An update on our Community Impact Fund
Our Community Impact Fund grant allowance was increased to £1,000 towards the end of last year, allowing customer and community groups to access more funding for their projects.
The fund is aimed at supporting the work of tenant and resident groups, local charities, voluntary and community groups, and organisations who operate in our areas to develop projects that deliver outcomes that benefit our customers and the communities we work in.
It is a rolling grant programme, and organisations can apply at any time. The funds are made up of a small internal budget and this is then supplemented by social value rebates/donations from some of our supply chain partners, like Jewson Partnership Solutions; our preferred materials supplier, who contribute around £9k per year which is linked to the sales turnover in our contract with them.
Since the amount of funding was increased, we have received three new applications. Two of these were reviewed by our Customer Panel at their January meeting and were each awarded £1,000. The third will be reviewed by the panel at their February meeting.
The two projects that have been awarded a Community Impact Fund grant are:
Oxfordshire Play Association
Rose Hill Play and Activity Day 2024
Oxfordshire Play Association were awarded £500 through the Community Impact Fund in 2023 to run a free play and activity day in Northway/Marston in Oxford, an area where GSA has a significant number of homes.
For 2024 they applied for funding to run a play and activity day in Rose Hill, another area where we have a high number of homes. This event has the support of local councillors and Rose Hill Community Centre, who we have a long history of working with.
It is estimated that around 750 of our customers will benefit from the event.
The Wychwoods Day Centre Ltd
Glass Decorating Project
This project involves the delivery of eight, two-hour, glass decorating sessions, delivered weekly by two project leaders. The suggestion for glass decorating came from the service users who enjoy craft activities. The sessions help with socialisation and manual dexterity and have tangible outcomes, something participants have made and can be proud of.
The Wychwood Day Centre meets weekly providing a day care facility for 22 elderly people from the three Wychwood villages in West Oxfordshire. They are transported to the hall by volunteer drivers, cared for by volunteer helpers and enjoy a range of activities from craft to singing. The Centre has been providing companionship and reducing isolation since 1998 and is the only service of its kind in this rural area.
GSA owns an extra care scheme called The Paddocks in nearby Milton-under-Wychwood, with 44 one and two-bedroom apartments. On average, four residents from The Paddocks attend the day centre.
This project application from the Wychwood Day Centre has paved the way for rejuvenated partnership working between The Paddocks and the Day Centre. Whilst reviewing this application the judging panel were keen to understand how we could maximise the benefit for GSA customers. The Day Centre wellbeing co-ordinator has committed to working with our House Manager Beverley Trowbridge, to raise awareness of the activities at the day centre – through writing articles for the monthly newsletter, and regular meetings.
Our Community Investment and Social Value Lead Sian Every said: “It’s great for us to be able to support local community groups and organisations whose projects will benefit our customers and their local communities.
“Since we launched the Community Impact Fund in October 2022, we have awarded a total of 14 grants and have received 27 applications."
For more information on the eligibility criteria and how to apply please visit our Community Impact Fund webpage.
