Charities and voluntary groups urged to apply for share of cash windfall

Community groups and local charities across Norfolk, Suffolk and East Cambridgeshire are being given the chance to share in a cash windfall, after a firm of chartered accountants and financial planners opened its community fund up for its annual grants round.

The Lovewell Blake Community Fund gives out grants of up to £2,000 to charities, voluntary groups and community organisations, distributing money raised by staff and partners at the firm during the past 12 months.

In the last grants round nearly £22,000 was shared by 15 organisations, with cash going to a wide range of good causes ranging from a community gym and a scheme training young people in mechanics and construction to a community transport service and local football and cricket clubs.

The Lovewell Blake Community Fund was set up in 2008 to mark the firm’s 150th anniversary, with the aim of raising £150,000 for local charities and community groups.  To date the fund has given out grants worth over £320,000.  The fund is administered by the Norfolk Community Foundation, in partnership with its counterparts in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

“We are delighted to open the latest grants round from our Lovewell Blake Community Fund,” said Tracy Cox, chair of Lovewell Blake’s fundraising committee.  “It is a real pleasure to receive applications from smaller, local groups, as these are the organisations working at grassroots level in our communities which can really make a big difference.

“We have worked hard with the Community Foundation to make the application process simple, and I would urge organisations to come forward and bid for a share of this year’s fund.”

Community organisations interested in applying for grants from the Lovewell Blake Community Fund can apply via their local Community Foundation.  For more details, click here, there are also links here for organisations in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.  The deadline for grant applications is 30^th September.