Marshes Community Benefit Fund – 8 Projects Awarded Grants of £61,500
The Marshes Community Benefit Fund (MCBF) Panel reveals which projects have been awarded funding from the latest round of awards from the annual £120,000 community payments made by Frodsham Wind Farm Limited.
Eight community-based projects have been awarded £61,500 in the latest, the Tenth, round of awards since the Marshes Community Benefit Fund was established in 2016.
Says Joycey Bammeke-Bailey, MCBF Panel Member, PR;
We are again, at the first of the twice yearly MCBF’s awards. Although lockdown restrictions have lifted the Panel felt that meeting virtually would be beneficial, especially as like many other businesses across the UK we have now become very used to meeting via Zoom.
The Panel members analysed each of the applications and performed due diligence to ensure that they were able to agree to award £61,500 to all eight worthy recipients, from Helsby, Frodsham, Ince and Alvanley, As all applications met the award criteria and offered ventures that would benefit the local community.
Are you part of a not-for-profit school, charity, business, community group or club considering a project which will benefit the local community? Have you considered that your project might meet the criteria for funding from the MCBF? If so we would love to hear from you, please consider applying, even if you have applied in the past and not been successful, you can re-apply. Guidelines for applications and details of the award process are available on the MCBF website.
The MCBF Panel meets again in the Autumn to consider all applications submitted by the 31st August 2021 deadline
The following is a summary of this round’s successful applicants and how the funding they receive will be used: –
Mersey Weaver Scouts
Made up of 17 Scout groups which includes a Sea Scout group, recognised by the Royal Navy, A Young Leader Unit, 4 Explorer Scout Units and a District Network provision which cater for young people from the ages of six until twenty-five years old the Mersey Weaver Scouts requested £22,544 for an all-weather area and target sports range. The funds allocated will enable them to provide a variety of target sports with wheelchair access, as part of the required 33% of activities to be delivered outside to allow for a success scouting programme.
Alvanley Cricket Club
Alvanley Cricket Club asked for £18,554 to provide a new Grounds Store away from the car park location of the existing store which, built by volunteers some thirty-six years ago, is no longer meeting the needs of the ever-increasing amateur club. The club, which is run by volunteers, provides high quality cricket experiences, both friendly and competitive, to children from the age of four through to open age cricket. Approximately one hundred and sixty young people make up the junior section 30% of which are girls, with this figure increasing each year, Alvanley also the leading club developing women’s cricket, former members include world number one bowler Sophie Ecclestone, and two other young women playing for the county. Also doing well in the semi-professional adult league, the new stores’ location away from the cark park will not only increase the clubs parking capacity but will also allow for all machinery to be stored securely and accessed away from cars and pedestrians.
Frodsham Bee Friends @ The Hive
Serving as an important bridge between statutory service providers and residents Frodsham Bee Friends @ The Hive grant of £3.319 will enable them to create opportunities for people to come together across the community of Frodsham, Helsby and Elton. Their focus is on the those within the estimated population of 37,000, identified as socially isolated. The funds will provide resources to support the projects outreach facility, the idea being that ‘The Hive’ a wellbeing hub, based within Frodsham Castle Park, will able to be replicated across the catchment area through a series of pop-up hive spaces. Providing flexible, transferable secure IT provision such as secure record -keeping.
Helsby & Elton Patients Participation Group (PPG)
The Helsby & Elton Patients Participation Group (PPG) plays an active role in the concept of developing community care, the £2,000 awarded will go towards providing a welcoming, cozy Care Community Corner within the GP practice, the area will have three supportive chairs, access to appropriate IT information and a coffee table. The cozy corner will be hosted by a PPG committee member and other supportive groups such as Maggies, Age UK, Mind, OPAL, Diabetes UK and Benefits Adviser to name a few.
Helsby Community Sports Club
Helsby Community Sports Club have requested £5,094 to provide a Pavilion Canopy and Defibrillator. The pavilion canopy will allow all year-round access for all ages to the Crown Green bowling on the new artificial greens. The defibrillator will be an essential addition to the club allowing them to safeguard the 130 members against medical emergencies that require lifesaving first aid. It is hoped that providing the defibrillator and the extra cover more members of the community will be encouraged to join in the clubs’ activities.
Ince Neighbourhood Plan Group
Formed in 2019 after the Ince Neighbourhood Plan Group seeks to ensure that the residence are able to have a say in the local communities objectives and plans around such things as wildlife and biodiversity, greenspace and heritage, they have asked for £7,164 for the Taking Care of Our Heritage programme and they wish to produce a Neighbourhood Plan, that once ratified by Cheshire West and Chester (CWaC) will run through to 2023. The plan will include such things as removal of the overgrown foliage on the sandstone wall and at various areas throughout the village, allowing the wall to be seen and enjoyed by the residence. The funds will enable the work required to be carried out regularly.
One Voice Community Choir
Promoting well-being and social interaction through singing One Voice Community Choir have been awarded £379 to purchase equipment that will improve the experience for the audience when the Choir perform at community events festivals and in support of local charities. It is hoped that this will also attract more members to join the choir who will not only enjoy the proven health benefits from communal singing but also benefit from being invited to choir social events such as meals out, pub visits, theatre trips and supporting other community arts association.
Red Lion Bowling
Red Lion Bowling is an independent volunteer group that promotes the sport of Crown Green Bowling for the people of Frodsham and the surrounding areas. The club encourages people of all ages, abilities and ethnicities to take part in crown green bowling. The £2,500 awarded will be used to purchase Bowling Equipment. Which will help the club further expand its membership.
A Word from the New Chair
I’m delighted to have joined the MCBF Panel and I am looking forward to working with the panel to continue supporting community-based projects in the areas surrounding the Frodsham Wind Farm. I would like to thank Dianne Walker for the significant contribution she has made to the panel since its incorporation.
The wide selection of applications for this round of funding demonstrated how the funds provided by the panel continue to add value to many organisations and individuals in the region.
The Panel members will be monitoring the projects as they develop to ensure they meet the objectives and conditions set out in the signed award agreements with good governance and we look forward to seeing the benefits from the funds provided.
Andrew Jones, MCBF Panel Chair
For more information, please contact the communications email enquiries@marshescbf.uk or here on our FAQ page.
The Marshes Community Benefit Fund was set up by Frodsham Wind Farm Ltd (owned by Foresight Group) and is managed and operated by Belltown Power. The £66m project consisted of 19 wind turbines on the Frodsham Marshes, adjacent to the Manchester Ship Canal and the Mersey Estuary.
Frodsham Wind Farm Limited is committed to providing an annual Community Benefit Fund (CBF) of £120,000 for community projects each year over the life of the wind farm. Payment is made in two instalments annually of £60,000. The MCBF has been set up as a not-for-profit unincorporated organisation (NOU) with a formal constitution.
Members retire by rotation or resignation. Names of MCBF members are given on the MCBF website where enquiries about joining may be made if a vacancy arises, along with details of the application process, eligibility criteria and deadlines.
Community groups, charities, schools, businesses and clubs may apply to the MCBF governing Panel for funding towards not-for-profit projects which are designed to benefit the local communities. Guidelines for applications and details of the award process are available on the MCBF website.
The MCBF will allow groups and organisations to apply for grants between £150 and £60,000. There will be two application rounds per year with closing dates being 28th February and 31st August each year. Projects for which grants are requested should be located within the defined MCBF geographical area. A plan showing the area is available on the MCBF website.
Applicants will be required to have a written constitution a set of rules or a governing document and a bank or building society account with a minimum of two signatures in place before a grant can be made from the MCBF.
The Panel will consider applications twice a year, the main criteria for successful grant applications will be:
- The social, economic and environmental benefits which will stem from successful implementation / completion of the project
- The level of community support for and involvement with the project.
Other factors that will also be considered and which must be demonstrated as part of the grant application include:
- The ability of the applicant to deliver the project
- How the benefits will continue after completion of the project, i.e. its sustainability and legacy
- Value for money
- Presence of any match-funding (for grant applications over £2,000).
- Further details of the individual projects should be sought from the recipients of the funds.