Fourteen local schemes to get share of UK prosperity fund
In total 14 Gloucester-based projects will receive funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is administered locally by the city council, and given to schemes that help improve residents’ opportunities and quality of life.
Applications were sought from a range of organisations including community groups, charities, environmental organisations and local businesses.
Gloucester received its share of funding from the national programme after the council submitted an investment plan identifying the challenges and opportunities facing the city, and following extensive local consultation.
Among those who have been selected is Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust that submitted a proposal to create a Gloucester Nature Park alongside the River Severn.
The project is intended to improve biodiversity, landscape and climate resilience of the area as well as providing better facilities for residents to visit the river for leisure. The money will help fund a project officer to bring the scheme forward.
Another successful applicant is the Roots Coffee and Community CIC which is set to receive £35,040 to create a plastic-free refill shop in the heart of Kingsholm.
The Community Interest Company aims to provide local people with plastic free shopping alternatives,
It will also have a training kitchen where healthy ready meals will be created in partnership with local families, providing work experience, volunteering opportunities and home economics training.
Projects that have received funding span a broad range of subjects, including services targeted at supporting young people to become more active, improvements to social enterprises and continued provision of business support services.
Councillor Richard Cook, leader of Gloucester City Council, said: “We were inundated with some really innovative proposals from many partner organisations that would all have had a huge positive impact on the city. However, the funds are limited and we had to prioritise those projects and services that will deliver the most for Gloucester. I’m very pleased that we’re proposing to support some exciting projects that will improve the environment within the city and the life opportunities of many of our residents.”
The council will invite a further round of proposals for any remaining funds during 2023.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.
The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. More information.
| Organisation | Amount to be allocated £ | Project |
| Blackbridge Charitable Community Benefit Society | £66,240 | Provision of the resources to the new Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub to support day to day activity in sports and physical activity, learning and skills development, Cultural activity, IT/communications infrastructure |
| Read With Me |
£23,040 |
Provision of voluneers to support primary school children across Gloucestershire to learn to read independently. |
| Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust |
£141,880 |
Creation of a new country park in Gloucester, aiming to improve the biodiversity, amenity, landscape and climate resilience of the area adjacent the river Severn as it flows past Gloucester. |
| Llanthony Secunda Priory Trust | £94,124 | Creation of an outdoor activity and wellbeing area promoting activity, health and wellbeing whilst enhancing ecology and biodiversity net gain |
| Gloucester Gateway Trust (SPARK) | £96,000 | Inspiring, and motivating residents, specifically those from our most disadvantaged communities and neighbourhoods, to learn, earn, and belong. |
| Voices Gloucester | £24,200 | Support for community groups and under-represented voices in the city to make their voice heard through culture and the arts. |
| Roots Coffee & Community CIC | £35,040 | Plastic free shopping alternative, access to work experience, voluntary opportunities, home economics training, and healthy frozen ready meals |
| Young Gloucestershire | £61,248 | A safe space for young people, designed by young people, for young people to receive practical information, advice, and guidance around next steps into employability, training and/or volunteering |
| Gloucester City Centre Commission | £34,400 | The preparation and subsequent review of a 5 year vision for Gloucester City Centre |
| Hartpury University Sports Business Hub | £116,132 | The hub will support the upskilling of volunteers and will increase impact of grassroots sports clubs/community centres in Gloucester |
| Gloucester City Council & Gloucestershire Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner | £208,320 | Employment of a Safer Spaces officer to engage with residents, community groups and partners to explore how Gloucester’s public spaces can be made safer. |
| The Friendship Café | £13,720 | Improvement works to the café and to an adjacent area for better facilities for the local community. |
| The Gloucester Growth Hub | £288,000 | Provision of free business support and advice to small businesses. |
| Gloucestershire Employment & Skills Outreach Project | £67,200 | Working directly with people who are currently disengaged from and face multiple barriers to accessing the labour market across Gloucester |