East Riding projects given £500,000 in Levelling Up cash... and there's more up for grabs

Seventeen community projects across the East Riding have been made possible with almost half a million pounds of Levelling Up cash - and applications are now open for next round of funding.

Since autumn 2022, East Riding of Yorkshire Council has given out £495,000 from its UK Shared Prosperity Funding (Communities and Place) and Rural England Prosperity Funding pots.

Grants of between £5,000 and £100,000 have been allocated to 17 projects in the region’s community and voluntary sector.

The trustees of Sancton Village Hall received a grant of £22,320, which has allowed them to extend the main hall to provide more space for their activities, as well as increasing the size of the kitchen.

Rob Thomson, treasurer, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming more people, both visitors and volunteers, to even more events. We hope the work will be completed in time for a fabulous Festival of Christmas, giving people a chance to sing Carols, meet Santa and enjoy festive food.”

IMAGE: Work to extend Sancton Village Hall. (Picture: Trustees of Sancton Village Hall).

Withernsea Town Council was given £28,000 to replace the roof of the open-air stage in Valley Gardens, which was old and no longer waterproof, making it difficult to hold events that needed electrical equipment.   

Jayne Moxon, town clerk, said: “Valley Gardens was underused as an event space for the town. Although some events were held, they were restricted to the summer months, due to variable weather.

“The replacement of the stage roof has improved the appearance of the stage area and enabled wider projects to develop in this area and it to be used throughout the year.

“We are very grateful to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for helping us achieve this important project for our seaside town, which relies heavily on visitor footfall”.

IMAGE: The revamped stage in Withernsea's Valley Gardens. (Picture: Withernsea Town Council)

Other successful applicants included: Hornsea Town Council; Driffield Town Council; Toll Gavel United Church; Hornsea Carnival Committee; Allerthorpe Village Hall; Bishop Burton Village Hall; Pocklington Arts Centre; East Riding Theatre; North Dalton Parish Council; North Ferriby Village Hall; Howden Shire Hall; and Hedon Methodist Church.

The projects covered a range of activities, including improvements to local green spaces and community gardens, increased access to community facilities and cultural venues, and campaigns encouraging people to visit the area.

How to apply for funding

Organisations can now apply for grants from year 3 of the fund, to deliver projects from 1 April next year.

Small grants (£5,000 to £24,999) and large grants (£25,000 to £100,000) are available under the following investment areas:

• Community Capacity Building
• Community Climate Adaptation
• Culture, Heritage and Visitor Economy

Expressions of interest must be submitted online via the Flexi-Grant online grants management system by noon on Wednesday 15 November. Those that are successful will be invited to submit a full application.

To discuss a project idea, email localgrowth@eastriding.gov.uk, including the location of the project in the subject line.

Useful workshops

The council is holding a series of workshops to help people apply for funding and deliver projects.

The workshops have two themes, “compliance” and “outputs and outcomes”, and will be held from 10am to 12.30pm on the following dates:

• Wednesday, 1 November: Beverley Enterprise Centre, Beck View Road, HU17 0JT (Outputs and Outcomes)
• Tuesday, 7 November: Goole Town Council, Junction, Paradise Place, DN14 5DL (Compliance)
• Thursday, 9 November: Bridlington Spa, South Marine Drive, YO15 3JH (Outputs and Outcomes)
• Tuesday, 14 November: at Goole Leisure Centre, North Street, DN14 5QX (Outputs and Outcomes)

To register a place on any of the workshops, email ukspfund@eastriding.gov.uk, stating which event you would like to attend, as well as your name, organisation and contact details.

For more information on the grants and the workshops, visit East Riding of Yorkshire Council's UK Shared Prosperity Fund page.

Councillor Anne Handley, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “I am so happy we have been able to support these communities with funding for their valuable projects.

“All these organisations are helping to create a keen sense of community, improve our green spaces, and open doors to new opportunities for our residents. This truly reflects the council’s vision of an East Riding where everyone matters, as well as our commitment to empowering and supporting communities.

"I look forward to seeing the next round of projects."

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and is providing £2.6 billion of funding for local investment until March 2025.

The fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK, investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

For more information visit UK Shared Prosperity Fund

MAIN IMAGE: Work to extend Sancton Village Hall. (Picture: Trustees of Sancton Village Hall)