Partnership to award more than £1.1million to community projects across South & East Lincolnshire

Posted on November 2, 2023

Several community projects, groups, initiatives and events across South & East Lincolnshire are set to benefit from more than £1.1millon in funding from the UK Shared Prosperity and Rural Prosperity Funds (UKSPF/REPF).

Twelve projects which aim to have a positive impact on communities and the economy in Boston, East Lindsey and South Holland are the latest to benefit from nearly £780,000 in grant awards, which are being distributed by South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership (SELCP) via a Government programme designed to build pride in place, provide high quality skills training and increase life chances across the sub-region.

A further commitment of more than £340,000 will be distributed among 20 parishes and towns through the Lincolnshire Community Foundation's UKSPF funded GRASSroots programme.

Just under 780,000 will be distributed among:

East Lindsey District Council:

Magna Vitae - International Cultural Exchange Programme - To develop and deliver an International Cultural Exchange Programme in partnership with the International People's College (IPC), Denmark and the British Embassy in Copenhagen. The programme aims to support students from East Lindsey District with a personal training programme enabling formal qualifications to be studied at the IPC. Participants will gain experience, and knowledge to enter into employment in the Cultural/Creative sector and will receive support to start their own creative businesses in East Lindsey.

National Trust Sandilands - Sandilands Connects - This project focuses on the transforming the former Sandilands golf course by restoring sand dune and wetlands habitats into a wildlife have alongside a visitor hub which will provide a gateway for visitors to explore and get closer to nature. The Sandilands Connects project will specifically focus on expanding the space available to the public and accessibility on the Sandilands site. It will be free at the point of access to all residents of East Lindsey (no requirement for a National Trust membership).

Transported Arts - Wings Over the Wolds Trail - There will be eight unique artworks installed across eight locations in East Lindsey with a particular focus on the Wolds. This will allow visitors and residents alike to visit each site, driving an increase in footfall. These will be co-created with communities, who will be supported by a commissioned artist.

Active Lincolnshire - Active Communities - This project will deliver a skills development programme to support social enterprises and sporting organisations to provide training and development in the community, increasing the number of people supported to start businesses in the sport and physical activity sector or who are seeking employment. The skills development strand will uniquely focus on developing a workforce with protected characteristics that are aligned with the demographics of the local community, supporting learners to gain employment in the sport and physical activity sector.

South Holland District Council:

South Holland District Council - Open Markets South Holland -The project will aim to provide branded gazebos that ensure an attractive retail environment that would enable traders to grow their income and to attract new start businesses. The branded and uniform offer will improve the aesthetics for customers, increasing footfall to our town centres, therefore benefiting other businesses, and will be rolled out across the district, ensuring that areas beyond Spalding are able to access this attractive, revitalized retail environment and share in the benefit of this project, including all five markets across the South Holland district.

Chain Bridge Forge - Growing Blacksmithing - This project aims to give better access to the Blacksmithing Craft at Chain Bridge Forge in Spalding.  This will be achieved by promoting Blacksmithing at the Forge and through the creation of innovative digital simulations of blacksmithing that will be used to support local young people to engage with the craft in schools and colleges. There will also be a series of open days and events at the forge to support a greater number of local people to access blacksmithing and traditional craft skills. The objective is to increase the number of people engaged with and with skills in this traditional craft.

University of Lincoln -Expanding the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone (FEZ) - There are two elements to this project, the first focuses on the provision of a place-based marketing programme which will build a coordinated approach between partners to stimulate investment and growth to the SLFEZ. The second aims to address low skills and bring higher level skills to the sector and will look to engage 15 businesses in research/innovation projects with the University, ensure 60 people befit from engagement in courses to upskill, ensure 60 people gain qualifications (50 on courses plus 10 new apprenticeships, 100 young people will engage with the SLFEZ through projects with local schools and 75 members of the community will be engaged with the SLFEZ through events and public lectures and a community food scheme.

Spalding Civic Society - Spalding MARK IT Trail - This project aims to increase awareness and appreciation of the town's heritage and celebrate Spalding's market in its livestock heyday along with South Holland's present-day importance to the nation's food supply. The trail will consist of high quality artworks situated in town centre spots - in the same streets as those in which animals were traditionally sold, drawing visitors into the town but also, encouraging visitors and residents to explore areas of the town that they may not usually be drawn to.

Long Sutton Youth Shed - Youth Shed Project II - This is an expansion of the massively successful UKSPF-funded UKSPF Youth Shed project.  This project expands the reach of the youth shed by recruiting additional members of the team to lead sessions. The Shed is currently open for two four hour long sessions each week but through this project, intends to expand to operate five days a week.

SHDC Communities Department - Spring Into Spalding - A one-day event to take place in Spalding town centre with a focus on driving footfall to businesses. The event, as well as the activities and entertainment taking place, will be free for all to attend. This project is an expansion of the same event that was held in 2022 and was hugely successful.

Boston Borough Council: Community projects are being encouraged to access new funding avenues as two areas of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund are successfully allocated - see here: Boston community projects encouraged to access new funding avenues as two areas of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund successfully allocated - Boston Borough Council

However, Boston has been included within partnership wide grant awards.

SELCP/Partnership wide:

Lincolnshire Community Foundation - Youth Engagement Project (Total amount: £33,000 - ELDC £15,708/BBC - £7,755/SHDC - £9,537) - The project is to provide grant funding to organisations that can deliver preventative measures to help young people at risk of committing a criminal offence or becoming involved in anti-social behaviour and in so doing reduce the re-offending rate. This is supported by a substantial match funding contribution of £107,000, which will be invested in the project.

SELCP - Pride in Place Community Volunteer Scheme (Total amount £38,690 - BBC £9,092/ ELDC - £18,416/ SHDC - £11,181) - This project will support the creation of a 'Trusted Volunteer' network in the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership area, increasing the number of volunteers who are supported to 'do good' in their local community. The aim of this project is to increase the feeling of pride within our local communities for the places people live, work and visit.   

Additionally, parish councils, village halls and community spaces will also enjoy a substantial share of UKSPF funding in this round, with nearly £340,000 to be distributed to 20 projects across the area as the Lincolnshire Community Foundation distributes more awards from its UKSPF funded programme (GRASSroots).

The funding will be shared between:

BBC:

Willoughby Road Allotments

Wyberton Parish Council

Amber Hill Parish Council

Freiston Hill Parish Council

Fishtoft Parish Council

ELDC:

Donington-on-Bain Parish Council

Skegness Sports Association

Horncastle Town Council

Stickford Community Centre

Revesby Village Hall

Hemingby Village Hall

Woodhall Spa Cricket Club

The Coastal Eco Centre

SHDC:

Gosberton Youth Centre

Lutton Parish Council

Weston Parish Council

Quadring Parish Council

Tydd St Mary Parish Council

Scarlet Community Music Club

Gosberton Bowls & Snooker Club

Leader of Boston Borough Council, Councillor Anne Dorrian, said: "I'm delighted to see that the community groups in the Boston borough will benefit directly from this funding. Schemes such as the Pride in Place Community Volunteer Scheme and the Youth Engagement Project, along with extra support for parish, village hall and community projects such as Willoughby Road Allotments will be hugely beneficial to the area.

"I am certain that these projects will have a very positive effect on both communities and our local economy, making another move towards our aspiration of improving and developing the Boston area."

From East Lindsey District Council, Councillor Steve Kirk, portfolio holder for The Coastal Economy, and Councillor Adam Grist, portfolio holder for Market Towns and Rural Economy, added: "This funding is going towards a number of projects - both in East Lindsey and Partnership wide - which will make a real difference to our area.

"The focus on the arts, supporting young people and helping to get others active is all part of looking at the bigger picture and towards the future for East Lindsey, its residents and businesses during what is a really exciting time for the district."

Councillor Paul Redgate, portfolio holder for Finance, Commercialisation, Levelling Up and UK Shared Prosperity Funding at South Holland District Council, said: "Once again several fantastic projects, initiatives and events across South Holland have been awarded funding which will have a significant and positive impact on what they are doing - and in turn for the wider community too.

"There have already been many success stories as a result of the UKSPF funding, from Holbeach Medieval Festival to the rapidly developing plans for Matthew Flinders' reburial next year.

"I look forward to seeing the part this latest round of funding will play in supporting communities while boosting the local economy."

An announcement on the opening of the next strange of UKSPF/REPF funding - the People & Skills strand - is due to be made shortly.