Small Project Fund

The successful Small Projects Fund, managed by The Nidderdale Plus Partnership, was finally closed on 31 March 2005 after operating for two years. During this period it has provided small grants of up to £2000 for 62 separate projects to 44 community-based organisations in Nidderdale.

Initially the Fund was established in March 2003 with funding of £30000 from Yorkshire Forward through the Market Towns Initiative, with matched funding of £30000 from the European Rural Development Fund. An accelerated uptake of awards following an Open Evening in June 2004 at Pateley Bridge Memorial Hall, encouraged Nidderdale Plus to submit an application for additional funding, eventually receiving a further £16000 earlier this year. At the close of the fund a total of £75999.98 has been distributed.

Successful applications to the Small Projects Fund have been made by a wide variety of community groups and organisations in Pateley Bridge and the surrounding area. These have ranged from refurbishment of community facilities, provision of sports equipment, artistic and musical developments, training programmes, environmental projects and community events. An analysis of the completed projects shows that:

38% supported village hall refurbishment. e.g:

• provision of tables and chairs at PB Memorial Hall
• new flooring at Glasshouses Broadbelt Hall

21% supported community groups and parish councils. e.g:

• new notice boards ar Ramsgill and Bewerley
• new seating in Pateley Bridge and Lofthouse

19% supported sports groups. e.g:

• new tennis nets at Dacre Banks Tennis Club
• ground improvements at Glasshouses and Pateley Bridge Cricket Club

15% supported arts, drama and musical activities. e.g:

• new equipment for Lofthouse & Middlesmoor band
• installation of air conditioning at PB Playhouse

3% supported community web-site development. e.g:

• website for Nidderdale Museum
• website for Hartwith Parish Council

2% supported environmental projects. e.g:

• equipment for Friends of the Cemetery
• training courses for Nidderdale Tool Library volunteers

2% supported community events. e.g:

• Nidderdale Festival
• Landmark Art courses

Each application has been assessed on its merits against an established set of criteria by a panel of local residents, chaired by Pat Hutchinson (Dacre Banks), with members Tom Wheelwright (Wath), Sue Hill (Pateley Bridge), Clive Hall (Darley), Tom Keighley (Middlesmoor) and Vickie Wrigley (The Connection Project Worker). The appraisal panel has met monthly and applicants have appreciated both the simplicity of the application and the speed at which the actual awards have been made available.

The appraisal panel has particularly commended the extensive 'in-kind' contributions made to projects by local residents who have given extensively of their time free of charge for the benefit of their communities. The awards made through the Small Projects Fund have enabled many individuals and groups to participate in regeneration of their community's facilities ensuring that sustainability of these resources is secured for future generations.

Pat Hutchinson
Chair, Small Projects Fund