SEVERAL community groups operating in and around Taunton, including COACH and a youth theatre, have received funding from the town council.

On Monday, October 7, 2024 Taunton Town Council held their third meeting of the Grants Committee this financial year to consider four requests for funding from the grants and sponsorship budget.

One application was made to secure a Venue Cost Grant and one request was made for a donation.

It was the first committee to be held in the new Taunton Town Council chamber, located on the top floor of Deane House.

The group, comprised of councillors, was chaired by Amber Packer-Hughes, chair of the Grants Committee. The meeting was recorded and is available to watch on our YouTube channel.

This year Taunton Town Council has £65,000 available for general grants, £25,000 for sponsorships, £120,000 to provide funding for specific venue costs, £50,000 for youth projects and £2,500 for donations for local community groups (limited to £100 each).

All applicants for the general grant funding and venue grant funding secured their request in full or in part, with £8,558 awarded from the general grant fund and £11,060 from the venue cost grant fund.

The request for a donation did not meet the criteria and so was unsuccessful. Draft minutes of the meeting will be available on the town council website shortly.

COACH – Centre for Outdoor Activity and Community Hub: awarded £11,060 from the venue cost grant budget, toward the purchase and installation of solar panels on the Centre for Outdoor Activity and Community Hub building in the French Weir Park.

Somerset Youth Theatre CIC: £2,058 to support the establishment of SYT Mini-Imaginations, a weekly program for children aged 5 to 7 years.

Taunton Scout & Guide Gang Show: £1,500 to replace costume rails, storage racking and procure additional cast uniforms.

Taunton Area Parenting Support (TAPS): £2,500 to support delivery of Talking Teens and Parenting Puzzle Workshops.

Friends of Comeytrowe Pond: £2,500 towards a capital project to replace the wooden perimeter around the pond and to install a pump to prevent water stagnation.

Life Education Wessex & Thames Valley had applied for a donation of £290 to support the delivery of Coram Life Education workshop at Staplegrove Church School in October 2024.

The committee decided not to make this award as it did not meet the criteria.

To date this financial year, Taunton Town Council has awarded £49,777 in general grants, £24,268 in sponsorship, £120,000 in venue grants and £50,000 in youth grants.

Councillor Amber Packer-Hughes, chair of the Grants Committee said: “It is always encouraging to hear from the passionate people making a difference in our community.

“It is fantastic to have the opportunity to support a range of causes as diverse as a community pond to enhance the local environment to a group supporting parents to navigate the difficult teenage years.

“Not only do these grants make a difference to the organisation applying but the ripple effects are felt by residents across the town.”

The Grants Committee are next scheduled to meet on January 6, 2025.

The application deadline for that round of funding is December 13, 2024, details on how to apply can be found on our website.