The Chard Reservoir LNR Volunteers’ Group has been awarded £1,000 funding from Abri to launch two family countryside event days.
The Chard Reservoir is a local nature reserve in Chard, Somerset, open to the public for activities such as dog-walking, children’s play, fishing and birdwatching. It is an inclusive site for all ages and visitors are encouraged to explore the nature and wildlife of their local reserve. The Community Funding from Abri will support running two family countryside event days.
The team at The Chard Reservoir, said: “The Chard Reservoir LNR Volunteers’ Group heard about the Abri Community Fund from the Countryside Team at South Somerset District Council and we are delighted to have been awarded a grant.
“The volunteer's plan for 2022 is to enhance and improve the existing woodland play zone at Chard Reservoir, constructed using waste timber from the nature reserve in 2017. The play area has proved very popular with families visiting the reserve and has encouraged visits from new visitors.
“The play area is open all day every day and access to the site is free of charge, including free car parking. It is approximately a 20-minute walk from the town centre and surrounded by residential areas on the edge of Chard so is easily accessible for many residents.
"The funding from the Abri Community Fund will enable the group to purchase the necessary equipment to provide additional free of charge family focused countryside event days in the May half term and the school summer holidays. The main aim of these, free drop-in events, is to improve well-being through providing connections to nature, connections to other members of the community, a space for children to play and improve their fitness.”
The Community Fund is part of Abri’s commitment to empowering lives and creating thriving communities, making them better places to live. Abri is one of the south of England’s largest housing providers and has awarded over £65,000 from its Community Fund to support local organisations and projects since April 2021.
Applications are decided on by its customer panel – Thriving Communities – made up of customers and those living in its communities. Sarah O’Mara, from the panel, said: “The events the Chard Reservoir LNR Volunteers will offer will help teach people about the local wildlife, and offer an opportunity to bring people together and feel part of the community.”
Other successful applications for Abri’s Community Fund include:
- Gul Outdoor Therapy, received £3,000 to support them in providing outdoor activities to improve the health and wellbeing of young people.
- Littlemoor Community Action Group in Weymouth received £1,000 to provide equipment to enable community events in a community centre.
- Love Outdoors received £2,000 to create a communal garden at Somerset Court, Gosport.
- Mustard Seed Ministries: Personal Choice received £2,726 to help fund their weekly chair exercises at the Oasis Centre for Adults in Portsmouth.
“We believe the best ideas often come from the people who know and lie in our communities. And we’re committed to supporting and investing in our communities. We’re proud of the difference our Community Fund makes, driving change, transforming our communities and providing opportunities. It’s what our Community Strategy and five-year £15m investment is all about – empowering communities, improving health and wellbeing, and providing employment opportunities,” says Cita Jagot, Communities & Involvement Manager at Abri.
Between April 2022 and March 2023, Abri’s Community Fund will have £90,000 available for communities to apply for. It opens for applications four times a year, and organisations can apply for up to £3,000 to support a project in one of Abri’s communities. The next application window opens on 1 April 2022 and closes on 20 May 2022.
