Littlemoor Community Action Group has been awarded £1,000 funding from Abri to support the Littlemoor Community Centre in providing equipment that will enable community events.
Littlemoor Community Centre, Weymouth, offers local residents of all ages a meeting place for socialising, attending events and learning new skills. The centre welcomes the community to free or low-cost activity and the funding from Abri will provide the equipment to enable this to continue.
Gill Paterson, Chairman of Littlemoor Community Action Group, said: “Thank you so much for this grant which will enable our group to make some much needed improvements to the Littlemoor Community Centre. It will also help us to increase our ability to put on more events for our community. Our local councillor Mr. Louie O’Leary recommended Abri to us and we have found them so helpful and a pleasure to work with.”
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. Carrie Woods, Chair of the Thriving Communities Panel, said: “The community commitment behind this project show the dedication and community spirit that it is built upon. It is admirable that they would like to provide more activities for the local community.”
The Littlemoor Community Centre is largely led by the community itself, with the ideas and requests of local people shaping much of the activity on offer at the centre. A variety of events and opportunities will be held over the coming year that will engage the community while encouraging social interaction with the aim of reducing loneliness and isolation.
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.
- 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
- Chard Reservoir LNR Volunteers’ Group received £1,000 to launch two family countryside event days.
“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.
You can find out more about Littlemoor Community Action Group and the Littlemoor Community Centre on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Littlemoor-Community-Action-Group-LCAG-100774728296940/. Or contact Lara Peters, Community Development Officer at Abri at lara.peters@abri.co.uk or call 07407 066223.
