Closed: Active Communities Grant Scheme
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had an unprecedented impact on levels of physical activity but has been most acute across disadvantaged groups and areas of higher deprivation.
While there were signs of recovery for activity levels as restrictions eased, not all groups or demographics were affected or recovered at the same rate.
Our Leisure and Public Health teams, in collaboration with Be Active Beds, developed a grant scheme designed to help residents become more physically active.
Small grants of up to £5,000 were available to apply for by voluntary and community groups including town/parish councils. The fund was designed to help communities that had been negatively impacted by COVID-19, lockdown and restrictions on social interaction. Applicants needed to be able to explain how their idea or project made a difference and delivered increased physical activity to one or more priority sections of the Central Bedfordshire population below:
- women
- young people aged 16 to 34
- over 75s
- disabled people and people with long-term health conditions
- culturally diverse communities
- those living in areas of higher deprivation
Bidding rounds
The grant fund operated within two bidding rounds.
No further bidding rounds are planned and the scheme is now closed.
Bidding round 2 – approved projects
| Organisation | Project | Amount |
|---|---|---|
|
Stotfold Good Neighbour Group |
Chair Base Exercise Classes |
£1,900.00 |
|
Music24 |
Singing Cafe |
£3,348.00 |
|
Chalgrave Sports Club |
Yoga |
£2,440.00 |
|
Imagination Dance |
Dance for Older People: Care Homes |
£4,860.00 |
|
Grand Union Housing |
Gardening for Wellbeing |
£5,000.00 |
|
Ampthill Town Council |
Chair Exercise Classes |
£1,503.50 |
|
Dunstable Football Club |
Disability and Over 75 provisions |
£5,000.00 |
|
Shefford Town Council |
Chair-based Exercises |
£1,000.00 |
|
Dunstable Town Council |
Exercise and sports provision for 16-34 y/o |
£5,000.00 |
|
Beds RCC |
Dance for older people |
£5,000.00 |
|
Flitwick Town Council |
Exercise classes |
£1,250.00 |
|
Leighton Linslade Rotary Club |
Yes We Can programme - accessible sport |
£4,825.00 |
|
Ampthill Cricket Club |
Encouraging women and girls |
£1,500.00 |
|
Friends of Windsor Drive |
Activities for All on Windsor Drive Open Space |
£2,946.00 |
|
Lets Get Going |
chair based exercise, movement and games |
£4,422.00 |
|
Re:connect Yoga |
Yoga for chronic pain |
£4,320.00 |
Bidding round 1 – approved projects
| Organisation | Project | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Beds RCC | Accessibility of Dunstable Community Halls Community Garden | £5,000 |
| Groundwork East | Boxing Exercise and Skills | £5,000 |
| Shefford Town Council | Outdoor Fitness in Shefford | £2,939.90 |
| Eversholt Parochial Charity | Chair Yoga for Balance, Strength and Mobility | £2,800 |
| MacIntyre | Lifelong Learning Back in Service | £4,544 |
| Blunham Football Club | Extension into Walking Football and Added Girls Team at under 10 | £4,100 |