Funding boost for 31 community projects in Salford

Cash-strapped community projects in Salford are celebrating after scooping thousands of pounds worth of funding from Salix Homes.

A total of 31 Salford-based projects and initiatives picked up a share of £37,500 duringour ‘Your Salix, Your Say’.

Now in its fifth year ‘Your Salix, Your Say’ provides the opportunity for community groups to bid for funding of up to £4,000 to help finance worthwhile initiatives that will help improve the area where they live.

Decision Day took place on Saturday, June 27 at St Sebastian’s Community Centre in Lower Kersal, where the competing bidders were able to vote for the projects they believed should get the cash.

St Joseph’s School Gardening Club in Ordsall picked up the most votes on the day scooping £1,110.

The project provides a vegetable garden and growing area for pupils at the school who grow their own fruit and vegetables and learn about the benefits of healthy eating. They are planning to use the money to purchase a much-needed greenhouse.

School administrator Alison Campbell, who runs the gardening club, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won and it’s going to make such a difference to the club and give us a real boost.

“We will be buying a greenhouse which will elongate the growing season and mean the children can grow fresh produce all year round. The benefits of teaching children how to grow their own vegetables are enormous – they often take the produce home with recipe cards or we cook it together in school, plus the children have so much fun out in the garden that they don’t even realise they’re learning.”

In the young people’s category, aspiring footballers SAYO FC, who train at Fit City Clarendon, picked up the most votes winning £428 to go towards paying for transport for away games.

SAYO FC player Luke Adams, 14, said: “We play in the Bolton and Bury League and we struggle to afford transport for away games, so this will really help us. We are buzzing to have won.”

Other winners included the Grow in Brought’on project, which received £2,550 for an observational bee hive at their community growing site on Heath Avenue, Lower Broughton and the Seedley in Bloom group which received £3,500 for their annual floral display.

The ‘Your Salix, Your Say’ funding pot comes from savings made within the organisation, as well as external sources, and empowers communities to decide where the money should be spent.

Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes, said: “At a time of scarce resources and budget cuts in Salford our ‘Your Salix, Your Say’ grant can be a lifeline for many struggling community projects, but the fantastic thing about this grant is it allows the people of Salford to decide where the money should be spent, which is something we believe in wholeheartedly.

“It’s wonderful to see just how dedicated some people are to improving their communities for the benefit of others and we are very proud to hand over this well-deserved funding which will help sustain projects and initiatives that can make a real difference to an area and the lives of residents.”

The full list of winners were:

•St Joseph’s Gardening Club – To purchase a greenhouse for the children’s gardening club – £1,110

•Health Action Team– Make It Work – To provide support to homeless people suffering mental health issues to help them rebuild their lives – £3,999.20

•Grow in Brought’on – To fund an observational bee hive and undertake beekeeper training at the community growing site – £2,550

•On Your Doorstep – To fund low-cost gospel Zumba classes in the Ordsall community – £1,500

•Rialto Gardens – Young at Heart – To fund activities and trips for the older generation to help tackle social isolation – £2,000

•Ordsall Community Arts – To fund three day trips to attractions in the North West for families living in poverty – £1,970

•Spike Island After School Club – To purchase materials for the afterschool club to increase activities available for the children – £900

•Barr Hill Football Club – To run a summer football skills course for young people – £2,000

•Seedley in Bloom – To purchase flowers and planters to brighten up the community – £3,500

•Poet’s Garden Club – To tidy up the estate and launch a community vegetable growing scheme – £4,000

•Larkhill FAST programme – To provide support to families in need in Pendleton – £4,000

•Beechfarm Residents Group – To help fund a community art installation on the Beechfarm estate – £750

•Duchy Clean up Programme – To fund a series of community litter picks and skip days to tidy up the estate – £3,040

•Queen Alexander Gardens – To help fund activities and trips for the older generation to help tackle social isolation – £500

•Friends of Ordsall Park – To help fund Ordsall Festival – £500

•Southgarth Area Residents Association – To create a communal garden and picnic area – £500

•Heraldic Court – To help fund activities and trips for the older generation to help tackle social isolation – £500

•Just Youth CHRISP project – To help fund the youth club in Kersal – £500

•Charlestown Community Camera Club – To help fund a photographic exhibition for young people – £500

•Women In Stitches – To help fund the sewing and craft club in Ordsall – £500

•Rainbow Pathways – To help fund family craft workshops – £500

•Claremont and Weaste Opportunities Club – To help fund the jobs club – £500

•Canon Hussey Court Patio Project – To build a communal patio and garden area for residents at Canon Hussey Court – £500

The Young People’s Projects were:

•SAYO FC – To help fund transport for the junior football club for another year – £428

•Friday Night Project – To fund day trips and activities for members of the youth club in Langworthy – £500

•Summer Fairtrade Sports Festival – To enable youngsters from Ordsall, Langworthy, Claremont and Weaste to take part in the sports festival – £450

•Larkhill Sports Leaders – To fund waterproof kits for Year Six pupils at Larkhill Primary School who act as sports leaders to promote sports amongst younger children – £500

•Bin-it Broughton – To help fund a community campaign organised by Albion Academy pupils to tackle litter and clean-up Broughton – £500

•Wednesday Night Project – To help fund a new youth club at Clarendon Leisure Centre – £489.96

•Bee Garden Newsletter – To launch a children’s newsletter written by young people for children in Ordsall – £230.96

•15th Higher Broughton Brownies – To purchase a laptop, printer and digital cameras for the brownie group – £500