Councillors give cash grants to support more good causes in Dacorum

Good causes in Dacorum have benefited from nearly £10,000 in cash grants from councillors.

Every year, each of Hertfordshire’s 78 county councillors is provided with a Locality Budget to spend on projects in their local area.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, councillors were each given a total of £10,000 per year to spend on projects which promote the social, economic, or environmental wellbeing of their local area.

Last year that was increased to £15,000 per councillor to help support Covid-19-related schemes - and that extra funding has continued this year to make a positive difference to the lives of Hertfordshire’s residents and communities.

The additional element of the funding is part of a wider Covid Recovery Fund of just under £10 million to support Hertfordshire to build back better based on cleaner, greener, and healthier aims.

The following grants have been made in recent months by Hertfordshire county councillors in Dacorum to help worthwhile causes:

Nettleden with Potten End Parish council - Playground upgrade

Cllr Terry Douris has awarded a grant of £1000 to help pay for a much-needed playground upgrade on the Spencer Holland playing field in Potten End.

Children and their parents along with the school children will benefit hugely from the playground upgrade, as the playing field area is widely used by adults as well as children.

Cllr Douris said: “The whole scheme will prove to be a valuable asset and will provide an active recreational and leisure resource for young people. I am sure that Spencer Holland would be delighted with this latest improvement to the land he provided for the village.”

Northchurch Parish Council – Relaxation area for the elderly

Cllr Terry Douris has awarded a grant of £1000 to support a project to help develop improved mental health through the use of a local recreation ground. The project is specifically aimed for the elderly and to help them with relaxation.

Cllr Douris said: “This relaxation area for older people will be an area where they can take a rest and enjoy quiet relaxed conversation within a tranquil surrounding.”

Gadebridge Scouts – Camping tents and equipment

Cllr Fiona Guest has awarded a grant of £2000 to help provide more camping opportunities for young people, getting them to connect with nature and each other.

The scouts have never had their own equipment, so opportunities have been limited and due to the size of the group it comes at a high cost.

Over 100 young people from the Gadebridge area will benefit from the new equipment.

Cllr Guest said: “Organisations like the Scouts offer children and young people fantastic opportunities to take part in exciting activities, learn about service and have fun. I remember fondly my days at Guide camps as a young person and am keen to support today's young people to have outdoor opportunities.”

Home Start Hertfordshire – Support to vulnerable families who are struggling to cope with the effects of the pandemic

Cllr Fiona Guest has awarded a grant of £2000 to help support families throughout Hertfordshire with volunteer mentors. Mentors visit the families in their own homes to offer support, helping them cope better financially and emotionally.

Support from Home-Start prevents deterioration of mental health issues and limits the destructive effects of challenges such as domestic abuse on a child’s development, which otherwise may result in long term costs to individuals, families, communities, and society.

Bovingdon Scout Group – demolishing and rebuilding the Scout hut

Cllr Richard Roberts has awarded a grant of £3000 to facilitate demolition, design, and architectural work to be undertaken on the Scout group hut which has not been able to be used for meetings for the last five years.

This will enable the provision of a new facility to be used by both the Scout group and other local organisations in Bovingdon.

Cllr Roberts said: “Bovingdon Scouts have been trying to replace their condemned building for years, so I am more than happy to support the rebuild. As an ex-Scout I am delighted to support this great fund-raising effort”

Mediation Hertfordshire – Peer mediation training programme

Cllr Richard Roberts has awarded a grant of £950 to provide a full Peer Mediation Programme to Year Five pupils, including training sessions for teachers.

The programme will take place on either one full day or two half days. Mediation teaches children how to deal with difficult situations such as recognising body language and accepting that sometimes situations do have to be referred to adults.

Cllr Roberts said: “Mediation Hertfordshire will give the year five youngsters a boost to help them deal with bullying or isolation that Covid may have made worse. Our schools do so much already to prepare for life, but this is a little extra help.”