The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust has launched a £3M programme to fund renovations and improvements to veterans’ community centres…
Grants of up to £30,000 are available with a small number of grants of up to £150,000 being made to more complex projects. The Veterans’ Community Centres Programme is a specialist pot of funding. Applicants must be Armed Forces charities with an existing building that requires refurbishment.
Melloney Poole, Chief Executive of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust said: “We know that there are many well used community centres that offer a good space for veterans, but some of these centres could benefit from repair works such as improved heating or electrical wiring to make these valuable spaces better. We can also fund works that will make centres more accessible for older veterans or veterans with disabilities.”
The Royal British Legion Grangemouth Branch has a busy and vibrant Community Centre, well used by veterans of all ages along with the wider local community. The building has been in place for over 50 years. But for a while; the centre was struggling. The electrics were in a poor state of repair and some areas had not been renovated for decades.
Veterans and others who came to the centre were keen for improvements to be made. The Community Centre received a grant of £20,000 through the Armed Forces Covenant Local Grants programme, to refurbish the building, improve the electrics and make the building more accessible for people with disabilities.
Alan Lochrie; the Chair of the Royal British Legion Grangemouth Branch explained more about the centre: “The disabled access in our building was not as good as we wanted it to be; and this was making it hard for older veterans and others with disabilities to come to our centre. Parts of the centre would be very cold.
“The electrics in the building were not in a good state; and we needed a better fire alarm system. The grant has made a huge difference. More veterans come to the centre now; and younger veterans come along too. It’s a much more friendly and comfortable space to be in.”
There will be three rounds of funding and applications for the first round need to be received by 11th March 2019. For more information click here.
