A HOST of community groups across Tameside have been given a boost to their coffers thanks to kind-hearted Rotarians.
Tameside Rotary recently invited applications to its ‘Small Grants, Big Difference’ initiative to receive a share of the £7,000 raised from last year’s Santa Float collections.
To celebrate those who were successful, they held a presentation evening – attended by 80 people – at The Alexander in Ashton-under-Lyne.
Some 25 local groups received financial support through the Community Cash Awards for a range of projects – from environmental and arts and crafts to community breakfasts for veterans and the purchase of vital equipment for children’s trips.
These were: Friends of Sunny Vale Bank; Smallshaw Tenants and Residents Association; 4C Community Centre; LEAP Children’s and Families Charity; Tameside Community Computers CIC; Home Start HOST; St Gabriel’s Community Group; Denton West Community Centre; Hyde Fundraisers; Sparks Dramatic Society; Tameside Malayali Association; The Power of Resilience; Gee Cross Well Dressing; Ashton United in the Community; St George’s Dementia Cafe; Tameside and Glossop Macmillan Unit; Willow Wood Hospice’s Flower Festival; Tameside Pulmonary Fibrosis Support Group; Tameside Survivors of Stroke; Veterans Tribe CIC; Friends of King George’s Playing Fields; Parkhouse Residents Association; Tameside Little Gems; The Together Centre, and Live Great Adventures.
President Steve Knowles said: “We have been greatly humbled and encouraged by the way these small injections of cash can make real and lasting differences to these community groups and to the lives of the many people they aim to help.
“We would like to thank everyone who attended, alongside the staff of the Alexander Club and Graze Manchester for their excellent catering.”
There was also a surprise award handed out towards the end of the evening, as long-standing Rotarian Andy Williams was presented with a Rotary GB&I certificate in recognition of his 40 years of service.
The certificate was accompanied by a letter to Andy, signed by the current President of Rotary International, Gordon McInally.