Charities in Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable could receive up to £10k to help fight Cost of Living crisis

Charities and voluntary groups in the Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable area could benefit from grants of up to £10,000 to help the needy fight the Cost of Living crisis.

Central Bedfordshire Council’s new grant scheme will help charities and voluntary groups supporting people in poverty to continue to deliver their services in the face of rising costs. Grants of between £2,000 to £10,000 are available, with a total of £120,000 available.

Cllr Tracey Stock, Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Communities, said: “Rising costs affect everyone, including charities and voluntary groups who do so much to deliver valued services for our residents. Which is why I’m delighted to announce our latest grant scheme for the voluntary sector. I hope that groups and organisations throughout Central Bedfordshire who meet the criteria, will apply for a grant to offset some of the additional financial pressures that they are experiencing, and enable them to continue with their good work. In effect, we want to help the helpers.”

The one-off grant can be used to fund increases in staff costs; utilities such as energy costs; rent; food and drink; increased transport costs and other running costs that have risen significantly. Local community organisations and charities with an annual income of less than £600,000 can find the full eligibility criteria on the council’s website by searching for ‘voluntary community grants’. The deadline for applications is 5pm on March 10.

The council has also set up a dedicated information hub on its website for anyone concerned about the cost of living.