Community Safety – Grants Available

08 July 2009

Connétable Mike Jackson, the Minister for Transport and Technical Services, has £130,000 to give to deserving one off projects that improve community safety and is inviting organisations to apply for a grant.

The money is what remains of the Community Safety Fund, originally set up by Home Affairs in 1998. Since taking responsibility for the fund in 2007, Transport and Technical Services (TTS) has awarded over £126,000 in grants for projects to improve safety in the community. The projects have ranged from grants of just over £100 to a playgroup for booster seats to a grant of £10,000 to the Fire and Rescue Service to install smoke alarms in the homes of vulnerable people. The part-time speed limit signs erected at some of the Island’s primary schools have been underwritten by the Community Safety Fund.

The Minister is sure there are some other deserving community safety projects in need of funds that meet the criteria for an award and is asking organisations to apply for a grant to make their project happen.

The Minister said, “In the current economic climate, finding money to fund small but important safety initiatives is difficult, particularly for the voluntary sector. I’m sure there are organisations that have really worthwhile ideas to improve safety but just lack the funds. The Community Safety Fund was set up with this in mind. So if you need money for safety equipment for your playgroup or your charity has a project that will improve the safety of the people it cares for, I would urge you to write to me, at TTS, with details of your request, including the amount of grant you need and I will consider the request carefully. The grant could be anything between £100 and £20,000 – as long as it meets the criteria and funds remain available, there is a good chance your organisation and the people it serves will benefit.”