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Funding the future of community spaces
With cuts to funding constantly making headlines and community resources seemingly more under threat than ever, it’s easy to be pessimistic.
Community hub organisations are often the heart of the neighbourhood and there are always concerns that their closure will spell the end of their vital services and the knowledge that staff and volunteers hold.
But, local foundation Quartet has set their sights on helping to fill the glasses of struggling community groups. Working with philanthropists interested in benefitting local projects, they succeeded in providing grants to nearly 1,000 voluntary groups and charities across the Bath and Bristol area in the last year alone.
is needed now More than ever
The @symes Community Building in South Bristol
One of these success stories is the @symes Community Building, a bustling shopping centre in South Bristol. Last summer the Hartcliffe and Withywood Community Partnership (HWCP) lost its community worker, communications officer and backing for the long-running community newsletter wham! as a result of the termination of Bristol City Council’s Neighbourhood Partnership funding.
Amy Kinnear, chief executive officer for HWCP says: “Quartet gave us money to look at how to make our community work sustainable long-term. We used the grants to look at how we can remodel the building to bring in more useful services and activities to generate income to support our community work. “
“Hubs need investment, they take a long time to get going, and you need a business plan. The funding also allowed us to turn a disused storage space into a lettable space which is now bringing in funds to support the building long term.”
A bike day was held at the @symes building last year
Another recent achievement is the Raised in Easton Nursery, which opened in the Easton Community Centre earlier this month. Grants and loans were provided, allowing for the refurbishment of the building and furnishing of the nursery space.
Working together they hope to provide affordable local childcare and ensure that the community centre runs sustainably into the future.
The Made in Easton Nursery
Looking forward, Quartet say they plan to continue to deliver funding to those who need it at all levels. Out of a report on what support can be offered to future developments, a new initiative named Funding the Future has been born, hoping to link philanthropists and community hubs together.
With their first meeting set to attract 30 philanthropists, there are hopes that the future of community centres across the South West will be looking a little brighter.
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