Christchurch Council to launch Year of Celebration Grant Fund

2012 sees both the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and Dorset playing host to the sailing events of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Christchurch Borough Council has decided to celebrate this special year with a £10,000 'Year of Celebration Grant Fund' to help local groups to fund celebratory events or projects taking place during the year.

The Fund will be launched at an event to be held in the Council Chamber at the Civic Offices on Monday 12 December at 6pm when community groups, organisations and local businesses in the Borough will be invited to find out more about the scheme and how to go about applying for a grant.

The grant scheme will help groups with the running costs of a project or event, or help provide equipment, resources or permanent structures. The maximum amount of each grant will be £250.

At the launch event, attendees will be able to hear details of how to claim financial help from the Big Lottery Fund, organise licensing and road closures, the importance of risk assessment when planning an event and to find out more about other events already planned for 2012.

Applications will be considered against a criteria based on the Olympic values and/or their relevance to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. All applications should be received by 31 January 2012 and decisions on successful applications will be made during February 2012.

Cllr Sally Derham Wilkes, the Chairman of the Council's Community Services Committee, said: "2012 gives us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate two important events. We know that a number of local groups will want to take part in the celebrations so we thought it was only right for us to help them hold successful events.

"We hope that representatives of local organisations will come along to the launch of the Fund to find out more about the support we can offer them, both financially and in practical terms."

To find out more about the launch event, contact Vanessa Ricketts on 01202 495141 or email v.ricketts@christchurch.gov.uk.