A grant scheme run by a village’s popular festival has been reopened to give money back to the local community.
Peasedown Party in the Park Festival Managers, Karen Walker and Gavin Heathcote
Peasedown St John’s Party in the Park is held every summer and due to the success of last year’s Platinum Jubilee event, thousands of pounds were raised.
Most of the money goes towards covering the festival’s running costs, but the organisers have set an amount aside, the Party in the Park Grant Fund, to reinvest back into the village in the form of small and medium-sized financial grants.
Since the scheme was set up in 2010, over £15,000 has been given away to organisations such as Peasedown Primary School, Peasedown Methodist Church, Little Treasures Toy Library, Peasedown Youth Albion FC and the Somer Valley Foodbank.
Event organisers have now announced they’re giving away another £500 again this year.
Cllr Karen Walker, who helped set up the festival in 2008, said: “When the organisers first met to plan Party in the Park all those years ago we decided that no matter how much money we raised we’d like to give some of it back to the community.
“Thanks to the success of our twelve previous festivals, we are pleased to announce that the Party in the Park Grant Fund will give away another £500 again this year.
“This is our way of thanking residents for supporting last year’s festival and making it such a special day.”
Local organisations can apply for funding themselves or be nominated by a third party.
To qualify for a Party in the Park Grant, applicants must be part of an organisation that’s either based in Peasedown St John or has beneficiaries in the community that will directly benefit from the funding.
The organisation should be not-for-profit, a registered charitable trust, or seeking funding for one-off costs that cannot be met from their existing finances.
Preference will be given this year to groups and individuals who haven’t applied before.
Party in the Park is run by local charity, the Peasedown Community Trust.
Chairman Gavin Heathcote said: “All the members of the organising team have a strong sense of pride in Peasedown St John. We believe passionately in supporting the community at a grassroots level.
“Therefore, as well as just organising a large summer event each year we also want to do things for the community all year round.”
The closing date for grant applications is Friday 24th March.
All interested applicants can download a copy of the Grant Fund application form at www.peasedownpartyinthepark.org.uk or email the festival directly at [email protected].
