Leader's blog - w/c 10 March 2025
“The first round of Stroud Funding, the council's crowdfunding scheme for community groups, has been a great success, with all seventeen projects achieving their funding goals. A total of 1,865 pledges, worth £254,034, were made by local people, SDC and other funding bodies. Projects are as diverse as a community composting scheme, new lighting for an arts centre, a street patrol to keep women safe at night and a library of things. The next round is now open, with clinics to help community groups apply on March 20th in Wotton-under-Edge and King’s Stanley. More details can be found on the council website.
Stroud District has a network of Community Hubs and other voluntary sector organisations, providing important health and well-being support to our residents. The council supports these groups with Community Wellbeing Grants. At the Community Services and Licensing Committee this week we will be considering a proposal to change this from a competitive bidding system to one in which funding is assured for some organisations. Others that have received grants in the past will be helped with Small Grants or may use Stroud Funding.
The Cultural Strategy agreed by Council last year is being launched with a symposium Culture Shock – a day of inspirational talks, creative discussions and collective thinking. Everyone with an interest in culture in the district is invited. For more details and to register see the SVA website.
The Museum in the Park continues to be a great resource for the district, with its collection of local wonders, from the prehistoric, such as the recently discovered fish fossil from King’s Stanley, to the contemporary, including a Buddhist wedding sari, and exhibitions such as Shirley Baker Street Photography on now. The museum is very popular with families and school groups; last year it welcomed nearly 46,000 visitors.”
Cllr Martin Brown, Chair of Community Services & Licensing Committee