It's great to hear that we have received one of the first allocations of funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) through Stratford-on-Avon District Council.
The £90,000 award to The Guild Estate Charity will see the renovation of a historic building to the rear of Henley Street to create a new co-working space within the town.
The project sees many of the original features of the building retained, notably the double height open space on the upper floor which could become a dedicated event and workshop space available for hire or, a shared hot desking facility.
Sara Aspley, Chief Executive of Stratford Town Trust said: “We’re delighted to receive this funding which will help to bring a historic building back to life and also boost the local economy by providing a space for local SMEs and creatives to collaborate in the centre of Stratford. Separately, we are also thrilled that the Community Collective of local charities we funded to come together to provide support for young people in the town has received £25,000 to help them secure a new home for their services.”
An application of £125,000 towards the cost of a boardwalk across the reedbeds at the Lench Meadows to allow residents and visitors greater access to this natural environment was also successful.
The District Council was awarded £3.6m under this new funding from government which covers three years. The amount that the District Council will have to allocate will increase in each of the next two years. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is a central pillar of the UK government's ambitious Levelling Up agenda and a significant component of its support for places across the UK.