Seven countryside community grants have been awarded by Hart District Council to projects which provide health, wellbeing and biodiversity benefits to residents.
The largest grant of £10,000 has been awarded to Hartland Men’s Shed to build a new allotment area at their new shed in Hartland Village.
The 6th Ancell's Farm Scout group has received £5,000 to fund a series of wildlife activities and improvements for the local community. The money will buy eco flowerpots, duck feed, magnifying glasses and equipment for educational walks, materials to build bug and bird houses, trees for planting and gardening tools.
Odiham Parish Council has also secured £5,000 to help improve the native woodland at The Firs and install benches and information boards for visitors.
A series of smaller grants were also awarded to:
- Heatherside Junior School, Fleet for a forest school shelter and wildlife equipment.
- The Green Oaks Federation (Oakwood Infant and Greenfield Junior School), Hartley Wintney for a polytunnel to allow the schoolchildren to grow their own vegetables all-year round.
- Wilder Hook to improve biodiversity and the pollinator habitat in and around Hook.
- Odiham Conservation Volunteers to help improve and enhance the path in Bartley Heath that connects Odiham Parish with Hook Heath.
Councillor David Neighbour, Leader of Hart District Council, said: “These grants are all about helping passionate schools and groups in Hart bring their ideas to life to benefit their local communities. They help minimise the community's impact on climate change and increase our biodiversity and wellbeing. We use the income from our roundabout sponsorship scheme to directly fund these projects.
“We will share the progress of the successful projects across the year and we’re really looking forward to seeing them come to fruition.”
Applications for the 2026 round of funding are open until 17 July.