CIVIC PRIDE FUND ANNUAL REPORT

Transcription

1 CIVIC PRIDE FUND ANNUAL REPORT April March 2016 Richmond Music Trust South West London Environment Network

2 Foreword I am delighted that the Council has been able to support so many groups and individuals across the borough encompassing a range of initiatives that have benefitted those involved in the arts and culture, environmental projects, community events, sports and activities supporting young people. The last year has seen a number of projects which have centred around the commemoration of World War 1 and its impact on our borough and it has been wonderful to see local history brought alive. I would like to thank all those who have made these projects happen and given so much of their time to enrich their local communities; as you can see from the report, every village has benefitted from the fund. If you have a project which meets one of our priorities then do contact officers for advice on the next steps." Councillor Susan Chappell Cabinet Member for Community, Planning and Voluntary Services Introduction Our vision is for a borough where local people are engaged and involved in their communities and where there is a vibrant and sustainable community and voluntary sector to support residents and help them play a full role in community life. The Civic Pride Fund is here to empower individuals and groups to improve their local community, whether it is enhancing public spaces, using the skills of local people, contributing to Village Plans, commemorating World War One, improving town centres, or developing sports initiatives. The Fund is intended for local initiatives to help launch new ideas and develop projects to make a positive difference to our borough. This report provides an insight into the organisations and individuals funded through the Civic Pride Fund for the financial year 01 April March About the fund From its launch in July 2011 the Civic Pride Fund has provided valuable assistance to organisations, informal groups and individuals. The majority of applicants are based in the borough, with 11 applicants from outside of the borough during the period. All funds awarded wholly benefited the borough of Richmond and its residents. There are no deadlines and the fund provides a rolling programme with decisions usually made within eight weeks. Details of the process and priorities are in Appendix A. How to apply Guidance notes and application forms can be found on the Council website or contact Harriet Steele, Project Support Officer (Voluntary Sector), London Borough of Richmond, Third Floor, Civic Centre, 44, York Street, Twickenham, TW1 3BZ, by harriet.steele@richmond.gov.uk or phone:

3 Overview In the last funding year the Fund has assessed 71 applications, 63 of which were from constituted organisations and 8 from individuals or informal groups. 49 projects have been funded and a total of 170,732 has been granted 1 The average grant award was 3,484. There have been 12 unsuccessful applications (2 of these were ineligible) and 2 applications that were withdrawn by the applicant. At the end of the funding period 8 applications are pending a decision. 167,632 has been awarded to 45 constituted groups. Average 3,725 per award for constituted groups. 3,100 has been awarded to 4 individuals and informal groups. Average 775 per award for individuals and informal groups. Of the awards granted, the majority have related to revenue grants. A review of the financial position of applicants indicates 32 applicants had a revenue stream of less than 50,000, 26 were over 50,000. For 13 the income is unknown, which is due to the fact that the applicants are newly set up and don t yet have formal accounts, or are individuals or very small groups without funds. Types of projects by priority area This analysis includes all successful applications. Applications may have referenced more than one priority. (Full data is in Appendix B - Table 1). Commemorating World War One, 10, 13% Number of Applications to the Civic Pride Fund Sport initiatives, 12, 15% Building capacity in our community, 18, 23% Contributing to the Village Plans, 5, 6% Town centre initiatives, 3, 4% A borough to be proud of, 30, 39% 1 The Civic Pride Fund is a rolling grants programme which means that grants awarded in one financial year may be paid in the following financial year. For the purposes of this report, the amount granted refers to all funds paid and committed (but not yet paid) during 2015/16. 2

4 Most applications were granted under priority 1 a borough to be proud of. The number of applications for contributing to Village Plans is fairly low and work is being done with the Council s Community Links team to promote this area. The Town Centre initiatives priority was also low, but other funding for this area is available through the Council s Town Opportunities Fund. Grants awarded by beneficiary This analysis breaks down the grants awarded by type of beneficiary. The majority of grants are aimed at all local residents, which will include people with disabilities, older people, families etc. Children and young people are the second main beneficiary group receiving 20% of the grants allocation and projects targeting older people received 12% of the grant allocation. (Full data is in Appendix B - Table 2). Grant Awards by Beneficiary People with Disabilities, 3, 5% Specific need e.g. combatting loneliness in older men, supporting good mental health and helping those tackling addiction, 4, 7% Children and Young People, 12, 20% Older People, 7, 12% General Public, 33, 56% Types of projects by category area This analysis looks in more detail at the types of projects being applied for and includes all successful applications. Applications may have referenced more than one category. (Full data is in Appendix B - Table 3). Community events, arts and culture, horticulture and environmental projects and promotion of the Borough s history and heritage continued to be the most popular categories for applications. 3

5 Sports Facilities and Equipment 3 Improvements to Community Buildings 5 Number of Grants by Project Category Historic/Heritage improvements 2 Business Initiatives 1 Arts and Culture 17 Play and Learning 5 Community Services 5 Community Events 8 Promoting the Borough's history and heritage 9 Outdoor Enhancements 11 Horticulture and Environmental 9 Revenue vs Capital Expenditure Most of the projects were requesting funds for revenue. applications. (Full data is in Appendix B - Table 4). This data includes all successful The largest proportion of grants was given for revenue projects. The majority of capital grants were for small projects or equipment, rather than large building works. Revenue Grants 29 Number of Awards Capital Grants 16 Revenue Grants 111,471 Total Amount Awarded Capital Grants 48,001 Combined Capital and Revenue 4 Combined Capital and Revenue 11,260 Distribution of grants in the Village Areas This data looks at all successful applications. The majority of projects are Borough wide with slight peaks in some village areas. (Full data is in Appendix B - Table 5). 4

6 Number of Grants Awarded by Village Area Unsuccessful applications 9 applications have been declined this funding year (2 of these being ineligible) and 2 were withdrawn by applicants. The majority of applications were declined as they did not adequately demonstrate the need for the project or how they meet the Civic Pride priorities. Other reasons that applications were rejected included incomplete applications, applicants with large free reserves or requesting funds for ongoing revenue projects. The guidelines for applications have been updated to make it clearer for applicants what the criteria are and what information they are expected to provide. Where information is incomplete or does not clearly demonstrate need, assessing officers do try and gain additional information from the organisation where possible. All unsuccessful applicants are signposted to Richmond CVS or SWLEN for assistance with alternative funding streams and guidance on building capacity. Individuals and Informal Groups In 2012 the Civic Pride Fund was extended to include informal groups and individuals with the intention of encouraging residents to come together and collectively organise local projects. The extension of the Civic Pride Fund also coincided with the publication of the Village Plans with the aim that the Plans will offer residents inspiration for potential projects in local areas. In this funding year 8 applications have been received from individuals and informal groups. Of these, 4 have been successful, 3 were declined and 1 was ineligible. We would like to encourage more applications from individuals, particularly young people who would like to get involved in their community. The areas where applications made could be 5

7 strengthened are being clear about beneficiaries and more clearly described project activities. Where applications are unclear and need substantial strengthening, applicants are referred to RCVS or SWLEN so that they can receive assistance to increase their skill set and have the confidence to manage projects. Promoting the fund The Fund is currently promoted through: Distribution of Civic Pride Fund leaflet and posters at community events, libraries, staff and Members Council website Voluntary Sector News Bulletin Richmond CVS Community Links Events Richmond Partnership Events Volunteering Fairs Voluntary Sector Forums This year all the schools in the borough received an and electronic flyer encouraging parents, teachers and children to apply for funding if they have ideas for potential projects. The flyer was also distributed to the offices of both local MPs and to all the libraries around the borough. Once Civic Pride Fund grants have been agreed, the Communications Team will work with the successful applicant on drafting a press release, and all ward Councillors are notified to help raise awareness of the projects. Monitoring Ensuring that grants are spent appropriately and that projects have positive outcomes is essential. Applicants are required to report on their activities and expenditure once the project has ended. From the monitoring reports received for projects granted in , organisations reported that projects went well and where an audience were involved, were well attended. The main problems identified by organisations were around logistics and timings of the project. This was due in part to underestimating elements of the project in the planning stages. Finding volunteers was also a problem in some cases. Moving forward The Council is committed to supporting the Borough s diverse range of organisations and volunteers to make Richmond a better place. The Civic Pride Fund will continue to provide the sector with an opportunity to apply for funds for small projects to benefit the community. In 2016 the Civic Pride Fund guidelines were revised to make them clearer for applicants. Changes to the guidelines include: 6

8 Providing contact details of Lead Service Officers in the Council for pre-application discussions. A clearer description of how the fund will be assessed. Additional weighting criteria: Young people or service users have been involved in the application process. Applicant has secured match funding. This could be in the form of other funding, volunteer time and in-kind support. Information on how to calculate in-kind match funding, including the contribution of volunteers. Clearer descriptions of what information is needed to answer each question. Additions to what we do not fund: Schools or Parent Teacher Associations, unless match funding has been secured. Large capital or revenue fundraising appeals. The Fund priorities and application process remain the same. Case studies grants funded in Improvements to public spaces Twickenham Town Business Association received funding towards hanging flags in and around Twickenham town centre, to welcome both the local community and visiting supporters of the Rugby World Cup. The flags represented each of the countries that played in Twickenham based Rugby World cup matches. Hampton Junior School received a grant towards a greenhouse for the school allotment and equipment costs such as potting trays and watering cans, as part of a growing project, which aims to encourage pupils and the wider community to get involved in growing fruit and vegetables for consumption in the dining hall and to sell to parents and friends. The Friends of Carlisle Park received funding to cover the cost of two small planting projects in Carlisle Park, Hampton. The first was to clear and replant the beds in front of the pavilion with mixed, drought resistant, Mediterranean planting. The second to plant a grove of seven native silver birches with crocus tommasinianus, naturalised in grass. The planting will bring both colour and create additional habitats for wildlife. Capacity Building Addiction Support and Care Agency received funding towards a volunteer training programme to enhance the delivery of its successful weekly support groups, designed to support and complement service users recovery. 7

9 Barnes Community Arts Centre (also known as OSO Arts Centre) received funding to assist in the purchase of a 55 seat tiered retractable seating system for use at the Barnes Community Arts Centre. The seating will improve the versatility of the venue, increase use and capacity for arts events, and improve the experience of audiences. Promoting the History of the Borough The O Higgins Institute (London) received funding to erect an interpretive lectern in O Higgins Square, Richmond, where there is a statue of General Bernardo O Higgins, , Chilean statesman, liberator of his country, and who lived and studied in Richmond upon Thames, The lectern is designed to give both residents and visitors more information about O Higgins and his relationship to Richmond and why he is remembered at the square. The Popes Grotto Preservation Trust received funding to create a pop-up exhibition, to engage the local community in a recently launched project focussing on the restoration of the Grotto created by the celebrated Enlightenment poet, Alexander Pope. The exhibition will use images from the Borough s Art Collection and Local Studies explaining the roles of Pope, his Grotto and Twickenham in the great changes in landscape design and literature of the 18th Century. Arts and Culture Orleans House Gallery received funding to assist with the cost of a transport themed art exhibition, made by children for other children. There will be a series of workshops open to children and young people. The art pieces created in the workshops will form part of the exhibition. A competition will also be run providing school children an opportunity to design an imaginary vehicle. Optik received a grant for an Artist Heroines of the First World War project to include an exhibition, photo documentation film and performance celebrating and commemorating the untold effort by women theatre artists during World War One. The performance had a capacity audience each night and there was a good engagement of volunteers and school participants. My Life Films received funding for a film project telling the life stories of people living with dementia. The person living with dementia is at the heart of each short film, where they share their memories, using photographs and discussing what is most important to them so that those caring for them can look to further personalise and improve their standard of care. My Life Films are very grateful for the grant from the Civic Pride Fund. Without it, we couldn't have made this documentary about what it's like living with dementia in Richmond. Each of the 8 episodes explores a new life story, and is made by local young filmmakers. It's a great intergenerational project that hopefully will educate and inform people about how we can tackle dementia. 8

10 Richmond Music Trust received funding for the creation of a musical performance of the Firebird that involved more than 350 primary school dancers and musicians from across the Borough. The funding was a huge help and meant that we were able to fulfil our original vision and make the event very special and something that the large number of children involved will remember for a very long time indeed. Jean Mounsey (individual) received funding for the production of a temporary art installation of a WW1 memorial piece constructed of tension wires and black silk with a sound installation, at Barnes Old Sorting Office. The response by visitors was overwhelmingly positive and resulted in a number of interesting discussions and reminiscences of grandparents experiences both in and out of the trenches. Sports Initiatives Metropolitan Sports & Social Club for the Visually Impaired (Metro) received funding to offer two multi-sports taster sessions to people who are blind and partially sighted living in Richmond and surrounding Boroughs. At the Multi-Sport Activity Day there will be a range of activities throughout the day, including cycling, football, judo, tennis, cricket, athletics, table tennis, trampolining and gym instruction. Barn Elms Sports Trust s project to redevelop the athletics grand stand on Barn Elms Playing Fields has had great results. The good quality improvements to the facility are enjoyed by a range of attendees including adult and children football teams and spectators. Approximately 200 adults use the facilities pre and post training to get changed. World War One Commemoration The Royal British Legion Richmond Branch received funding to carry out the annual Remembrance Day Parade and service at the War Memorial in Whittaker Avenue Richmond. Mortlake Reminiscence Group received funding for an exhibition, to be displayed at various local venues, tracing the history of the men on the roll of honour in St. Mary s Mortlake and St. Mary Magdalene RC church memorial in Mortlake. 9

11 Community Events South West London Environment Network received funding for a Murray Park Centenary Event, which included stalls, children s activities, music and an outdoor cinema. The grant from the Council s Civic Pride Fund enabled us to hold the Murray Park Centenary Event to celebrate the parks 100 years. The event was also planned as a key engagement opportunity for us set up the Friends of Murray Park, which I m happy to report two years on is established, succeeding and delivering benefits to the Park working with the Council and local people. 10

12 Appendix A Civic Pride Fund Process and Priorities Initial assessment Project Support Officer checks all information has been submitted Comments Assessment of application against the Civic Pride Fund criteria and review by Lead Service Officers Decision Decision based on assessment and recommendation Funding Funds allocated Monitoring 12 months after funding allocated - monitoring and evaluation submitted In order to apply to the Fund, applications need to relate to one or more of the key priority areas. Priority 1 A borough to be proud of making public places more attractive, enjoyable and distinctive and building stronger communities through: Improving public spaces, including open space and gardens Promoting the Borough s history and heritage Priority 2 Building capacity in our community using the skills and talents of local people to benefit the local community to: Enable local people to develop, agree and deliver their own responses to local issues Have a greater say in the design and delivery of services and take advantage of opportunities to deliver services themselves. Priority 3 Village Planning There are 14 village plans covering all areas of the borough each, amongst other things, identifies local issues that need attention. The village plans can be located through this link. Priority 4 World War One Commemoration 11

13 Nationally the First World War Centenary Partnership, led by the Imperial War Museum, will present a vibrant programme of cultural events, activities, and digital platforms which will enable millions to discover more about life in the First World War. To support this, the Council is coordinating and facilitating a four year programme ( ) of events and activities. Priorities for the Civic Pride Fund are projects which relate to one or both of the following themes: Remembering local residents and their part in the war those who fought and those who lost their lives; those who contributed to the war effort at home and the families that supported them. Educating current and future generations about the war and the borough s part in it. The creation of the Richmond War Story to form an important addition to the historical archives of the borough and a lasting legacy from the programme. Priority 5 Town Centre Initiatives The Council is supportive of initiatives that maintain the borough s vibrant town and village centres and applications for town centre initiatives will be considered if: The project falls outside the scope and limited funding capacity of the Town Centre Opportunities Fund* Demonstrates how it will contribute to Civic Pride Fund priorities described in these guidance notes * The Council primarily funds town centre initiatives through the Town Centres Opportunities Fund. Projects which would ordinarily be eligible under this fund are not a priority for the Civic Pride Fund. Similarly projects seeking matched funding for a Town Centres project grant are also a low priority. Priority 6 Sport Initiatives Projects should contribute to the priorities of the Strategic Principles for Sport & Fitness , in particular: Provide more opportunities for all people to participate in sport and physical activity and to improve the health and emotional wellbeing of participants and volunteers. Increase and widen participation in sport and physical activity by targeting provision and support at low participant groups. E.g. people with disabilities and villages. Develop more opportunities for people to learn new skills through sport and fitness, both as participants and volunteers. Support competitive sport and develop effective pathways to support talented sports people. Build on the legacy benefit from major events such as the Rugby World Cup People have access to improved quality sports facilities and workforce including volunteers and encourage the achievement of external quality accreditation. Enhance partnership working and consultation mechanisms to improve the delivery of effective sport and fitness services. 12

14 Organisations can apply for Civic Pride grants towards the purchase of sports equipment. Priority will normally only be given to equipment purchase where: It is for use by the whole club not for individual use. It is not replacement equipment, but is additional equipment enabling the club to develop new activity in line with the Strategic Principles for Sport & Fitness outlined above. 13

15 Appendix B Types of projects by priority area Table 1: Priority area Priority Area Number of Applications 1 - A borough to be proud of Building capacity in our community Contributing to the Village Plans Commemorating World War One Town centre initiatives Sport initiatives 12 Grants awarded by beneficiary Table 2: Grants awarded by beneficiary. Civic Pride Fund applications may fall into more than one category. Category Number of Amount Awarded Applications Children & Young People 12 44,584 Older People 7 24,730 General Public ,504 People with Disabilities 3 11,630 Service Need e.g. addiction support, men only club, mental health. 4 18,764 Types of projects by category area Table 3: Type of project and distribution of funding. Civic Pride Fund applications may fall into more than one category. The percentage figure is based on the total number of successful applications (49). Type of Project Number of Grants Community Events 8 16 Arts and Culture Sports Facilities and Equipment 3 6 Community Services 5 10 Horticulture and Environmental 9 18 Number of Grants as % 14

16 Type of Project continued. Number of Grants Historic/Heritage improvements 2 4 Outdoor Enhancements Play and Learning 5 10 Business Initiatives 1 2 Young People 0 0 Improvements to Community Buildings 5 10 Promoting the Borough's history and heritage 9 18 Number of Grants as % Revenue vs Capital Expenditure Table 4: Capital and revenue Expenditure Total Grants Awarded Number of Awards Revenue Grants 111, Capital Grants 48, Combined Capital and Revenue 11,260 4 Total 170, Distribution of grants in the Village Areas Table 5: Grants awarded in each village area Village Grants Awarded Barnes 3 East Sheen 1 Ham and Petersham 3 Hampton 3 Hampton Hill 1 Hampton Wick 1 Kew 1 Mortlake 1 Richmond and Richmond Hill 1 St Margaret s and East Twickenham 3 Strawberry Hill 1 Teddington 1 Twickenham 5 Whitton and Heathfield 5 Borough Wide 18 Not applicable 1 Total 49 15