Funding to help communities across East Northamptonshire with their coronavirus support projects is available from the East Northamptonshire Council Member Empowerment Fund.
Every year, each ENC district councillor is allocated £1,000 to spend on small community based projects. The money can be awarded to parish/town councils, community groups, voluntary organisations and charities who work in East Northamptonshire.
Over the past few months, a growing number of projects have benefitted from additional monies, helping to fund their coronavirus support efforts, including:
- A deep clean of a community facility in Irthlingborough to ensure that it could re-open to the public for community activities
- To provide free packed lunches to school pupils during this year’s summer holidays
- To purchase food supplies for the newly formed community food bank in Thrapston
Cllr Steven North, Leader of East Northamptonshire Council, explains more:
“Since we launched the Member Empowerment Fund in 2011, communities across the district have benefitted from over £300,000 of grant funding and this year the fund seems more important that ever with funds being used for a variety of projects related to the coronavirus effort.
“If you, or someone you know, has a community project which will help at this difficult time, but needs a little bit extra push make it happen, then please do have a chat with your local councillor.”
This will be the last year of MEF, with the new North Northamptonshire Council coming into existence in April 2021.
To find out more about the scheme and/or to apply for funding, please visit: www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/mef or speak to your councillor, contact details can be found at: www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/councillors
Photo by Micheile Hendersonon Unsplash