Grants awarded for social integration projects

A total of 22 local groups will receive funding from Blackburn with Darwen’s social integration programme to take forward projects designed to help make a stronger borough.

Our Community, Our Future grants of up to £2,000 were offered to local groups and organisations with new ideas for projects that would bring people from different backgrounds together.

Groups that have plans to expand existing social integration projects were invited to bid for up to £5,000.

The 22 successful projects will share around £68,500 of funding from the Our Community, Our Future programme, money Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has received from the Ministry for Housing, Communities & Local Government.

From projects involving arts, music and sport, to those focused on health and wellbeing, green spaces and the environment– there are activities for people of all ages to get involved in.

Below is the full list of projects receiving funding, which must be spent by 31 March 2022.

Councillor Mohammed Khan, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Chair of the Our Community, Our Future Board, said:

We received a total of 50 applications from a variety of groups across Blackburn with Darwen, with unique ideas and a genuine passion for uniting our local communities.

Having used our social integration funding previously to offer small-scale grants to community groups and organisations, we recognise the powerful impact that projects in neighbourhoods can have.

They are a very valuable part of our social integration work and, as well as receiving funding, the 22 successful groups will have the support of the Our Community, Our Future team to develop their ideas and to make connections with other like-minded groups and individuals.

As we emerge from the Covid pandemic, which has caused isolation for so many, it’s vital that we empower people to come together again – and these projects will be a great way to do that.

Blackburn with Darwen is one of five national Integration Areas, and receives funding from the Ministry for Housing, Communities & Local Government through its Integrated Communities programme.

For more information on the Our Community, Our Future social integration programme in Blackburn with Darwen, visit the Council website.

To keep in touch with social integration programme news, like the Our Community, Our Future Facebook page.

The 22 local projects receiving Our Community, Our Future funding are:

Organisation	Project
Immanuel Feniscowles Scout Group	Waterday 2021
The Billy Project	Covid Friendly Outdoor Gym (Women)
BwD Carers Service	Wellbeing through Nature
Newground CIC (Blackburn BID)	Blackburn in Bloom: Growing Places
Arts 2 Heal	Yard Yaars
Friends of Albion Mill	Weaving Folk – Community Art Project
West Pennine Slings CIC	Closer Together
Cherry Tree Woodlands Scout Group	Shaping the Future of Scouting in Blackburn
Relish (A project of Re:Source)	Relish Hub
Beggars Belief Collective	Life Library II
The Making Rooms	Making Connections
Corporation Park Supporters Group	Love Your Park
Darwen Asylum Refugee Enterprise (DARE)	We Dare You!
Blackburn Festival of Light CIC	BFOL Community Drumming
Lancashire Wildlife Trust	Outside Side by Side 2
Note Weavers CIC	Shared Sounds
The Bureau Centre for the Arts	Fettle Alley Revolution
Age UK Blackburn with Darwen	Better Together
Blackburn Cathedral	Building Bonds Not Barriers
Youth Action	Communities Connected
The Garden Maze CIC	Eat the Rainbow Challenge in Action
Care Network (BwD) Ltd on behalf of V/C BSL Come Together Group	BSL Come Together Group