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The Grassroots Grants programme offers small voluntary and community groups in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland the opportunity to apply and receive funding from £250 to £5000. Deadlines for the next round of applications are:
Leicester City: 7th May 2010
Leicestershire: 21st May 2010
Rutland: 1st June 2010

Follow the title link for more details or to download an application form.

“Just a note to say how useful and enjoyable I found last-evening's event - dare I say it, "more of the same, please"!”

“I really enjoyed the event, full marks to all concerned. I came away feeling really inspired by the speakers and wishing that more could be achieved in our village. “

"We found the event really useful in reaching out to local parishes - thank you for allowing us to attend. We would be interested in our charity becoming a member of the RCC - could you please let me know how to go about this. "

Above are just a few of the very positive comments received from delegates and stallholders following the RCC Annual Rural Action seminar held at County Hall Leicester on the evening of March 4th.

Over 90 delegates, including the Lord Lieutenants of Leicestershire & Rutland, heard speakers tackling the subjects of affordable housing, rural business grants, the RCC community buildings service, the new RCC climate change project, personalisation of adult social care, Quality Parish Councils and outcomes from Community – led plans in Ullesthorpe and Bagworth and Thornton. Presentations will be available for viewing on the RCC website www.ruralcc.org.uk

A range of service providers displayed information, including, Vista a charity providing services for the blind and partially sighted, Leicestershirevillages.com, providing websites for villages in Leicestershire & Rutland, affordable housing, money advice, Leicestershire County Council services including waste management, recycling, streetlights, North West Leicestershire Green Footprints Challenge.

The Rural Action Seminar was held at County Hall Leicester thanks to the support of Leicestershire County Council and the work of the Leicestershire Rural Partnership.

The RCC Annual Community Engagement Seminar will take place at County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester on the evening of March 4th at 7.00pm. Delegates are invited to attend from 6.00pm when a light buffet will be available in the members lounge where there will also be an opportunity to view a wide range of displays.
The event which will be held in the Sparkenhoe Suite will include a number of new projects and initiatives from around the districts with presentations on Affordable Housing, Community Buildings, Community Climate Change Initiatives, Inspire Leicestershire Rural Business Grants, Quality Parish Councils and Local Community Initiatives. A full programme will be available shortly.
Come along and meet the new RCC staff and find out how they may be able to help you with projects in your area. From funding opportunities to advice on community buildings and play areas or the latest climate change initiatives there will be lots to find out.
Places will be limited, so early booking is essential (no more than 2 people per organisation)
To book a place or for further information please contact Diana Cook 0116 2689706 dcook@ruralcc.org.uk
The RCC is indebted to Leicestershire Rural Partnership and Leicestershire County Council for their support and help in presenting this seminar.

As the face of rural Britain gets older, the RCC is ahead of the game in going some way to providing support to elderly people living in rural areas, with the Rutland Community Spirit project.

In a recent Countryfile programme John Craven reported that in 10 years time one in four of the UK’s rural population will be a pensioner, which will place increasing pressure on local authorities which are already over-stretched.

Rutland Community Spirit was launched in March 2008 with the aim to provide low-level support and advice to people living in the county. Drawing from the shared experience of Gloucestershire Village Agents, which was highlighted in Sunday’s programme, the project has a team of Champions who are out and about in the community, providing advice and assistance to those who are most at risk of losing their independence. As with the Village Agents, Champions are seen as trusted friend and not authority.

John Craven highlighted the need for ongoing funding to provide schemes similar to that of Rutland Community Spirit and Gloucestershire Village agents to prevent what is currently a social issue, becoming a crisis. Originally a two-year pilot, the success of the Rutland Community Spirit project has meant that additional financial support has been secured to ensure the project continues until spring 2011. The RCC is now working closely with the local authority and PCT in Leicestershire to work out how Community Spirit can be rolled out to incorporate the rural areas of Leicestershire as well as Rutland.

For more information about the Rutland Community Spirit Project please contact Sue Renton on 01572 720282 or email srenton@ruralcc.org.uk

Recycling batteries
In the UK only about three to five per cent of all household batteries are recycled. Most old batteries end up in landfill, where they can leak harmful chemicals into the soil. From 1 February you'll be able to recycle batteries anywhere you see the Be Positive sign.

This is the last call for items for inclusion in the very popular DIARY OF VILLAGE EVENTS AND GUIDED WALKS compiled by the RCC, to help to promote activities taking place in rural areas of Leicestershire and Rutland in the forthcoming year.

If you would like to promote any village events in Leicestershire or Rutland, then click on the title link enter full details of your events online form
Alternatively download a form and return it to Diary of Events Organiser, RCC, 133 Loughborough Road, Leicester, LE4 5LQ Tel 0116 2689706

Mrs Nikki Hening has been elected to the post of RCC Chairperson, taking over from Dale Mortimer who served in this appointment with great commitment for 5 ½ years. Nikki has been a trustee for 7 years and one of her many responsibilities is overseeing Quality Standards Accreditation. She has travelled all over England reviewing other RCCs in this capacity. She is an experienced judge for the Best Village Competitions and has been involved in the Communications aspect of the charity. Nikki comes from Diseworth, N W Leicestershire and was a key figure in their successful bid to the Heritage Lottery for the Diseworth Heritage Centre

A Community Forum Seminar was held at the NSPCC building recently involving Community Forum Chairmen and representatives from other partner organizations. This was the second such seminar held and allowed best practice to be shared amongst those attending, in particular how best to promote the forums and achieve community involvement. Chairman were generally very optimistic about the way Forums are progressing and positive feedback through evaluation at forum meetings endorsed this perception. For more details about Community Forums go to www.leicestershireforums.org

A new website has been launched to make it easier for people to find affordable homes. Harborough Home Search, based at the Property Shop in Adam and Eve Street, Market Harborough, is behind the website, which will allow home-seekers to join the housing register online and express an interest in available properties. It will also be encouraging private landlords to advertise available properties at affordable rents through the website, to give those in housing need a wider choice.

Harborough Home Search, run by Harborough District Council, was one of the first choice-based lettings schemes in the country and, since 2000, has been working in partnership with housing associations to help people find affordable homes for rent or shared-ownership. Vacant housing association properties are advertised, each fortnight, in the Property Shop window and Lutterworth Service Shop, and will also be on the website. The properties are also available to view at other display points and a number of community collection points, which have been doubled from 11 to 22 this year. Working in partnership with the Citizens Advice Bureau, Harborough Home Search has also extended its Housing Options service to include advice on benefit entitlement, accessing education, skills/training opportunities, managing debts and mortgage and rent arrears.

The new website can be found at www.harboroughhomes.org.uk and anyone needing advice on housing should call 01858 438990 and ask for a ‘Brighter Future’ interview.

Has adult learning made a positive difference to your life? If so you might be interested in becoming a Community Learning Champion. They are local people who encourage friends, relatives, neighbours and workmates to get involved in learning :-

A 6 week (12 hours) FREE training course is being organised in Market Harborough in March by Leicestershire Adult Learning Service. For more details contact Lesley Sluman on 01858 468407 or e-mail: lsluman@btconnect.com