Community Fund

Yarlington Housing Group has a fund available to assist with community projects, to engage with our communities and respond to their needs and aspirations.
The fund is designed to help the neighbourhoods in which we work through the provision of community facilities and services.
We aim to do more than provide high quality homes and excellent housing services. Through our local knowledge, financial and staff resources, we want to contribute to the wider community development and neighbourhood improvements which will enhance the quality of life of our residents.
To be considered for funding, initiatives and projects must contribute to the improvement and development of communities. The outcome of the initiative must therefore meet one or more of the following criteria:-

• Health & Wellbeing
• Raising Aspirations of Young People 
• Employment
• Training & Education
• Access to Services 

All aplications will be considered according to their benefit to the community, and will go through a procedure determined by the amount of funding applied for. Amounts over £20,000 will need to be approved by the Yarlington Housing Group board, and will need to go through an extensive submission and approval process. This could take up to 3 months, and should be considered when the request is made if it is time critical.

It is preferred that the community fund will be used for one-off projects. For larger projects it is hoped that there should be match funding by other partner organisations. However, this does not preclude sole funding by us; particularly of smaller scale projects. The average award in 2011/12 was £2,187.
Funding will be limited to those areas where we have housing or development activity i.e. where we have core business activity and therefore can demonstrate benefits to our residents (although others in that area may benefit too).

If you wish to find out more about the Community Fund contact the Community Investment Team on 01935 404606 or email karen.davy@yhg.co.uk

Some examples of Community Fund Awards to date:

• £150 to Wesfield Community Association for Planting Scheme in Westfield Area
• £647 to Combe St. Nicholas Play Day Fund for a climbing wall at a FREE Play Day for the community
• £6000 to Street Pastors, Chard to get a Street Pastors up and running in Chard
• £600 to Avon & Somerset Police on behalf of Oaklands School, Yeovil to purchase bike helmets, knee pad, hi-viz jackets and provide cycle training at Oaklands School in Yeovil
• £2,500 to South Somerset District Council for holiday activities  
• £283 to Wincaton Outreach Project to Support a Health Roadshow at Richhayes Recreation Ground, Wincanton
• £5000 to Life Education Wessex to provide health & drug education to children in South Somerset
• £8273 to Happy Valley Project , Crewkerne to create & install a footpath to link surrounding roads to the recreation ground
• £1000 to Kingsbury Episcopi Amenities Committee to purchase and install flood lighting at the recreation ground
• £500 to Curry Rivel Cricket Club to provide cricket training
• £1000 to Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service to provide cycle training at Martock School
• £2700 to Chilthorne Domer Recreational Trust to makes improvement to recreational facilities
• £2000 to Barrington Football Club to refurbish kitchen area, store room & officials changing rooms
• £397.95 to Preston Primary School to provide hi-viz bibs for school children and staff
• £2500 to SSDC towards funding of a Youth Worker in Area East Somerset
• £299.98 to Preston School to fund Year 11 Business awards for  Excellance in Enterprise and  Excellance in Business
• £4387 to Holiday Activities in Birchfield, Milford & Westfield in 2011
• £3000 to Shop Mobility to update and service current equipment such as replacing batteries, and purchasing another scooter
• £4993.57 to Henstridge Youth Facilities for the provision of a skate park and youth shelter
• £5000 to Poplars Close, Yeovil Marsh for play equipment
• £3,106 to the Yeovil & Sherborne branch of the Samaritans for new CCTV and computer equipment