More than £20,000 shared out among good causes in Mansfield

A total of £13,732 has been shared out from the community fund among nine good causes and another £7,200 distributed from the Mayor's fund among 16 good causes.

Among the successful applications this time were two from the Friends of Warsop Vale.

The group was awarded £500 from the Mayor's fund to help pay for community events, and £2,000 from the community fund for a defibrillator to be placed on outside of the former Warsop Vale Community Centre in Carter Lane.

Two other groups, Sherwood U3A and The Fitness Box in Mansfield Woodhouse, were also awarded grants from the community fund to help them buy defibrillators. The Fitness Box was awarded another £500 from the Mayor's Fund to pay for defibrillator training.

Mansfield Harriers Athletics Club, based at Berry Hill Park, was awarded £2,000 from the lottery community fund towards refurbishing its female changing rooms, and £500 from the Mayor's fund to go towards athletic events.

Another beneficiary of the Mayor's fund and lottery community fund was Mansfield Wildlife Rescue which is using the grants to help move to new premises.

Founder Cheryl Martins has run the operation from her back garden in Mansfield Woodhouse for 18 years.

Now it has taken on a lease from Mansfield District Council to rent a former Pleasley Vale plant nursery off Common Lane and is hoping to open the 4.2 acre site, plus a tea room, to the public next month.

The shelter cares for and rehomes hundreds of injured birds, hedgehogs, waterfowl and other wildlife, as well as orphaned puppies and kittens every year.

Andy Abrahams, Executive Mayor of Mansfield, said: "I am pleased to be able to help all these good causes which are the social glue in our communities and do so much to improve the quality of life for people in this district including those who need that extra helping hand.

"It is especially pleasing for me to help Mansfield Wildlife Rescue finally move to new premises as this has been their ambition for some time and it will enable empty premises to be transformed into a worthwhile community resource."

Other groups to receive a grant were NCHA (Nottingham Community Housing Association) Midworth Street, Hetty's, Sacred Sound Healing Arts Centre in Mansfield, Sherwood Archaeological Society, Men in Sheds, Pleasley Christmas Lights switch-on, Charlotte Henshaw, paralympian athlete, APTCOO, Maun Refuge, Ukranian Disaster Appeal, Classic Car Show, Frenbot, Ladybrook Children's Centre and Red Cross Ukranian Appeal.

The next round of awards from the Mayor's 500 fund will be in early 2023.

Bids can be for a maximum of £500.

Details about how to apply can be found at www.mansfield.gov.uk/council-councillors-democracy/mayors-500-fund.

Groups can apply for lottery community fund grants of up to £2,000 at www.mansfield.gov.uk/robinhoodcommunityfund. The next round of applications can be made between August and September.

Bids to both funds are scrutinised and approved by a panel of council officers and the Mayor.