Last year we provided support to 21 different organisations across West Yorkshire, with funding amounts ranging from £130 to £5000. Here, we have outlined some of the projects which benefitted from the Community Grant Initiative.
If you work for a community group or organisation and think you have a project which fits the grant criteria, you can apply for funding here.
Theatre Royal Wakefield (Wakefield)
Funds awarded: £3380.00
Project overview: Theatre Royal Wakefield was awarded funding to upskill staff and volunteers to be better trained to react to a medical emergency in both the theatre and local area. A defibrillator was also provided to be housed at the Theatre, in the city centre.
“Thanks to our LRF Community Grant we have been able to locate a defibrillator at the back of the theatre, right in the centre of Wakefield and train up our staff and volunteers to use it. We have also been able to ensure more people have received potentially lifesaving first aid training. It has allowed us to feel more resilient and confident as an organisation, knowing we could react effectively, in a situation both in our building and in the local area.”
Holme Valley Mountain Rescue Team (Kirklees)
Funds awarded: £3804
Project overview: Funds were provided to purchase new ropes and equipment for use in rescues.
“The LRF community grant we obtained has really helped us out in the Holme Valley Mountain Rescue Team. The money allowed us to update our rope rigging equipment, with new ropes and other equipment for technical rescues, so that both response vehicles can be fully equipped to operate independently. This means that as a team we can work safely at heights in any scenario, such as when lifting stretchers up steep hillsides, and helping to retrieve people who are crag-fast, and requiring fewer team members; this makes the team faster and more flexible when dealing with these types of casualty response.”
Forus Tree (Calderdale)
Funds awarded: £5000
Project overview: Funding was given to purchase irrigation equipment for the organisation’s tree nursery. The trees will go on to provide natural flood management above Calderdale.
“This year, watering has been helped hugely by the irrigation system funded by West Yorkshire Prepared. Thanks to the funding, we have made huge progress with the development of the tree nursery, and we are forever grateful for the support they have given us to enable this project.”
Slow the Flow (Calderdale)
Funds awarded: £4150
Project overview: Funds were used to create new outdoor roadshow exhibition materials, which help to educate the public on the benefits of Natural Flood Management (NFM). This included the design and production of:
- A stand up display on flooding in the Calder Valley and the role natural flood management has in making the area more climate resilient
- An interactive flood management mat featuring a giant map of the upper Calder Valley and 3D NFM features to demonstrate how Natural Flood Management works.
The exhibition materials have been used in external roadshow events and have been very well received by hundreds of people.