Communities Fund 2016 -17
The Dartmoor Communities Fund 2016/17 was managed by the National Park Authority with funding received from West Devon Borough, South Hams and Teignbridge District Councils, providing grant support for community-led projects on Dartmoor.
Funding of over £90,000 (West Devon: £22,000; South Hams: £29,000; Teignbridge: £42,000) was available to support a wide range of capital projects that ensure the long term viability of valued existing community facilities and services, or create new community infrastructure to meet identified community needs. In total projects of a value in excess of £300,000 were supported.
Projects awarded grant funding in 2016/17
South Hams
Cornwood Donation Box: A ‘Just Do it’ small grant to Provide an alms box and signage to encourage users to donate to support the management of the public loos in the village to secure their future.
Bittaford Community Garden: A 'Just Do It' small grant to enable a group of local community volunteers to create a small community landscaped garden area to improve the public space in Bittaford adjacent to the main road and bus shelter.
Bittaford Bus Shelter: A project to provide a new bus shelter in response to a community drive to enhance the village and improve the overall area. The works were undertaken by DCC highways.
Bittaford Play Equipment: The provision of additional play equipment for Bittaford Play Park. The play park is well used by the community, and additional play equipment would enhance this popular facility.
South Brent Recreation field showers and cricket nets: A project to provide heating and ventilation to the Pavillion changing rooms at the South Brent Recreation Field making the rooms fit for purpose and encouraging use by a wider range of the community. In addition the application includes request for funding to purchase cricket nets to support the success of the cricket team which is now part of the Devon Cricket League.
Pub is the hub in the Hall, Shaugh Prior: An innovative project at Shaugh Prior to develop the hall into a community hub following the loss of the local pub, which was not only a valued community focal point but also home to children's play area. The application is for the development of bar area in the hall, revamp of disabled toilet, new fencing to car park area and provision of outside community recreational area.
Outside seating Holne Community Shop & Tearoom: Improving the garden area of Holne Community Shop and Tearoom to increase seating and thereby accommodating more customers and increasing income. Will also allow them to put on community events in the summer.
Improved lighting, Scorrition Village Hall: Scorriton village hall is a well used village hall that hosts a diverse range of activities including yoga, badminton, weddings and music events. The current lighting is poor quality, in efficient and cannot be adjusted to suit the needs of each user, the grant will enable purpose designed lighting to be installed, increasing use and reducing cost thereby improving hall sustainability.
West Devon
Fencing, Horrabridge: A ‘Just Do It’ small grant to purchase materials for volunteers to renew fencing to recreational field car park boundary improving safety
War Memorial Inscription, Princetown: A 'Just Do It' small grant to enable the inscription of additional names to the existing war memorial following significant local volunteer research.
Hall Extension, Walkhampton: A proposal to extend the Walkhampton Village Hall to accomodate a Play-Group storeroom and the enlargement and modernisation of the kitchen to bring it up to standard. The Play-group are an important regular hall user who provide a vital service in the community, using the main hall each weekday, they currently have no internal store for equipment.
Fire Safety Improvements, Sheepstor: Improvements to Sheepstor Village Hall and installation of hatch and fire door to meet fire standards, improve health and safety and circulation to enable full use of the kitchen for community events and get togethers.
Fireproof Cabinet for Archive, Sticklepath: The provision of a lockable fire resistant cabinet to securely house Sticklepath community archive materials (mainly documents and photographs) at the Village Hall to provide a safe, accessible centralised community heritage resource.
Archive Storage, Throwleigh: The Throwleigh Archive was established in 2000. A community resource that presents the heritage of the parish through different media, including a successful book now in its second print. The project reconfigures existing space in the village hall to provide stable storage space and a pleasant reading room where the public can access items for study purposes.
Dark Sky Friendly Churches, Chagford: This project is to make the church of St Michael the Archangel, Chagford “dark sky friendly”, achieved through improvements to external lighting replacement and improved control functions, thereby reducing light pollution by minimising light scatter and hours of operation, reducing energy consumption and promoting the dark sky initiative with its associated benefits for residents and wildlife such as bats.
Drainage, Weir Park, Horrabridge: The Youth Shelter in Weir Park, Horrabridge is popular and takes heavier foot traffic than the rest of the Park. The ground has compacted, leaving the area perpetually wet and muddy which will be significantly improved by the proposed new land drain.
Compost Loo, St Raphael's Huccaby: An innovative project to install a fully accessible compost toilet at St Raphael’s Church, Huccaby, which has no access to mains water or sewerage. The new loo will enable this small but popular chapel to expand its use for community events such as concerts, meetings, weddings, funerals and social get togethers, helping to bring an isolated, dispersed rural community together. The Chapel was also designed as a school and the intention is also to open up for school visits, increasing understanding of Dartmoor's cultural heritage.
Skate & Ride, Chagford: A project to extend the current 2 strip Skate/Ride facility for Chagford and villages to create 4 strips, providing the older and more skilled users with a greater level of challenge than the existing beginner and intermediate runs. Also proposed to improve perimeter fencing and provide a picnic table, as currently those watching have nowhere to sit and socialise.
Teignbridge
Dunsford Smatter: A 'Just Do It' small grant to provide equipment for 'Smatter' a new community cares litter picking group in the village.
North Bovey Swifts: A 'Just Do It' small grant to support a local community project to create 'swift' nest boxes to encourage this much loved and declining species to return to the village.
Screen, Teign Valley Hall: A proposal to support the expansion of Teign Valley Film nights held at Christow, a community led film society that has proved so successful it has outgrown original home and equipment. Support will enable purchase of new motorised projection screen, permanently fitted and wired in to complement the existing audio visual projection equipment.
Play Area, Dunsford: A play project to improve the community offer at Village Green at Dunsford to benefit the whole community. The grant is to cover final 10% to match the Viridor grant.
Rood Screen, Buckland in the Moor: Extending conservation works to Rood Screen at St Peters, Buckland in the Moor, to include the conservation of the door surrounds and at least 2 further screens. The Conservator will be on site for up to 6 weeks and there will be opportunities for people to visit and learn more about the screens and the restoration work during this time.
Car Park, Hennock: A new community carpark for Hennock to address its chronic lack of car parking, improve the sustainability of the Parish Church, Village Hall and benefit local Tourist related businesses and residents.
Car Park, Manaton: Resurfacing the popular village car park at Manaton to provide a facility which is safe for all cars to use. The car park is well used by both residents and visitors to Manaton and Dartmoor.
Seating Area, Moretonhampstead: Creating a community seating area in the town's only public open space at The Sentry, Moretonhampstead. The town’s tight planform means few residents have gardens and as such the community space is particularly well used.
Swimming Pool Covers, Moretonhampstead: A proposal to upgrade the swimming pool covers and roller system for Moretonhampstead open air 25m community-run swimming pool. The equipment is essential as not only will the covers reduce heat loss and prevent debris from falling in to the pool, the existing roller system is heavy and difficult for volunteers to use thereby jeopardising on going support.
Dishwasher, Village Hall, North Bovey: Installation of a commercial dishwasher in North Bovey Parish Hall making the hall a more attractive venue for prospective users and improving the facilities for many community events that take place here every year.
Lighting, Widecombe Sports area: Replacing the floodlighting at North Hall playing courts in Widecombe in the Moor. The current floodlighting is unsafe, inefficient and creates a lot of overspill light pollution to the detriment of the night sky and wildlife. The proposal will ‘future proof’ the facility and will enable it to be enjoyed by members and visitors and for the associated sports clubs to attract a wider membership.
Dark Sky Friendly, Widecombe Church: This project is to make the church of St Pancras, Widecombe “dark sky friendly”, achieved through the replacement of external lighting and improved control functions. It will reduce light pollution by minimising light scatter and hours of operation, reduce energy consumption and promote the dark sky initiative with associated benefits for residents and wildlife such as bats.
10 Commandments Stones, Buckland In the Moor: The renovation and re-inscription of the 10 Commandments Stones on Buckland Beacon. The Stones are an important heritage asset that is much loved by the local community and a popular visitor destination.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss a project or application, please contact Jo Rumble, Dartmoor Communities Officer on 01626 832093 or email: communitiesfund@dartmoor.gov.uk
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