As part of its to commitment to invest in community hubs and boost young people’s employment skills, two projects that support Hart communities are the first to benefit from a share of £1m funding from Hart District Council.
Yateley Industries and Odiham Parish Council are the first organisations to receive part of the three-year funding from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF). This is a central pillar of the Levelling Up Agenda to build pride in place and reduce inequalities.
Yateley Industries, a charity that supports adults with disabilities, will receive £8,276 to furnish its new community café. Sheldon McMullan, CEO, said: “The funding will really help us get the new café off the ground. It will be a training space for our residents to develop skills and confidence and be a meeting point for the local community."
Odiham Parish Council has been awarded £5,790 for the refurbishment of an existing toilet to an accessible toilet at The Bridewell. Councillor Dr Angela McFarlane, Chair of Odiham Parish Council, said: “We are delighted to have had support from Hart District Council which allowed us to complete this much needed refurbishment. This will help towards our goal of transforming the existing building into a thriving community hub for use by all residents.”
These two projects were identified earlier in the year following a stakeholder engagement exercise but the bulk of the £1m SPF funding for 2024/25 is still to be awarded. The current bidding round is open until the end of November and awards for successful projects will be made early in the new year. More details at www.hart.gov.uk/UKSPF
Councillor David Neighbour, Leader of Hart District Council, said: “We’re very pleased that we have been able to support two such worthwhile projects already at this early stage in the SPF process.
“We’re looking forward to funding many more initiatives in the coming months. They will make a real difference on the ground and create opportunities for our communities.”