Your say / Temple Quarter
‘Local people must feel the benefits of regeneration’
As someone who works closely with the communities in and around Temple Quarter, I see so many great community groups and initiatives, which are all driven by people who care about their community.
What’s often missing from these initiatives is funding.
This is why I’m so pleased to introduce the Bristol Temple Quarter Community Fund.
The new fund offers small grants to help local organisations and community projects making a real difference in their area.
It’s designed for smaller groups (those with an average annual income of less than £350,000 over the last three years) who are doing great things but might not have access to larger funding pots.
As part of our inclusive and sustainable growth strategy, we want to ensure that local people feel the benefits of regeneration, even before we start the building stage.
We’ve deliberately made the fund flexible – leaving it for groups to decide what is important to them.
It’s about giving groups the freedom to test new ideas, pilot initiatives or the support they need to continue their work.
Ultimately, it is about helping them to make changes that matter locally.
Is that a giant cheque or a normal-sized one with the perspective skew-whiff? – photo: Bristol Temple Quarter
If you think your project benefits local people and links back to the wider goals of Temple Quarter – whether that’s good work, wellbeing or sustainability – it’s worth applying.
If you’re not sure, or just want some guidance on the application process, Quartet are on hand to help.
For me, the most exciting part is that this isn’t about regeneration being ‘done to’ communities; it’s about creating space for communities to influence the changes happening around them.
Temple Quarter is one of the UK’s biggest regeneration projects but it’s the small, local ideas that will make the biggest difference day-to-day for the people who live and work here.
If you’re part of a local group with a new idea or activities that need a bit of support, I’d encourage you to take a look at the Temple Quarter Community Fund and see if we can help!
For more information about the Temple Quarter Community Fund, visit www.bristoltemplequarter.com/temple-quarter-community-fund
This is an opinion piece by April Richmond, a community development worker for Bristol Temple Quarter
Main photo: Martin Booth
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