Kingston Council has awarded 37 grants totalling £290,527.34 to local organisations in the first phase of its Community Resilience Fund.

The £720,000 fund was launched in April 2023 to provide additional funding for community, voluntary and cultural organisations to help them support residents through the costs of living crisis - and to survive the challenges themselves.

Council Leader Andreas Kirsch said: "Kingston's voluntary, community and cultural organisations are vital to the resilience and cohesion of the whole borough. These grants fund projects that will support our residents and communities through the challenges they are facing with unprecedented rises in the cost of living."

Receiving 60 applications, the council accepted 37 grant proposals.

Grants ranging from £74 to £23,000 will fund projects across the borough - including the refurbishment of community kitchens, expanding a community fridge programme, one-to-one 'money buddy' advice for vulnerable people with mental health and learning issues, and a money and mental health telephone support line.

Funding will also support wellbeing activities for unpaid carers, provide bicycles and cycle training, and one of the smallest grants will help Kingston's oldest community choir, founded in 1944, cover their core costs. 

The grants have been awarded via 3 routes 

1. Core Costs up to £3,000 (11 grants)
2. Small Projects up to £5,000 (15 grants)
3. Larger Projects up to £20,000 (11 grants)

Examples of projects funded:

Balance Support CIC and Save the World Club are awarded £18,110 and £19,998 to refurbish and complete their community kitchens, which provide activities, training meals and cooking facilities for adults with learning difficulties and local/migrant communities. 

Kingston Advocacy Group receives funding of £5,000 to deliver its' one-to-one Money Buddy programme at local community and health centres for vulnerable people with learning difficulties, mental health and drug/alcohol dependency issues. 

The Migrant Advocacy Service is awarded £19,040 to extend the Surbiton Community Fridge operation to collect more food that is destined for landfill from supermarkets and expand its distribution to many more families in the community with an electric refrigerated van.

Mind in Kingston is funded £23,000 to provide a local community mental health telephone support line and extend its community outreach with a new coordinator training volunteers to deal with complex issues linking mental health with financial issues.

The Orpheus Choir - Kingston's oldest community choir established in 1944, has received £190 for core costs that will enable it to continue to engage with and entertain residents.

To see all the grants awarded in phase 1 - go to the dedicated web page  

Get ready to apply for Phase 2 Launching 1 September 2023

The Community Resilience Fund was created to help address the cost of living crisis by empowering our charities, voluntary sector and communities. Kingston will soon be opening phase 2 and inviting new applications under the same three routes. 

Kirsch added: "Phase 2 is an opportunity to focus on projects that will support our residents during the winter months.

"Now is the time for organisations to draft their applications for projects that enable communities to work together to provide practical support for food, money, health, wellbeing, community spaces and equal access to services for our residents, families, communities and those who are vulnerable or have special needs."

You can find out more on our website at www.kingston.gov.uk/communityresiliencefund

An updated prospectus for phase 2 will be published shortly. Organisations that were not successful in the first phase have received feedback and can apply again. 

Other funding available

There are also a number of other Community Grants available from the council - information is on our website at www.kingston.gov.uk/CommunityGrants

Good causes can also apply to join and raise funds via the Kingston Community Lottery - more information is on the Kingston Lottery website at www.kingstonlottery.co.uk