With the Olympic Games and Diamond Jubilee celebrations fast approaching, eight Reading projects are set to make 2012 extra special with the help of Reading Borough Council.
The Reading Culture and Sport Grants scheme, which offers residents and community groups the opportunity to fund sport and cultural activities throughout the local community, has awarded the following projects funds totalling £41,893:
• Reading Festival Chorus (£1885): A picnic and concert of summer music at the University of Reading’s Great Hall.
• Centre Skills Sport CIC (£3300): Holiday football and multi-sports camps for 5-16 year olds at Kensington Road Recreation Ground.
• Reading Carnival Project (£1600): Workshops in costume and float making, music and dance.
• Reading Mencap (£3886): Educational, sporting and cultural activities and play schemes for children with disabilities.
• Creative Junction (£7222): Cultural and learning activities for children and young people to develop values, skills and self knowledge.
• Hogarth Productions (£4000): A series of musical and physical performances that will include at least two world premiere pieces of work.
• Readipop (£10,000): Delivering various workshop programmes prior to the Caversham 2012 festival, bunting and samba dance lessons.
• 2012 Partnership Board (£10,000): A free family festival of Sports, Music and Art on the River Thames (SMART) for the community to be engaged in on “Super Saturday”, the middle weekend of the Olympic Games.
The successful projects offer residents of all ages, backgrounds and abilities a wide range of exciting and engaging activities throughout the year, while the country is gripped with Olympic, football and party fever. The winning projects also promise to help participants carry on with those activities after the project has reached the finished line.
Reading Borough Council’s Lead Member for Culture and Sport, Cllr Marian Livingston, said: “2012 was always going to be a special year when it came to culture and sporting activities, but we wanted to make it extra special in Reading.
“These activities give our residents a real opportunity to learn new skills which could ignite a flame inside of them, as well as meet new people and just have fun – and fun should be what this year is all about.
“I’m sure people across the town will enjoy the activities which have benefited from the Culture and Sport Grants scheme this year and I want to encourage potential applicants to submit their bids for next round’s funding as soon as possible and help us keep the party going long after 2012 has ended.”
Reading Borough Council is inviting applications for the next round of funding from 1st April. Applications are received and reviewed on a rolling basis. For more information visit www.theculturalpartnership.co.uk or contact Reading Borough Council’s Culture and Sport Development Service on 0118 937 4047
Reading Borough Council
