We're celebrating the impact made through our grant giving and community engagement activities during 2023. Community causes across Stratford-upon-Avon benefited from grants totaling more than £1 million as part of our funding programme.
155 grants were awarded, including £19,500 to Stepping Stones, who provide support and hot and cold food for those who are homeless or socially excluded; £33,000 to Refuge to support those fleeing domestic abuse; and £1,500 to Shottery Youth Theatre towards staging their pantomime.
Reverend Craig Groocock from St. Andrew’s Church, Shottery said: “Funding from the Town Trust has enabled us to grow and develop our work with families and children. Our STAMP children's community choir is providing a safe place for children of all social backgrounds to meet together and sing! Parents have commented on the difference this weekly group is making in their children's lives - how good is that!”
James McHugh, Grants Manager at Stratford Town Trust said: “The charities and community groups working in Stratford make a huge difference and provide vital services which we are proud to support. It’s not just large grants that we offer - our small grants programme enables many activities to take place from basketball to bereavement support that make a real impact on people’s lives.”
We've also helped to bring people together to learn, celebrate, work and have fun during the last twelve months. They hosted 18 concerts and family workshops at The Bandstand and 61 weekly Warm Hubs and Community Cafes at the Trust’s Community Hub.
Mary Lee, Community Hub Manager said: “Our Community Hub is a thriving and welcoming space. Alongside wellbeing activities, Adult Learning classes and cost of living workshops, we provide hot desking and meeting or event space for community groups. Our weekly Warm Hubs and Community Cafes are a great way to connect with other people, have some fun and enjoy a cup of tea and a chat.”
Stratford Town Trust’s 2024 grant round will open from 4th March until 27th September. Funding themes this year will focus on core costs and supporting organisations who work with communities facing barriers due to financial, health or education inequality.
If you’ve got a bright idea to make a difference to your community, our grants team would love to hear from you. Free drop-in grants advice sessions take place every Wednesday afternoon from 21st February at Stratford Town Trust Community Hub, Venture House.
The full list of grants awarded can be found below:
Stratford Town Trust - Grants awarded 2023
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
| 1ST BISHOPTON GUIDES | Core Costs and Hardship Fund | £1,500 |
| 1ST BRIDGETOWN BROWNIES | Summer Camp 2023 | £900 |
| 2ND STRATFORD BROWNIES | Blackwell Court trip 2023 | £1,400 |
| CITIZENS’ ADVICE SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE | Hardship Fund to support to 53 individuals with items like white goods, carpets and furniture. Core and staff costs for direct crisis support for town residents. | £15,000 £89,403 *two awards given
|
| COPERNICANA CIC | Production of Under Katyn | £1,000 |
| CRUSE BEREAVEMENT CARE COVENTRY AND WARKS | Bereavement support | £5,800 |
| ENTRUST CARE PARTNERSHIP | Family Support for families with children with additional needs/disabilities | £8,000 |
| ESCAPE ARTS | Creative Health and Wellbeing community workshops | £35,955 |
| FRIENDS OF SAINT JAMES ALVESTON | New heating system | £1,500 |
| GUY'S GIFT | Bereavement support for children and young people | £1,500
|
| HAWKS FOUNDATION | Basketball U9 & U11 | £1,500 |
| HEART OF ENGLAND MENCAP | Core costs for delivering day services | £29,000 |
| HOLY TRINITY CHURCH | Organ restoration appeal | £3,000 |
| HOME-START SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE | Holistic Perinatal Family Support for Stratford Town parents | £27,005 |
| LIFESPACE TRUST | Core costs support for mentoring for young people | £29,000 |
| LIFEWAYS CARERS’ CAFE | Social activities for Carers
| £500 |
| MENOPAUSE KNOWLEDGE CIC | Stratford Community Menopause Knowledge workshops | £1,500 |
| ORBIT HEART OF ENGLAND HOUSING ASSOCIATION | Glebe Road Multi Usage Games Area Landscaping
| £5,900 |
| ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN | Cafe Muse dementia cafe | £10,000 |
| PLAYHOUSE | Core Costs and community events | £100,000 |
| POLISH SATURDAY SCHOOL | Community picnic in Stratford | £1,000 |
| REFUGE | Core costs & Hardship Fund Y2 | £33,000 |
| ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY | Winter Town Trail & On-going costs of educational facilities on Waterside | £9,400 *two awards given
|
| SAFELINE | Support for males (or those that identify as male or non-binary) affected by or are at risk of sexual violence. | £42,779 |
| SHOTTERY YOUTH THEATRE | to support 2023 SYT pantomime | £1,500 |
| SONGS OF PRAISE | Song of Praise at the Bandstand | £470 |
| SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL OF STRATFORD AND DISTRICT | Nicol Ward Garden at Stratford Hospital | £300 |
| SPRING HOUSING ASSOCIATION | Fred Winter Centre manager | £50,000 |
| ST ANDREW'S CHURCH SHOTTERY | Children and Families Worker | £10,000 |
| ST. GREGORY'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH | Parish open day | £500 |
| STEPPING STONES STRATFORD-ON-AVON | Support for homeless and vulnerable individuals by providing food, personal care products and basic life skills training | £19,500 |
| STRATFORD LITTLE BIRD BABY BANK | Help to provide essential equipment for new babies | £1,250 |
| STRATFORD CLIMATE ACTION | Guided bird watching walks and activities weekend. | £1,300 |
| STRATFORD IN BLOOM | Bloom displays | £7,500 |
| STRATFORD SCHOOLS SHAKESPEARE LECTURE | Schools lecture 2024 | £320 |
| STRATFORD TIME BANK | Core costs | £13,040 |
| STRATFORD TOWN GIRLS FOOTBALL CLUB | Core costs | £5,635 |
| STRATFORD-UPON-AVON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS CO LTD | Coronation displays and 40th Anniversary Christmas Lights | £12,500 |
| STRATFORD-UPON-AVON DEAF GROUP | Venue hire | £1,000 |
| STRATFORD-UPON-AVON KAYAKS | Coach training | £1,000 |
| STRATFORD-UPON-AVON LITERARY FESTIVAL | Books with Friends | £3,700 |
| STRATFORD-UPON-AVON RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB | Portable LED floodlights | £1,500 |
| STRATFORD YOUTH COLLECTIVE | Set up and running costs | £100,000 |
| STRATFORD-UPON-AVON CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY | Chamber Music concerts | £1,500 |
| STRATFORD-UPON-AVON FOODBANK | Money Advice Project | £11,313 |
| STREET ARTS PROJECT | Songwriting sessions guitar lessons & Street Theatre | £8,760 |
| STROKE ASSOCIATION STRATFORD SUPPORT GROUP | Ongoing therapy support | £1,500 |
| STRATFORD TOWN TRUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | Coronation parties | £7,350 *23 awards given |
| STRATFORD TOWN TRUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | Bandstand summer programme of free concerts and family activities | £2,560 |
| STRATFORD TOWN TRUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | Match funding for Warm Hub at Stratford Town Trust Community Hub | £500 |
| STRATFORD TOWN TRUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | Support with relocation costs from Foundation House for five charities and groups based there | £9,012
|
| TARGETED YOUTH SUPPORT | Gaming and activities project | £1,153 |
| THE BRAKES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION CIO | Brakes Vitality Football Clubs | £1,500 |
| THE MYTON HOSPICES | Core costs for Stratford residents | £36,000 |
| THE PARENTING PROJECT | Family Wellbeing Pathway | £50,890 |
| TIME OUT GROUP | Specialist support for families who have disabled children or children with complex needs. | £12,000 |
| WELCOME HERE STRATFORD-UPON-AVON | Sport and cooking Sessions for local refugees/asylum seekers | £1,500 |
| YOU CAN FLOURISH | Supporting vulnerable girls in Stratford | £10,138 |
| SCHOOLS: | ||
| ALCESTER GRAMMAR SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £4,685 |
| ALVESTON C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £12,143 |
| BISHOPTON PRIMARY SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £14,293 |
| BRIDGETOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £17,213 |
| HOLY TRINITY C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £18,464 |
| ST BENEDICT’S CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £2,503 |
| SHOTTERY ST ANDREW'S C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £8,548 |
| ST GREGORY’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £12,046 |
| STRATFORD-UPON-AVON COLLEGE | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £19,192 |
| STRATFORD-UPON-AVON GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR GIRLS | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £10,538 |
| STRATFORD-UPON-AVON PRIMARY SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £12,913 |
| STRATFORD UPON AVON SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £45,387 |
| THOMAS JOLYFFE PRIMARY SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £17,373 |
| WELCOMBE HILLS SCHOOL | Funding allocation per pupil and hardship fund | £7,875 |