Fifteen groups, charities, and individuals put in a bid to claim up to £20,000 in funding from housing association Sovereign during the winter lockdown – and the results are now in.
With ideas coming from across Bristol, each of the projects were shown to the public to decide which should win their share of the cash.
The X-Factor-style vote, run via digital platform VocalEyes, saw more than 900 people giving the thumbs-up to six different projects.
An independent panel then shared out the funding once the votes had all been counted, with the six projects that got the most votes being allocated the money.
Daisy Mummery, community development officer for Sovereign, said: “Putting the Your Community, Your Choice project online meant that our customers and the community around them could have a real say about the places that they live and the things that matter to them, despite lockdown restrictions.
“It offered hope of better things to come.
“It’s also great to see that so many of the projects focus on wellbeing and living a greener lifestyle.”
Sovereign is also pulling its supply chain partners into the process, ensuring that maximum social value is squeezed into new ventures.”
The six projects receiving funding are:
- Fat Dad’s Community Kitchen, with 352 votes, was awarded £10,000 to convert an American school bus into a community kitchen
- The Oat Float, a new zero-waste former milk float on wheels, received 277 votes and £5,000 to provide food and essentials to the community
- Share Bristol took home £5,000 for a ‘Library of Things’ shop – a place where people can donate, volunteer, and repair – after pulling in 183 votes
- Halston Drive Community Garden will be created by community group Wild in St Pauls, following £5,000 in funding and 138 votes
- Square Food Foundation, an organisation currently delivering to 180 families per week, was awarded £5,000 to extend its virtual cooking club into Sovereign communities, after receiving 83 votes
Finally, Sovereign residents living in Ashley Court will enjoy raised beds and a patio and benches for the community after receiving 53 votes and £10,000.
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