Community groups from across Brighton and Hove receive a further boost thanks to the Pride Social Impact Fund.
From Whitehawk in the east to Portslade in the west, a record number of groups and organisations across the city have been awarded a slice of more than £8,000. The hope is they will use the money to bring a rainbow of happiness to their communities – in much the same way Pride does for more than 300,000 people in August.
Tim Ridgway, who chairs the Pride Social Impact Fund board, said: “We are grateful to all those who applied for the fund this year, as well as the panel for giving up their time to award the sums. There was a huge amount of diversity in the bids and the panel has tried very hard to make sure that every community and area of the city benefits in some way. “We know that in these difficult uncertain times, this money will make all the difference to some of the amazing groups and organisations doing great things in our beautiful city.”
Bids were considered by a panel made up of representatives from The Argus, BBC Sussex, Juice 107.2, Brighton and Hove Independent, Gscene, Brighton and Hove News and Latest TV.
Among the groups to benefit were the Tarner Community Project, which has received £1,000 towards providing a drop-in centre for a group of young people not in employment, education or training. A further £1,000 will go towards supporting the LGBT History Big Top event, due to take place in New Steine throughout February. A sum of £495 has been awarded to the Friends of Farm Green to bring a mobile farm to Bevendean during the June half term, while the residents of Ardingly Court will get a new mower and garden shredder thanks to a grant of £300. Further awards were made to Dottie’s Café, which provides employment to deaf people in East Brighton Park; Friends of Regency Square, to establish an exhibition in the subway linking their area to the sea; and the Mile Oak Recreation Action group, which is trying to refurbish an open space in the heart of a Portslade community.
The Pride Social Impact Fund is in its second year and aims to support those groups or organisations which need a little helping hand in making a difference in their community. The applications do not have to be LGBT+ related; they don’t even have to directly linked to Pride (although applicants directly impacted will be favoured). However big or small, the only criteria is that it will brighten up people’s lives by the time Pride comes round again next year.
Funding comes from contributions made by businesses within the St James’s Street Party area.
Paul Kemp, Director of Brighton Pride, said: “Pride is only able to deliver this fundraising with the help of local businesses who contribute to the fund and take part in the Pride village party. We’d like to encourage more local businesses across the city who benefit from the bumper weekend of business Pride brings into the city, to get involved with our fundraising efforts for all our communities.”
These grants awarded are on top of the £90,000 already donated by Pride to the Rainbow Fund to distribute to LGBT+ groups and organisations providing effective front line services to LGBT+ people in the city.
Full list of grants awarded for 2016/17
♦ Brighton & Hove Speakers’ Corner
£250 to support five events and support to develop a more sustainable organisation
♦ Ardingly Court Residents Association
£300 for new lawn mower and a garden shredder
♦ The OWL HOUSE
£250 towards co-housing project for Older Wiser Lesbians.
♦ Tarner Community Project
£1,000 towards drop in session for young people not in education, employment or training
♦ David Harper of 4Streets in Hove
£250 towards community street parties, play street events and open-air cinema
♦ Dottie’s Community Cafe in East Brighton Park
£300 towards running cafe which employs deaf people
♦ Friends of Preston Park – bid one
£500 towards Easter Egg quiz and hunt
♦ Friends of Preston Park – bid two
£500 towards Halloween event
♦ Little Green Pig creative writing charity
£500 towards a videographer for This Is My City project
♦ Stay Up Late
£1,000 to allow the group to develop it’s Gig Buddies project and LGBT outreach work
♦ Friends of Regency Square
£250 towards purchase of the information board and the initial setting up costs of tunnel exhibition near the i360
♦ LGBT Community Safety Forum
£1,000 towards LGBT History Big Top Event during LGBT History Month in February 2017
♦ Marta Scott Dance Company
£500 towards helping disadvantaged or abused women take part in the 2017 pride parade
♦ Friends of Farm Green
£495 for mobile farm to come to Bevendean park during half term
♦ Mile Oak Rec Action Group (M.O.R.A.G)
£815 towards reviving the west side of the park to improve the look for all the community and allow access to children’s playground