Lewes District Council approves nearly £250k in community grants for charities and projects

The money will go to 20 local charities and projects that support a variety of causes and help residents through the cost-of-living crisis.

The council called the programme ‘hugely oversubscribed’ with more than 50 applications submitted across two categories.

Councillor Johnny Denis, Cabinet Member for Arts, Culture, Tourism & Leisure, said: “This grants programme is a key part of our commitment to supporting the local voluntary sector and helps make a real difference to the lives of residents across Lewes district. This is especially true when East Sussex County Council is already consulting on cuts to support for our vulnerable residents and further wholesale cuts to many key services are round the corner. The cost of living crisis continues to affect many people in our area, particularly the most vulnerable amongst us, so I am pleased this was the main focus in this round of grants.”

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LDC said some of the beneficiaries in the ‘Cost of Living Crisis Support’ category are: community hubs, day centres, support for older people and youth clubs, infrastructure support for charities and community groups and continued funding for Lewes District Citizens Advice. LDCA offers information and advice on many issues, and an LDCA volunteer is set to hike 5,500 metres to Everest Base Camp for the charity next year.

The council said the second category of ‘Equality and Inclusion’ will see grants awarded to disability groups and community events. They added that successful applicants will receive the first of three annual grants in 2025.