Local groups with great ideas to make their communities an even better place to live are now invited to apply for funding.

People’s Health Trust has just launched Active Communities – a funding programme for local people wanting to create fairer places to grow, live, work and age.

We are open for funding in parts of the following areas:

  • Bournemouth
  • Christchurch & Poole
  • Cornwall
  • Dorset
  • North Somerset
  • Plymouth
  • Wiltshire.

Using money raised by Health Lottery South West, People’s Health Trust is looking to invest in projects that support people living in neighbourhoods or communities which are currently experiencing the highest levels of disadvantage.

People’s Health Trust is looking to fund projects which tackle the social determinants of health. This could be through building social connections between people, helping people connect with their surroundings and projects which bring people together to have community power.

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted communities that were already experiencing the highest levels of disadvantage the most. Financial insecurity, food poverty, mental health issues, and social isolation are just some of the issues impacting more people.

We’re particularly interested in hearing from community groups working with people who have faced the worst impacts during the pandemic such as disabled people, Black, African, Caribbean, Black British, Bangladeshi and Pakistani people, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and other groups who have shared characteristics or experiences and face a high level of disadvantage.

Active Communities is a funding programme for not-for-profit groups with an income of less than £350,000 a year, or an average of £350,000 over two years, seeking investment of between £5,000 and £40,000 for projects lasting up to two years.

We’re looking for small and local projects which have been designed and are run by local people. We’re also looking for great ideas from communities of interest who have something in common and wish to come together to address an issue important to them. These ideas could be based in one neighbourhood, or cover a wider area, but they must live close enough to each other to meet up regularly.

John Hume, Chief Executive, People’s Health Trust, says:

“We’re looking to support ideas designed and run by local people which help create even stronger links and ties within communities. Whether it’s a women’s volunteering group run by and for Bengali women, a computer skills support group run for and by older people, support for local people to become community organisers or young people living with mental ill-health wishing to address access to work issues or discrimination, we’re interested to hear about it.”

The closing date for applications is 1pm on Wednesday 6 April 2022. Apply for funding at www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk/funding/howtoapply.

Media enquiries

For media enquiries about People’s Health Trust and Active Communities, please contact Holly Beattie – holly.beattie@peopleshealthtrust.org.uk

Notes to editors

People's Health Trust is an independent charity investing in local communities to help create a society without health inequalities. It works closely with 12 Community Interest Companies raising money through The Health Lottery and distributing grants.

Active Communities is a funding programme for local people with great ideas about how to help create fairer places to grow, live, work and age well.

The Health Lottery is an independent British lottery scheme. It manages 10 regional and two country lotteries across Great Britain. Each month, the money raised is allocated to one of those areas in rotation. This means that across the year, every area of England, Scotland and Wales gets a share of the funds raised. The 12 lotteries are run for one specific purpose: tackling health inequalities in their respective areas.

Over £122 million has been raised so far. Every £1 ticket bought helps raise even more.

Each of the 12 lotteries is licensed by the Gambling Commission.