As part of Hertfordshire County Council’s Locality Budget Scheme, councillors are given £10,000 each year to spend on projects in their local area. But in May the Special Cabinet Panel agreed a further investment of £390,000 – an extra £5,000 for each councillor – to specifically help organisations working on COVID-19 related schemes.

To date, 578 grants have been made to support the work of 207 organisations helping make a difference in communities large and small across the county. A further £70,000 has also been allocated to other applications.

Organisations that have benefited include:

–         The Volunteer Centre Broxbourne and East Herts which has received £1,250 for its Compassionate Community Connector Programme

–         Sawbridgeworth Congregational Church, which has received £1,650 to support its COVID-19 Action Group, help it provide lunch to vulnerable families, and educational packs to children not attending school

–         Baldock Rotary Club received £250 for its Coronavirus Support Group

–         Mind in Mid Herts has received over £10,000 to help with its work to support people’s mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic

–         £1,000 has been given to Sewa Day in Watford – a group of volunteers providing hot meals and food bank provisions during lockdown, as well as supporting the New Hope homeless organisation

–         Lubavitch of Radlett has received £250 to help it provide food to the bereaved or people with ill family members

–         The Living Room, which supports people with addictions and has offices in St Albans and Stevenage, has received over £14,000 to help it continue providing vital counselling using remote facilities

–         Community Action Dacorum has received support to the tune of £6,000 for its Connect Dacorum Community Response Programme

–         Chorleywood Corona Support Group has received £1,500 towards its voluntary work to help the vulnerable during COVID-19

–         £1,950 has been given to Welwyn Garden United Reform Church for expansion of its community and homeless outreach work.

Councillor Terry Douris, Executive Member for Education, Libraries and Localism, said: “The county council’s locality budget scheme was launched in 2009 and since then has funded thousands of worthwhile projects, making a positive difference to many Hertfordshire communities.

“For many the COVID-19 pandemic has been an extremely difficult time for many reasons.  Organisations across the county are acting as a real lifeline for many of these people and I am delighted that these grants are helping them to provide that vital support.”