Almost £290,000 awarded to community projects through the East Lindsey Investment Fund's LCF GRASSroots Scheme
Almost £290,000 has been awarded to 21 community focussed projects across the area through the first round of a new grants scheme funded by the East Lindsey Investment Fund (ELIF).
In line with the council's commitment to make a major investment in communities across the district, £1million was recently awarded to Lincolnshire Community Foundation's GRASSroots scheme, extending the life of the scheme beyond 2025. The funding has been fully provided by East Lindsey District Council and represents a major investment in community facilities.
As a result of this investment, grants of up to £24,999 have been made available for parishes, village halls, sports clubs and community projects in the district.
The first round of awards, which total £289,410.43, has been made following review by a community-led grants panel. The funds have been distributed among:
Taylor Made Arts - To co-create a theatre piece with young people in Mablethorpe to enhance skills and community arts engagement.
Volunteer it Yourself at the Meridale Youth Centre - Funding a programme of facility improvements by NEET youth (not in educations, training or employment), with associated training and qualifications plus support from local employers.
Louth Riverhead Theatre - To upgrade building management system and air conditioning at the theatre for efficiency and comfort.
East Keal Parochial Church Council - To install an accessible toilet, drainage and water connection to create a community hub at the deconsecrated St Helen's Church.
Sutton on Sea and Mablethorpe Macular Society Group - To cover costs for a series of events and social activities for the support group.
West Torrington Community and Heritage Action - Towards the installation of a kitchen and accessible toilet in the deconsecrated church building, along with updating existing electrical wiring. This work will enable a new community hub to be created in West Torrington.
East Coast Pride - Supporting the running costs of the 2025 event along with educational outreach to promote LGBTQIA+ inclusivity in the East Lindsey area.
Wragby Youth Centre - To sustain and expand youth provision along with extra workers within the centre.
Community Plus, Louth - To sustain the Open Door youth service, in collaboration with YMCA.
The Burgh Village Hall, Burgh Le Marsh - To upgrade the heating system and, in turn, improve comfort and efficiency at the hall.
Authorpe Village Hall - To replace the roof, insulate and install heating to make the hall more sustainable and welcoming.
Orby Village Hall - To resurface the car park, repaint the hall's exterior, replace fencing and upgrade windows/porch for safety and appeal.
Trusthorpe Village Hall - To renew a sunken car park area with excavation and hard surfacing to improve safety and access.
Fulletby Glebe Trust - To purchase equipment including a mower, gate, gazebo and lectern, to enhance the community use of Glebe Field.
Skegness and Winthorpe Parochial Church Council - To renovate and deep clean St Clement Community Hall. This funding will include the purchase of a new deep cleaner.
West Ashby Village Hall - To modernise the hall by upgrading the toilets with disabled access. This will also boost inclusivity.
Sutton on Sea Gardening Group - To purchase new maintenance equipment to maintain public gardens and improve tidiness for residents and visitors.
Grimoldby and Manby Village Hall - To install insulation and replace boiler to reduce heating costs and enhance usability of the hall.
Aby Village Hall - To remove damp and refurbish facilities to improve safety and comfort at the hall.
Stickford Village Hall - To upgrade fire safety, energy efficiency and facilities at the hall.
London Road Sports Partnership, Louth - To refurbish the kitchen/food serving area at the London Road Pavilion to improve hygiene and community use.
An East Lindsey District Council spokesperson said: "Investment in community projects and facilities is fundamental to the ELIF-funded GRASSroots Scheme, as the fund seeks to make a major investment in communities across East Lindsey.
"There was an incredible amount of interest in this first round of funding delivered by ELIF GRASSroots and we are delighted to support more than 20 projects in a very competitive round of funding.
"The next round of funding closes on June 13 and we would encourage those who are interested in securing funding for a great project idea to get in touch with the Lincolnshire Community Foundation to discuss potential investment opportunities through the scheme."