Communities Fund 2015 - 16

Communities Fund 2015 - 16

Teignbridge District Area

Bridford Village Hall

The project is to upgrade the existing and improve the lighting, heating and hot water for this well used village hall.  The works will enable the hall to be better utilised safely, thereby increasing use and revenue helping to secure its long term financial viability.  The proposed electrical works will also significantly improve energy efficiency and accordingly will reduce the hall’s running costs.  The village hall is the only community space in the village (pop 500) and offers a home to a wide range of activities and services, including post office, doctor’s surgery, wide range of youth groups, luncheon club and many social activities such as skittles, bingo, keep fit and fencing classes.  Overall project costs are £7000, an award of £3,500 (50%) from the Dartmoor Communities Fund with the remaining match funding secured.

St Peter’s Church, Buckland in the Moor

The project is to undertake works to conserve, repair and stabilise the very rare and historically significant medieval rood screen found within the Church.  The conservation works will reveal the beautiful medieval artwork and figure paintings and ensure that is retained for future generations to enjoy.  The Rood screen already enjoys a large number of visitors from Britain and overseas and the works will help to generate additional revenue to support this valued community building that remains open to all and regularly hosts a wide range of community events.  Recent events have included ‘The Buckland Art festival’ Bridal exhibition and a flower festival. Total project costs of £7,700 and award of £2,100 from DCF (27%).  Match funding has been secured.

Liverton Village Hall

The Community Kitchen Enhancement Project is to improve the existing poor hall kitchen through minor building works and the purchase of new kitchen and dining equipment.  This will provide an attractive venue for the community to get together to share meals and to also raise additional income through private hire.   This will also help diversify income streams which are currently limited, thereby improving financial resilience.  ‘Old Liverton’ has no other meeting space, being bereft of pub, church or shop and as such the Village Hall is particularly important for community cohesion.  Total project costs of £2,528 and an award of £1,264 (50%)  from DCF.  Match funding has been secured.

Manaton Village Hall

The project is a comprehensive refurbishment and improvement of the village hall to improve acoustics, energy efficiency, lighting and safety to enable the better use of the hall for a wider range of activities.  DCF has been requested to fund is the cushioned safety edge guards  to be installed on the projecting support pillars to allow sports activities such as badminton to take place. Without these, sporting activity will be severely curtailed to the detriment of existing users and hall finances.  Total project costs of £10,941 and a DCF contribution of £542 (5%) awarded.  Match funding secured.

South Hams District Area

South Brent Area Bike Bank

A green transport initiative offering free ‘point of use’ cycle hire to reduce motor vehicle traffic, increase fitness and community wellbeing. While the project is focussed on South Brent, it will also serve a number of satellite hamlets. The project will increase the number of cycles available within the village, widen range of users (young etc.) and aims to develop a second cycle pick-up point in future to complement  the pick-up point at the community centre (installed October 2015). Insurance, administration and an online booking system is already in place.  A DCF award of £820 to support a total project value of £2360, with match funding secured.

West Devon Borough Area

Chagford Community Swimming Pool

The project is for the replacement of the existing rusting, inefficient and unhygienic cold water outdoor showers that are insufficient for a modern community facility with new hot water showers. Works include the renovation of family changing area to install 3 concussive type showers, relevant drainage, water storage and heating facilities to improve hygiene at the pool, improve user experience and increase and extend usage, especially early and later in the swimming season thereby securing long term viability. Total project costs of £5,790 with a DCF award of £2,895.

Drewsteignton Playing Field

The project is to install a multi-purpose piece of climbing equipment called ‘Atlantic Challenge’ to replace the assault course which was responsible for the high risk assessment in the 2014 RoSPA review. The equipment is to benefit the local children being one of the few facilities available to them in the parish, but will also provide an activity for holiday makers too. An award of £4,800 to support a project with a total value of £9,793. 

Coronation Hall, Mary Tavy

The application is for the refurbishment of the kitchen to bring up to standard, thereby extending the facilities to be able to offer cooked lunches for elderly lunch time club and also allow the hall to be hired for wider variety of functions to generate more revenue.  The works include the replacement of kitchen fittings, new cooker, electrical works and new boiler. Total project costs of £13,007 supported by a DCF award of £1,500.

Princetown Playing Fields

The original application included 3 discrete elements, perimeter fencing to improve safety, storage building for maintenance and sports equipment and a parking area, with total project costs of £67,000 and a grant application of £17,000.  Further discussions have highlighted a priority for the perimeter fencing and given the limited funding available a revised application for the fencing alone was agreed with a total project cost of £31,000 and a grant application award of £11,000 with match funding in place.   

Sticklepath Village Field

The application is for a purpose designed 50m2 open sided oak Pavilion set on granite effect concrete staddle stones with a slate roof, in keeping with the village location, the conservation area and edge of moorland setting. The Pavilion will provide shelter for community events held in the Village Playing Field, an important centre for village events.   A DCF award of £3,905 to support total project costs of £21,200.