Newsroom

Financial support worth more than £15 million to help vulnerable residents has been approved by Nottinghamshire County Council during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In total, the council has green-lighted £15,710,641 for organisations, charities, households, and individuals via several funding streams since March 2020.

It means community-boosting projects across Nottinghamshire have been able to continue to provide a lifeline to residents most in need during the pandemic.

Funding overseen by the county council has also enabled thousands of youngsters to receive free meals during school holidays and support low-income families who struggle to buy food, pay essential utility bills, or meet other essential living costs.

Money has been able to reach some of the hardest hit quickly following significant efforts with district and borough council partners to identify individuals, households, projects, and organisations needing support as part of a new systemwide approach.

Last month, county councillors sitting on the Communities Committee gave the go-ahead for the Covid-19 Social Recovery Fund (SRF) to get an additional £500,000 to build on the council’s continued support for communities throughout the pandemic.

Launched in June 2021, the SRF continues to provide much-needed support to charities and projects which offer a lifeline to residents in their communities.

The county council is also continuing to ensure vulnerable children are not going hungry outside of term-time and, as part of its commitment to helping low-income households, free school meals will be funded in the February half-term through the Household Support Fund (HSF).

It means more than 25,000 eligible schoolchildren across Nottinghamshire will receive 125,000 meals – while voucher amounts have been doubled to £30-per-week, which will include £15 to be used for food for the child and an additional £15 to help families meet winter cost-of-living increases such as heating costs.

Council leader, Councillor Ben Bradley MP, said the level of funding distributed to communities across the county during the pandemic highlighted the authority’s commitment to helping residents who are most in need.

He said: “The level of financial support we have provided to the people of Nottinghamshire since the outbreak of Covid-19 is unprecedented and I am extremely proud of the work we have carried out to help those who have needed, and continue to need, it the most.

“From distributing free school meals to vulnerable children to delivering grants to organisations which play a key role in supporting residents in their towns and villages, we have worked tirelessly with our partners to ensure the required support is in place to ease the pressures the pandemic has placed on households and individuals.

“I would like to thank our staff, officers, and my fellow councillors for working together in such challenging times to deliver a number of financial support packages which are helping to make a difference to people’s lives.”

His views were echoed by Cllr John Cottee, who is the chairman of the council’s Communities Committee which has played a significant role in approving funding handed out in the past 23 months.

He said: “The funding we have provided and approved since the beginning of the pandemic demonstrates the county council’s commitment to helping the most vulnerable families and individuals in Nottinghamshire.  

“I’ve seen for myself how this money is helping to maintain invaluable support networks for residents who have faced immense pressures brought on by the various lockdowns since March 2020.  

“There is some magnificent work being carried out by the many fantastic charities and organisations across the county. They are the lifeblood of our towns and villages and have provided a vital lifeline to so many and I am delighted residents in Nottinghamshire are receiving the support to ensure they come through the pandemic as safe as possible.

“I would like to thank them for their tireless work and support they provide in their communities. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to facilitate and distribute the funding packages which have benefitted so many people.

“However, our work to provide support to those who need it will not cease once the pandemic comes to an end.

“We have funding schemes in place which will continue to provide support and help to those who need it the most long after we have beaten Covid.”

The approved £15.7m worth of funding since March 2020, includes:

• Household Support Fund (HSF) - £5,646,450
• Covid Winter Grant - £3,121,161
• Covid Local Support Grant Part Two - £2,179,772
• Social Recovery Fund (SRF) - £1,500,000
• Community Fund - £1,000,000
• Emergency Assistance Grant - £858,285
• Food and Essentials - £800,000
• Covid Local Support Grant - Part One - £544,973
• OSAAT (One Step at a Time) - £60,000

In addition to the millions of pounds distributed, the council also launched the Nottinghamshire Coronavirus Community Support Hub to provide a go-to support network for people and communities during the pandemic.

For further information on how residents and community groups can access a range of grants and funding schemes, please visit www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/financialsupport.