Money Gary Mason Rhythmical Empowerment has also seen the benefit of applying for funds from the Sutton Community Fund. An earlier grant from the Sutton Community Fund had enabled them to provide weekly workshops in Roundshaw and Riverside. These proved very popular with groups such as residential care homes, Mencap, head injury rehabilitation and carers, with participants growing in confidence week by week as they learnt a new skill. The charity wanted to continue these sessions and so successfully applied for another grant from the Sutton Community Fund last financial year. Christine Lindsay of the Gary Mason Charity told us how securing these funds has made a difference to one Sutton resident. “I have one particular chap to tell you about who joined two terms ago. He was very difficult for the support workers to do anything with at all. A big guy who swore a lot and refused to get involved with any activities they took him to so
grants were awarded totalling £44,609.50. Some of the organisations that have received grants from the fund this year are:
they brought him to us expecting no co-operation at all. He also hated being looked at by anyone. The first week he sat out in the foyer of the church hall complaining about the noise of the drums. The next week I persuaded him inside the door by giving him a table and chair between him and the drumming circle, and something to drink, while he waited for it 'to be over'. The third week, he was one of the first in. He saw me and sat straight down on a chair with a drum and from that moment took full part in the drumming circle lessons in a compliant way. Now every week he says a big 'hello' to me and the workshop leader, comes to the kitchen servery for his drink and biscuits in the interval and actually has chats with me, proper conversations with smiles that are genuine. This is just one of many transformations that I have seen over the time we have had the benefit of the grants from Sutton Community Fund.” So far this financial year (2014/15) we have had one round of applications for the fund. Fourteen applications were made and went to the Sutton Community Fund Panel and subsequently nine
Sutton Community Fund Workshops
Alzheimer’s Society (singing for the brain classes) Imagine (supporting the running of a pilot project for people with mental health issues) Sangam (supporting the running of exercise classes) Sutton Mencap (running two leisure groups groupies and high fliers) Urban Youth Action (supporting open ramp sports coaching and support sessions, plus running large competitions) There is still £112,239.50 left in the pot to be awarded by March 2015, so it is well worth putting your application for funding in! Grants awarded must be used within 1 year and applications are now being accepted for the next round - deadline 17th September 2014. The application process is quite straightforward but it is important that you read the guidance notes (available on our website) before applying, and please make sure that you have all the documents listed on the checklist. You can download the application form and guidance notes from our website: www.suttoncvs.org.uk/communityfund If you need any help to complete your application form, or you have any questions about the fund, please call Jackie or Razia on 020 8644 2867 or email them. If you have an idea for a project but you’re not sure where to start with your application we run dedicated free workshops for anyone looking at applying to the fund. Seven organisations attended our last workshop, four went on to apply for the Community Fund and all these applications were successful!
“The workshop provided an excellent framework for our funding application” said one recent participant of the course.
The next workshop is on 14th August, 10am12noon at Granfers Community Centre, Sutton. Bring your project idea to this session and we will help you to make a start on your application. The session will also cover ways to gather evidence using different sources and the reasons why some funding applications fail. To book your place please email jackie@suttoncvs.org.uk asap as places are limited.
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