a presentation about their findings through their observatory at . The group host monthly talks in Aylesbury which all are welcome to attend. Chiltern Music Therapy talked about their work with people with dementia and other communication issues, whose well-being, behaviour, interaction, communication and self-esteem can be improved through involvement with music therapy sessions. School students put together a video about their Community ICT Project, showing their work with robotics and coding. Lindengate, a new organisation based in , deliver a programme of social and therapeutic horticulture to help people with a range of mental health issues. They showed us the improvements that have been made to the site, which was derelict when they took it over, and now includes polytunnels, sheds, raised beds, a wildlife meadow and pathways, so that therapeutic horticultural activities can take place all year round in all weathers. 4 Distribution of Grants Awarded in Year 8 April 2014 – March 2015 A1 – by Aylesbury Vale District Ward Areas (ward boundaries in use prior to 2015 elections)

£0

£0-£1,000 £1,000-£10,000

Buckingham £10,000 - £25,000 North Buckingham South £25,000+ Newton Winslow Longville

Marsh Steeple Gibbon Stewkley

Wing Quainton

Grendon Underwood Weedon

8 5 Bierton 4 Brill Waddesdon 3 1 7 Aston 9 6 2 Clinton 10 1. Aylesbury Central 2. Haddenham 3. Coldharbour 4. Gatehouse Wendover 5. Elmhurst & Watermead 6. Mandeville & Elm Farm 7. Oakfield 8. Quarrendon 9. 10. Walton Court

A2 – by Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust Regions £ N = North area 176,516 E = East area 191,205 W = West area 75,750 East and West (Aylesbury Town) 16,415 £ 459,886

Community Chest Annual Report 2014-15 Facts and Figures Tables B1-B3 Single-year breakdown for year 8, 2014-15 % £ Total Total Cost £ Investment B1. figures for the three grant Applications Grants success Funding of Funded for every £1 streams in year 8, 2014-15 Received Awarded rate Awarded Projects £ granted Microgrants 44 42 95 35,786 205,592 5.75

Project Grants 27 21 78 267,100 2,351,917 8.81

Three-Year Revenue Grants 16 12 75 157,000 1,430,231 9.11

Total 87 75 86 459,886 3,987,740 8.67

In tables B2 and B3, some applications B2. Grants Criteria – one or more priority Number contributed in more than one area. All areas met under the following headings of Grants applications must meet at least one of the grants criteria priorities. Cohesive and Strong Communities 75 Thriving Economy priorities include projects Safer Communities 43 delivering services within areas of relative Thriving Economy 70 deprivation according to the National Indices Sustainable Environment 39 of Deprivation, and projects which support Health and Wellbeing 74 families and vulnerable people. Total Number of Grants Awarded 75 Grants criteria are taken from priorities in the Sustainable Community Strategy for Aylesbury Vale. Some organisations or projects have a Number of B3. Equalities Focus (2014-15 grants) specific focus on one particular grants beneficiary group. Disability 24 Every applicant must have an up-to-date Older People 10 Equality Policy and demonstrate that Women 3 they understand how to implement their Ethnic Origin/Culture/Language 3 policy to give equality of access to facilities, activities, services, volunteering Children 26 and employment opportunities and Young People 23 membership of their management Non-specific wider community involvement 59 committee or trustee board. Total number of grants awarded 75 B4. Total Community Chest grants awarded to local projects over the past eight years, 2007-15 Total Cost of £ Investment Applications Grants £ Total Funding Number of Grant Stream Funded Projects for every £1 Received Awarded Awarded Beneficiaries £ granted Microgrants 457 435 370,303 2,062,343 5.57 382,076

Project Grants 211 161 2,086,307 17,493,821 8.39 592,913 Three Year 55 30 1,153,000 10,091,434 8.75 1,091,587 Revenue Grants* Total 723 626 3,609,610 29,647,598 8.21 2,066,576

*3 year revenue figures include funding awarded for all three rounds, 2008-11, 2011-14 and 2014-17.

6 Community Chest Annual Report, 2014-15 B5. - Community Chest countdown, some of the projects funded in the first eight years (2007-15): 82 improvements to community buildings1 54 clubs, facilities and activities for young people (12-18) 48 music, drama, dance, art or craft projects 47 environmental projects 40 improvements to recreation grounds and play areas 38 groups, facilities or activities for children (0-11) 35 services or activities for older people 28 BAME2 events or activities 23 services or facilities for people with physical disabilities 21 services or facilities for people with SEND3 20 mental health projects 15 indoor and outdoor bowls clubs, boules or petanque facilities 11 storage sheds 10 cricket practice nets 8 sensory impairment4 projects 6 grants for camping equipment (scouts, guides, cadets) 5 sets of goalposts 4 village noticeboards 3 projects for NEETs5 2 community run village shops 1 community orchard in Wendover, including at least one pear tree!

Link to Interactive Map of year 8 grants created on Google My Maps

Microgrants Project Grants 3YR Grants

Pictures from top: Bowls Club who received a grant last year; Wendover’s Community Orchard, planting heritage fruit tree; Reservoir’s new path, organised by the Canal & River Trust, constructed by volunteers.

1 village halls, sports pavilions, scout headquarters etc 2 Black, Asian or other Minority Ethnic groups 3 Special Education Needs and Disabilities 4 Deaf, blind or visually impaired 5 Not in education, employment or training 7 Community Chest Annual Report 2014-15 List of Grants Awarded, April 2014 – March 2015 Name of Organisation £ Purpose

Combatting worklessness through volunteering - work experience Aylesbury & District CAB 2,000 placements and training for NEETs ‘The Hub’ drop in sessions for homeless adults - contribution towards Aylesbury Homeless Action Group 20,000 core running costs for twice weekly sessions Core costs to run four evening youth clubs each week for 50 weeks Buckingham Youth Clubs Ltd 10,000 per year Counselling service for adults with mental health needs in Aylesbury Buckinghamshire Mind 8,000 Vale Aylesbury Vale Vision Network Co-ordinator to develop activities and BucksVision 10,000 volunteer support for blind and visually impaired people Calibre Audio Library 8,000 Supporting volunteers in changing times - Volunteer Co-ordinator Chilterns MS Centre 16,000 Physiotherapy provision for people with MS Tailored volunteer support to help adults with physical or sensory ENRYCH 10,000 disabilities participate in leisure and learning activities Supporting young families through carefully matched and specially Home-Start Aylesbury 13,000 trained volunteers for regular 1:1 support visits Horses Helping People 20,000 Client sponsorship, volunteer training, winter running costs Puzzle Centre 20,000 Core service - specialist pre-school for children with ASD Core staff costs - activity centre for children and young people with Thomley Activity Centre 20,000 physical and learning disabilities 3YR Grants (year 1 payments) £157,000

Buckingham Canal Society 7,000 Support worker for volunteers Buckingham Old Gaol Museum 10,000 New lighting system Bucks Play Association 16,000 Boomerang Toy Library Canal and River Trust 3,000 Weston Turville Reservoir - circular walk Dogs for the Disabled 10,000 School Dog - Pilot at Stocklake Park School Great Brickhill Parish Hall 20,000 Car park levelling and resurfacing including disabled parking Haddenham Cycle Training 10,000 Bikeability courses at Elmhurst and Thomas Hickman Schools Aylesbury Murder Mystery - participatory theatre group for adults I Have a Voice Too 5,400 with learning difficulties Lindengate 15,000 Horticultural training/therapy mental health project Recreation Ground 10,000 Replacement storage shed Village Hall 22,000 Refurbishment and modernisation Oakley Bowling Club 20,000 Outdoor Bowling Green for Oakley Oasis Partnership 12,000 Art and craft therapy project PACE Centre 5,000 Sensory Occupational Therapy for children with cerebral palsy Puzzle Centre 15,000 Contribution towards salaries (Head of Centre) Expansion to , Mursley, Newton Longville, Stoke Stewkley Enterprise Agency 12,500 Hammond and Thomley Activity Centre 9,200 Lifelong support to disabled children, teens, their families and carers Vale of Aylesbury Vineyard 10,000 The Storehouse Project Westbury Parish Council 25,000 Village Hall rebuild Winslow Scouts 15,000 Refurbishment of Scout HQ Youth Concern (Aylesbury) 15,000 Lifeline services for disadvantaged young people Project Grants £267,100

Artfully Reliable Theatre Society 1,000 Keyboard for rehearsals and performances Aylesbury & District Table Tennis League 900 Wall coverings and additional tables Telescope – a new mount to enable more community open events Aylesbury Astronomical Society 900 and astrophotography Aylesbury Youth Action 900 Vtrek - youth volunteering from Buckingham to Aylesbury, Aug 2014 Bearbrook Running Club 900 Training and race day equipment Bierton with Broughton Parish Council 850 New goalposts and goal mouth repairs 8 Community Chest Annual Report, 2014-15

Brill Memorial Hall 1,000 New doors to improve insulation, fire safety and security Buckingham and District Mencap 900 Social evenings and trip to Buckingham Town Pantomime Buckingham Town Cricket Club 900 Cricket equipment for junior section Buckland and Aston Clinton Cricket Club 700 Replacement netting for existing practice net frames Bucks Play Association 955 Under 5s area at Play in The Park event on National Play Day Cheddington Parish Council 360 Mobile football goalposts Chiltern Community Opera 900 Pirates of Penzance - rehearsals leading to performance in July 2015 Chiltern Music Therapy 800 Music Therapy Integration Group, for adults with learning difficulties Community Unity Projects 800 Subsidised outing to Wendover Woods for low income families Drayton Parslow Parish Council 440 Preparatory survey for improvement of the recreation field Drayton Parslow Sports and Social Club 936 Access ramp and railings to main entrance Dunton Village Hall 1,000 MUGA and Tennis Court resurfacing Parish Council 1,000 Internal/external improvements - electrical works and redecoration Visit to Quainton Railway Centre (social group for adults with physical ENRYCH 415 disabilities) Great Horwood Parish Council 900 Youth Shelter Village Hall 1,000 Exterior repair and repainting of roof edging and gutters Haddenham Cricket Club 1,000 Double-bay outdoor practice nets self-build project Haddenham Cycle Training CIC 1,000 Cycle maintenance and storage of loan bikes for course participants Indian Cultural Society 440 Independence and Integration event Old School Community Hub 1,000 Additional tables and chairs Long Crendon Village Association 1,000 Feasibility study for redevelopment Monday Contact Club 900 Activities programme for older people's day centre Oakley Social Centre (The Village Hall) 1,000 Replacement storage shed Polish Saturday School 1,000 Classroom hire Pollyanna Pre-School 1,000 Children's cloakroom at Community Centre Quarrendon Community Café 400 Running costs for three months drop-in support sessions Spirit Youth Group, Cheddington 1,000 Production of Bugsy Malone Stewkley Recreation Association 600 Park bench refurbishment The Aylesbury Society 1,000 Mural under the High Street Canal Bridge Tingewick Parish Council 900 Replacement safety surface for children's playground Waddesdon Cricket Club 1,000 Cricket nets Wednesday Club, Waddesdon 850 Day Centre outing to a working farm in Aylesbury Vale, 22.4.15 Weedon Old Schoolroom 900 Replacement oil tank (see picture below) Wendover Parish Council 1,000 Heritage fruit trees for a community orchard Whitchurch Parish Council 540 Village noticeboard 'Our Community' and 'Our Business' primary programmes in Young Enterprise Bucks 800 Aylesbury Schools Microgrants £35,786

£459,886 Total Grants Awarded 2014-15

‘The Community Chest Grants Panel and staff were extremely helpful and easy to work with, and this made the application process smooth and trouble-free. As you would expect, the paperwork took time and effort to complete, but that investment in time was worthwhile thanks to the grant we received. Thanks again.’ Buckingham Old Gaol Museum

‘The micro grant application process is very effective. The quick turnover time makes it possible for organisations to plan their events accordingly.’ Indian Cultural Society, Aylesbury

‘Being part of the Community Chest is vital to Aylesbury Homeless Action Group. It provides us with excellent networking opportunities as well as raising our professional reputation in being associated with both AVDC and Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust.’ Aylesbury Homeless Action Group.

9 A new oil tank for Weedon Old Schoolroom Community Chest Annual Report 2014-15

The Community Chest is still open to new applications for microgrants and project grants. 44% of grants awarded this year went to organisations that have not previously received any funding from the Community Chest. Could your organisation benefit in 2015-16? Get in touch!

10 Community Chest Annual Report, 2014-15

More information about the Community Chest is available online aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/communitychest or from the Grants Officer Community Chest Grants Officer Communities Team The Gateway Gatehouse Road Aylesbury HP19 8FF [email protected] 01296 585634

www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk www.vaht.co.uk

This report can be made available in large print or audio format

Please phone 01296 585634

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