Big Society Fund projects agreed

COMMUNITY projects have benefited from a £144,000 handout from the Members’ Big Society Fund.
Families look around Walberton Community Playcentre for the first timeFamilies look around Walberton Community Playcentre for the first time
Families look around Walberton Community Playcentre for the first time

Allocations were made by West Sussex county councillors and endorsed by the leader, Louise Goldsmith, and cabinet member for finance, Michael Brown, to come into effect on Friday.

The largest amount given out in the Herald and Gazette area was £22,400 to Walberton Community Playcentre.

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The money will help fit out the new purpose-designed playcentre on Walberton Parish Council land between the village hall and the primary school.

Around £350,00 has already been secured for the building, but money was needed to fence and set up the outside play area and fully fit out the playcentre, with a view to opening in September.

Littlehampton Civic Society will receive £15,700 to create a rain garden, helping to reduce flooding following heavy rain.

The project involves two grass verges on the south side of Maltravers Road, with the aim of slowing down the flow of water along the road.

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In its application, the society stated: “The town’s historic highway drainage system is overwhelmed every time the town experiences heavy rain. Standing water results in pedestrians being unable to cross the road at the designated crossing points and causes issues with traffic as this is one of the main routes traversing the town.

“The project will have an immediate benefit by reducing localised flooding resulting from heavy rainfall.”

The group plans to use the rain garden as a pilot to demonstrate to the wider community what they can do themselves to manage surface water flooding.

Lancing’s ongoing Croshaw Regeneration Project sees £12,000 going to Lancing United Football Club to make the newly-built sports pavilion more amenable for residents, encourage youth participation in organised sport and exercise, and encourage strong social interaction.

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The project’s aim is to improve the safety, security, overall appearance and usability of Croshaw Recreation Ground.

The club is trying to develop the area, for which it has recently been granted a 25-year lease, to enable greater community engagement and events.

Rustington Community Partnership will receive £7,800 to replace damaged fence and gates at Rustington Brookside Memorial Garden.

The project aims to convert a derelict piece of land that was the Rustington old burial ground until the 1950s, with the help of Rustington Past and Present.

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Primary school pupils are helping to design how the space could look and come up with ideas for a memorial.

The memorial garden, next to the Brookside Avenue Small Business Park, will be open to the public as a place to contemplate and to raise awareness of the local history.

In Worthing, £3,300 goes to Creative Waves Community Arts’ BugCycle Project.

The funding has been agreed to extend and consolidate the BugCycle pilot project supported in last year’s allocation.

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The project has transformed an unused area at the northern end of Beach House Park and this year’s allocation will be used to buy a Ridan composter package, available for public use.

The idea is to take food, garden and park waste and turn it into compost for the community garden.

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