Grant Aid and Awards
The Arts & Grants committee is responsible for a budget of over £30,000 which is used to support organisations working for the benefit of the people of Didcot, and also for the Town Council's own arts and entertainment projects.
In Didcot we are fortunate in having a wide variety of community groups and charities which contribute to the life of the town and as a Council are very aware of the hard work done by volunteers to help make our town a better place to live and do our best to provide financial assistance where needed.
Last year the Council set aside £32,009 for the Arts and Grants budget. Grants are paid for projects and activities which can be shown to benefit Didcot people, but we are unable (by law) to grant aid individuals.
The largest single grant in 2007/08 was to The Didcot & District Citizens Advice Bureau (£8,601) for general running costs.
The largest category of grants has been for work with young people. From the outset, the Town Council has provided financial support to the TRAIN project which employs a detached youth worker (working out in the community rather than in a centre); the grant in 2007/08 was increased to £3,190. A Grant was also given to the Vibe Youth Centre on Park Rd to support a Junior Youth Club catering for children aged 8 to 11 and FUSE, a youth club for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities, towards their 'Our Club in Pictures' project.
Other youth organisations grant-aided were Didcot Young Minds, Didcot Boys Football Club, Didcot Sprit Cheer Leaders Group, Didcot and District Scouting, The Girls Brigade and Didcot ATC.
Another category of organisations strongly represented are those providing welfare services. These include South and Vale Carers, Didcot Volunteer Centre and the Royal British Legion.
In 2007 we financially supported two major community events, the Annual Didcot Christmas Street Fair and Soul in Didcot. We will be supporting the Annual Didcot Christmas Street Fair again in 2008.
If your organisation would like to apply for grant aid an application form is
available in pdf format and may also be obtained from the One Stop Shop, by telephoning 01235 812637 or by email to oss@didcot.gov.uk. Please read the grant aid policy, also available in pdf format, before applying.
John Eldridge Award 2007
The JOHN ELDRIDGE Award evening took place on the evening of the 20th December 2007. The event was a huge success with over 80 people in attendance.
Grant Aid cheques granted by Didcot Town Council's Arts and Grants Committee were also handed out by the Mayor to Didcot Spirit, Oxfordshire Association for the Blind, Didcot and British Pensioners Association and Didcot Hand of Friendship.
There were four nominees for the John Eldridge Award 2007, all are pictured below.
- The Thong Rangers. The Thong Rangers have become a familiar sight around Didcot. Dressing down as they do to raise money for many local groups and charities as well as Sobell House in O
xford. Their fundraising events include pulling trucks through Didcot and running from Sobell House to Didcot to name just a few. - Mr Ian Hollingham. Ian has been involved with guiding since the 1980s and is an instructor in outdoor survival techniques. Ian has also raised a substantial amount of money £1600 this year alone to help fund 1st Didcot Downs Guide Group to do a trip overseas in 2008.
- Mrs Marion Fountain. Marion has beeninvolved with the 23rd Didcot Scout Group since the 1960s first as Akela and then as Group Scout Leader. Many local Didcot boys have passed through the Didcot Scouting movement and many have fond memories of Marion and are grateful for all the hard work she has put in over the last 40+ years.
- The Didcot Christmas Street Fair Committee. The Christmas Street Fair Committee meet regularly throughout the year to organise the hugely successful Street Fair. They give up their time to organise dancers, reindeers, sponsorship and much much more! They provide an excellent event for the people of Didcot and a boost for local business.
The award went to Mrs Marion Fountain (pictured below
) for her work and long service with the 23rd Didcot Scout Group.
Didcot Town Council would like to congratulate and thank Marion and all the nominees for their efforts over the past year and beyond. The Town Council appreciates all the hard work that volunteers put in to help the community.
If you would like to find out more about the John Eldridge Award and how to nominate a group or individual then please contact us.
