Councillors provide grants to local good causes

Broxbourne

Councillor Lesley Greensmyth (Flamstead End and Turnford) has given £500 to Rosedale Community Church to support its youth club for 11 to 16-year-olds. The funding will be used to purchase new equipment, including games tables and other activities, helping to provide a safe and welcoming environment where local young people can socialise, build confidence and develop new skills.

Councillor Greensmyth said: “This grant is to help in starting a new youth group to provide much needed activities for the 11-16 age group. This is to upgrade the current equipment at the site which should help to reduce the anti-social behaviour which occurs locally. I feel this is a very important facility for these youngsters and will enhance the whole community.”

Dacorum

Councillor Richard Roberts (Kings Langley) has given £300 to All Saints Church to support children's activities at the Kings Langley Beer & Folk Festival. The funding will pay towards bouncy castles, arts and crafts activities and other family-friendly entertainment during the festival's family days, helping to encourage families to attend and strengthening community ties.

Councillor Roberts said: “Father James and his awesome team have found the perfect way to marry two important passions, beer and the church. Yes, it's a beer festival in a church, a perfect fundraiser with all round family fun.”

Councillor Jan Maddern (Hemel Hempstead South East) has given £565 to Tudor Primary School to support the teaching of CPR and lifesaving skills in local schools. The funding will be used to purchase 10 Mini Anne Plus CPR training manakins, which will be shared across a network of local primary schools, enabling hundreds of pupils to receive practical, hands-on CPR training and develop the confidence to respond in an emergency.

Councillor Maddern said: “I am delighted to support the application to assist with teaching first aid and lifesaving skills to local children. The equipment will be shared by a group of local schools who have a joint commitment to enable children to be confident in assisting first aid.”

East Herts

Councillor Terry Smith (Buntingford) has given £500 to St Peter's Church Buntingford to support youth work and community outreach in the town. The funding will help continue the church's "Choc Stop" after-school initiative, which provides free refreshments and a safe space for local young people, and support the creation of "Pete's Place", a dedicated youth space offering activities, food and weekly youth club sessions.

Councillor Smith said: “St Peter’s, Buntingford. Dedicated to the town's patron saint, it is rather unique. One of the first brick churches after the reformation, it defies its 400-years of service. I hope my relatively meagre donation will go some way to keeping this majestic building in good use. The mezzanine floor is being converted to a children's safe area. so, if you live anywhere near the East Herts region do pay a visit. Why not ask for a mini tour from Vicar's Sarah or Kirsty.”

Councillor Miriam Swainston (Bishop’s Stortford West) has given £500 to Herts Young Homeless to support young people facing housing crises across Hertfordshire. The funding will help the charity provide free services aimed at preventing homelessness, reducing family conflict and supporting vulnerable young people and their families before they reach crisis point.

Councillor Swainston said: “I am pleased to be able to support vulnerable young people at a very critical point in their lives. Homelessness impacts on so much, such as the ability to study or get a job.”

North Herts

Councillor Alistair Willoughby (Baldock and Letchworth East) has given £1,000 to Caring Herts CIC to support a new weekly Wellbeing Hub in Baldock. The funding will help cover venue hire, refreshments, travel and staffing costs, enabling older residents who are experiencing loneliness or social isolation to access regular activities, companionship and support in a welcoming community setting.

Councillor Willoughby said: “I am delighted to provide Locality Budget funding to help get the new Baldock Wellbeing Hub up and running. This is something I have been keen to establish for some time, so it is fantastic to see it now becoming a reality. The work that Caring Herts does will give older residents a place to meet, build friendships, and enjoy regular activities in a supportive environment. It is a wonderful initiative that will bring people together, tackle loneliness and isolation, and strengthen our community.”

Councillor Alistair Willoughby (Baldock and Letchworth East) has given £1,000 to Impactful Lives to support the expansion of its Queers & Peers project into Letchworth and Baldock. The funding will help establish monthly community sessions for LGBTQ+ residents, providing opportunities to build friendships, access support, reduce isolation and improve wellbeing, while connecting participants with the charity’s wider network of mentoring, outreach and support services.

Councillor Willoughby said: “Strong communities are built when people have opportunities to connect, support one another, and feel that they belong. Impactful Lives already does fantastic work helping people build confidence, form friendships, and overcome isolation, so I am delighted to support the expansion of their Queers & Peers project into Letchworth and Baldock. This funding will help create a welcoming local network where LGBTQ+ residents can meet others, access support, and feel more connected.”

St Albans

Councillor Matt Fisher (St Albans Central) has given £300 to St Albans Arts Team CIC to support a community mural project at the St Albans Sub Aqua Club. The project will combine educational workshops, design sessions and mural painting to raise awareness of the River Ver, celebrate the local environment and bring together residents of all ages to create a lasting artwork for the community.

Councillor Fisher said: “This is a fantastic community project which not only celebrates our community and the people in it but also looks to revitalise a key connective path along the River Ver.”

Councillor Allison Wren (Harpenden Rural) has given £500 to St Luke's School to support the refurbishment of The Ark, the school's dedicated animal-care classroom. The funding will help create a more accessible and practical learning environment for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, supporting the development of confidence, independence, communication and life skills through hands-on animal care.

Councillor Wren said: “St Lukes special school in Redbourn (part of Blue Tangerine) is a really fantastic forward thinking and acting place. It engages its students in a myriad of opportunities to better their lives.”

Councillor Liz Needham (London Colney) has given £400 to Highfield Park Trust to support two community events at Highfield Park Visitor Centre: Carols in the Park in December and Wassailing in January. The funding will help deliver inclusive, accessible events that bring local residents together, celebrate community traditions and encourage more people to enjoy and connect with the park and its natural environment.

Councillor Needham said: “I am delighted to support Highfield Park Trust with these wonderful community events. Christmas carols and wassailing bring people together, celebrate local traditions and create opportunities for families and neighbours to share special moments.

“I'm pleased to help make these events accessible to everyone and encourage more people to enjoy this beautiful green space and feel connected to their local community.”

Stevenage

Councillors Janet Bainbridge (Broadwater) and Doug Bainbridge (Old Stevenage) have given £1,000 to Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service to support its Fire Cadet and Community Safety Programme. The funding will help purchase uniforms, equipment and training resources for Fire Cadets, as well as community engagement materials to support fire safety education and prevention activities across Hertfordshire.

Councillor Janet Bainbridge said: “Always important to support the next generation and I'm happy to do so.”

Councillor Doug Bainbridge added: “Always happy to support such initiatives to promote youth engagement especially such a worthwhile cause.”

Watford

Councillor Nigel Bell (West Watford) has given £285 to Watford Council to support the purchase of 60 Remembrance poppies for display on lampposts in West Watford. This funding will help enhance the area during the annual Remembrance period, commemorating the service and sacrifice of those who fought for their country.

Councillor Bell said: “I am proud to be able to use part of my county council locality funding to commemorate the brave men and women who fought for this country to defend our freedoms.”

Welwyn Hatfield

Councillor Tony Kingsbury (Welwyn) has given £500 to Tenterfield Nursery School to support the creation of a children's allotment area. The funding will pay for raised beds and growing spaces within the nursery garden, providing hands-on opportunities for children to learn about gardening, sustainability and the natural environment as part of the school's Climate Action Plan.

Councillor Kingsbury said: “I am pleased to support Tenterfield Nursery School with this project to encourage the children to learn about gardening and to develop their understanding of the outdoor environment.”