The scheme provides funding to local organisations that deliver services and activities that benefit the residents of the borough.

The Grants Board met on 6 December 2023 to review the applications and allocate the funding. A total of £73,000 was available, subject to 2024/25 budget approval, and individual organisations could apply for up to £20,000.

The Grants Board received 22 applications, and after careful consideration, decided to award grants to 10 organisations, ranging from £500 to £20,000. The full list of grant recipients and their projects is as follows:

• 17th WGC Rangers: To support the running costs of the group, which offers opportunities for girls aged 14-18 to develop their skills and confidence through various activities and events.
• H’arts in Mind: To deliver art workshops and exhibitions for people with mental health issues, as well as raising awareness and reducing stigma in the community.
• Hatfield Food Bank: To provide emergency food parcels and support to people in crisis, as well as signposting them to other sources of help and advice.
• Red Kite: To provide specialist counselling and therapy for children and young people who have experienced trauma, abuse, or bereavement.
• Resolve: To provide drug and alcohol recovery services, including counselling, peer support, education, and training, for people in Welwyn Hatfield.
• Sowing Seeds Family Club: To run a weekly family club for parents and children from diverse backgrounds, offering activities, workshops, and social events that promote integration and community cohesion.
• Sporting Aid CIC: To deliver sports coaching and mentoring for young people who are at risk of exclusion, crime, or anti-social behaviour, as well as providing pathways to education, employment, and volunteering.
• Sporting Inspirations CIC: To provide physical activity sessions and health education for young people from all backgrounds, to support safer and healthier communities.
• Welwyn Hatfield CVS: To support the voluntary and community sector in Welwyn Hatfield, by offering training, networking, funding advice, and volunteer brokerage services.
• Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge: To provide safe accommodation and support for women and children who are fleeing domestic abuse, as well as outreach and prevention work in the community.

The Annual Community Grants budget for 2024/25 is subject to confirmation through the Council budget setting process. The Grants Board ensured that the total amount of funding allocated did not exceed the forecasted budget of £73,000.

Councillor Max Holloway, Executive Member, Community and Leisure, said: “I’m so pleased that there were so many applications and I would like to thank all the applicants for their contributions to the borough. I would encourage them to keep up their amazing work and consider signing up as a good cause at the One Welwyn Hatfield Lottery. Details are at www.welhatcommunitylottery.co.uk”

Councillor Michal Siewniak, Chair of the Annual Grants Committee, said: “We are delighted to announce the Annual Community Grants recipients for 2024/25, and congratulate them on their successful applications. The Grants scheme is one of the ways that the Council supports the amazing work of our local organisations, who make a positive difference to the lives of our residents. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of their projects and initiatives in the coming year.”

The Annual Community Grants scheme is part of the Council’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of the borough, and is linked to several of its corporate priorities, such as enhancing community participation, promoting healthy lifestyles, and supporting vulnerable people.