Grants offered to help keep Cotswolds 'special'

Small grassroots projects are being invited to apply for a share of a new £130,000 community grant.

Cotswolds National Landscape is relaunching its Caring for the Cotswolds scheme in a bid to "keep the Cotswolds a special place to live, work, and visit".

Grants of between £500 and £5,000 are being offered to non-profit organisations for schemes support nature, communities and climate action.

Rebecca Foster, grants co-ordinator at Cotswolds National Landscape, said: "We want to support as many projects as we can. I'm really looking forward to seeing the applications come in and guiding them through the process."

The goal of the grant scheme is not only to conserve and enhance the "natural beauty" of the Cotswolds National Landscape but increase the "public's understanding and enjoyment of its special qualities".

In the past, the list of funded projects has included pond restoration, orchard creation and veteran tree preservation along with new footpaths, conservation grazing and invasive species management.

This year, with funding boosted by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the charity is also looking to support climate themed projects including community pantries, repair cafes, rain gardens and living roofs.

The charity said it is looking to support small organisations and projects that can be "delivered relatively quickly".

James Webb, from the charity, said: "It's for non-profits that includes charities, CICs [Community Interest Companies], town and parish councils for the most part quite small organisations where a small grant can make a big difference.

"Some of them are quite traditional, conservation nature based organisations others are a bit more people orientated and we welcome applications from both of those."

The deadline for applications is 18 January.

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