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Community groups and charities in St Albans District can apply for grants of up to £5,000 for projects that help vulnerable people.

St Albans City and District Council has launched its £50,000 Community Project Fund for 2022/23.

The fund supports the delivery of projects and activities that benefit the whole community and are in keeping with the Council’s inclusion strategy.

Grants are primarily for time-limited projects run by smaller organisations and which meet a community need.

Councillor Sarwar Shamsher, Vice-Chair of the Housing and Inclusion Committee, said: “These grants offer very valuable assistance to the District’s voluntary and community groups and can be used for sport, arts, music, outdoor activities or social groups.

“The fund is a major part of our inclusion strategy that is intended to support residents who are in need. The groups who benefit do a great deal of important work that has helped thousands of people across the District.”

There are two rounds of funding this year, with the first opening on Thursday 16 June. A second round starts in November.

The Council’s Response Fund for 2022/23 has also opened for applications for grants from between £200 to £2,000 from a pot totalling £10,000.

Voluntary and community sector organisations, social enterprise organisations and community interest companies can apply here: www.stalbans.gov.uk/grants.  

These grants are for small capital items or for funding for projects that need to be implemented quickly.

Not sure of your business direction or financial situation post-COVID?

Free help is at hand!

Grow your business in 2022 is a programme of support for local businesses over a year old at NO COST.

Funding has been provided to St Albans Enterprise Agency (STANTA) to deliver a programme of business advice and training to help businesses who are suffering/have suffered as a result of the pandemic. STANTA has nearly 40 years’ experience of helping local businesses to start, grow and develop and is offering to help your business to consolidate, diversify if necessary and grow in 2022. And all at no cost to your business!

STANTA can advise on:

• Managing debt and controlling costs
• Business review
• Advice on marketing: social media and networking
• A clear action plan for the next three to six months
• Financial planning
• Diversification
• Making your business online
• Specific concerns relevant to your business
• Trading successfully post COVID – download a Safe to Trade toolkit to help

The programme will start with a 90 minute Zoom meeting with an experienced business advisor who will help you determine the best way forward for your business. If you need to do more research to determine the way forward, a follow up meeting will be arranged as part of the programme.

You can then choose which training courses and workshops you attend to help you achieve the objectives you have identified.  Among the courses available are:

• How to grow your business during challenging times
• How to develop an effective continuity plan for your business
• How to write a business plan
• Putting your business plan into action
• Bookkeeping
• Introduction to Social Media

If you’re interested in registering for this FREE package of support, send an email to advice@stanta.co.uk or telephone 01727 837760. Please provide these details:

• your name
• contact telephone number
• business name
• address, postcode of the business
• description of what the business does 
• your particular concerns / areas you’d particularly like help with.

STANTA will then contact you to arrange your Zoom meeting with a business adviser.

Join us on Sunday, November 14, for the Parade of Standards, led by the Harpenden Pipe Band, which will take place along Park Street from the railway bridge to the War Memorial. where, at 2.45pm, the service of remembrance will take place, led by Rev’d Kylie Hodgins, Vicar of St Luke’s Church, Bricket Wood. The programme detailing the order of service will be available free at the memorial.