Spring grant awards for projects that will benefit Worthing residents were decided by Worthing Community Chest’s Appraisal Panel this March.
Independent Awards Process
The Appraisal Panel is a vital part of the WCC’s funding process, providing independence, transparency and fairness. The Panel comprises representatives from groups that have previously received grant funds from Worthing Community Chest. This time, the panel included people from Friends of Malthouse Meadow Forest Garden, Rainbow Theatre and Conn Artists Theatre, Highdown Towers and Pleasure Gardens Trust, Tarring Priory Bowls Club and Worthing Theatre Trail.
Chairing the panel was WCC Trustee Malcolm Brett and presenting the grants for consideration at this panel was the WCC Grants Administrator, Susan Macmillan. Also representing WCC was trustee Shirley Robinson-Viney.
New Community Projects for Worthing
After the presentation, discussion and voting the Panel awarded grants of up to £1,500 each to the four local projects shown below. All the applications awarded received unanimous support from the panellists.
Ukrainian Friends Network
Funds awarded will help with the cost of a cultural visit to the Chichester Flower Festival for Ukrainian refugees currently living in Worthing. All participants will benefit from a very special sensory experience and have an opportunity to reflect/pray in the cathedral.
Cycall CIC
CYCALL approached WCC seeking funding towards the ongoing costs of operating their accessible cycling sessions at Brooklands Park. These include repairs and maintenance of their fleet of adapted bikes and hiring an accessible toilet. Provision of a suitable toilet is a key factor in service users’ confidence to attend a session. People living with a disability have been very affected by the ongoing financial crisis and CYCALL run sessions on a voluntary donation basis to prevent financial exclusion.
Maybridge Keystone Club
Maybridge Keystone Centre is home to the Maybridge Keystone Club and other groups such as Young Carers and Community Transport. The project will replace lighting in the Centre with LED fixtures to reduce the environmental impact of energy usage and the financial impact of increasing energy costs. Cutting energy expenses for operating the centre will enable club funds to be better utilised to provide resources for the children and young people who attend the Friday Afternoon Club and other projects.
Worthing Heritage Alliance
Worthing Heritage Alliance is an umbrella organisation whose membership includes local groups involved in a wide range of heritage fields, from history, archives and the built environment to the environment, ecology and conservation. This project will replace the existing Worthing Heritage Alliance website with a modern, sustainable site that can be updated and maintained by its members. This new website will promote Worthing’s heritage and history and the work and events of its member groups, presenting information to the public on Worthing heritage events and trails and acting as a portal to the websites and social media profiles of its member groups. For smaller groups that do not have the funds or skills to have their own websites, the member areas can act as micro-sites. It will also link to the Worthing Festival calendar on the Time For Worthing website to publicise heritage events happening as part of the festival and beyond.
Susan now has the enjoyable task of informing successful applicants of their awards “I look forward to passing on the good news and following the progress of these projects.” she says. “This fantastic variety of projects will benefit Worthing residents and we’d like to thank our panellists for their time and expertise in awarding these grants.”