We first launched the Community Contribution Fund in March 2021 as a pilot scheme, offering residents the chance to pay into a good causes fund to help local charity, community, and voluntary groups to reduce inequalities in the area. To date, almost £40,000 has been raised and over £30,000 given in the form of grants to voluntary and community groups to support local projects.
In 2021-22 we awarded grants up to £2,000 for projects that support the most vulnerable in our communities. We supported fifteen projects through the fund.
In 2022-23, we used the fund to provide grants of £250 to Warm Spaces that had registered with us and signed up to our Warm Spaces Charter. Twenty-four Warm Spaces took up the grant.
In 2023-24, 20 local organisations successfully applied for grants of £500 for projects that provide residents with free or low-cost food, as well as public Warm Spaces to help people reduce their energy bills.
All applications to the Community Contribution Fund grant schemes are agreed by a panel of Councillors. You can see full details of successful applicants to the scheme below.
Make a contribution
Any contribution is separate from your Council Tax, and you can contribute more than once. The minimum contribution is £5, and there is no maximum.
The scheme is administered by us, but is not used to supplement council services. Every penny contributed goes to fund local projects.
You won't be able to request a particular project or area where your money is spent, and the fund will be used for good causes across the district.
Read our Privacy Notice to see what we do with your data that we collect when you donate.
Other ways to make a contribution
You can also contribute by cheque. Make it payable to Bath & North East Somerset Council, and write Community Contribution Fund on the back. You can send it to: Lewis House, Manvers Street, Bath, BA1 1JG.
Want to know more?
If you want to know more about the fund, or have any enquiries, then you can email connecting_communities@bathnes.gov.uk
In 2023-24, 20 applicants each received a grant of £500 each to support public Warm Spaces and low-cost/free food projects.
The Warm Spaces awarded funding are:
- 3 Café Kitchen, Odd Down
- Age UK BANES
- Bath Abbey Learning
- Bathford Community Shop & Café
- Community@67, Keynsham
- Radstock Library and Community Hub
- Saltford Sports Club
- Timsbury Community Library
- Youth Connect South West
The food support projects are:
- Bath Community Kitchen, to run two free, communal, 3-course meal events for up to 40 people in need
- First Steps Bath, to help provide free healthy meals and snacks for young children of families on low incomes
- Genesis Trust, to replace some kitchen equipment and purchase ingredients for the hot meals they provide to their service users three times per week
- Love Weston Café, in support of their weekly community hub
- New Oriel Hall, Larkhall, in support of the free and low-cost meals they provide to the local community
- P.E.O.P.L.E. Charity in Midsomer Norton, to support the provision of low cost hot food and drinks to those experiencing food and fuel poverty.
- Southside Family Project, towards the cost of nutritious, freshly cooked family meals in their after-school Community Hub Groups
- Sporting Family Change, for the provision of food to a free community pantry in Writhlington
- St. Andrew’s, Foxhill, in support of their weekly, free, hot meal for residents
- St. Michael’s, Twerton, in support of their weekly, free hot meal for residents
- S.W.A.L.L.O.W. Charity, to support two community meals prepared by people with learning disabilities to be offered free of charge to older and disabled people in Radstock and Westfield.
In 2022-23, 26 applicants each received a grant of £250 to support their Warm Spaces. 24 took up the grant as follows:
- Age UK Bath and North East Somerset
- All Saints Church, Weston
- Bath Abbey
- Bathford Village Shop & Café
- Chew & Yeo Baptist Network
- Community at 67, Keynsham
- GLL Keynsham
- Keynsham Methodist Church
- Little Lost Robot CIC, Twerton, Bath
- Love Weston Cafe
- New Oriel Hall, Larkhall
- Percy Community Centre, Bath
- Radstock Town Council
- Saltford Sports Club
- St. Andrew's Community Church, Foxhill, Bath
- St. Dunstan's Catholic Church, Keynsham
- St. John's Church, Keynsham
- St. Luke's Church, Wellsway, Bath
- The Crown, Keynsham
- The Hive, Peasedown St. John
- Timsbury Community Library
- Waffles On Walcot Café at St. Swithin's Church, Bath
- Weston Welcome Café
- Whitchurch United Reformed Church
- Wild About Community, Keynsham
- Youth Connect South West
| Organisation | Amount | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Billy Chip CIC | £2,000 | To provide 62 of their starter packs to B&NES businesses to help involve them in and expand the scheme. |
| Bravo Medics | £1,160 | To support the annual cost of their critical care response in B&NES in support of the ambulance service. |
| Chew and Yeo Baptist Network | £1,500 | In support of building improvements to The Link community hub in Bishop Sutton. |
| Farrington MTB Track | £500 | In support of young people fundraising to upgrade Farrington's existing BMX/MBT track. |
| First Steps | £1,800 | To support the provision of free meals and snacks to children from low income families. |
| Mentoring Plus | £1,350 | To support the training of volunteers to be mentors for young people. |
| Nova Sports and Coaching | £2,000 | To support the hire of venues, equipment and volunteer costs to enable children and adults with learning and physical disabilities to access and play sport. |
| Off the Record BANES | £2,000 | To support awareness raising in Keynsham of their services for young people. |
| Peasedown Community Trust | £2,000 | For the organisation of mental health support sessions and events. |
| Percy Community Centre | £1,500 | To support the establishment of a play group for low income families with food provided. |
| Southside Family Project | £1,925 | To support an After-School ‘Family Food Hub’ Group in Radstock. |
| Swan Advice Network | £1,500 | To support fuel costs for their volunteer drivers who provide transport for those on low incomes, unable to access buses, or afford taxis. |
| Trauma Recovery Centre | £2,000 | For 40 therapy sessions for children on low incomes. |
| We Hear You | £2,000 | For 78 counselling sessions for those affected by cancer or other life-threatening conditions. |
| Young Bristol | £2,000 | In support of their Youth Club on Wheels in the Chew Valley. |