Mayor's Rural Affairs Committee Awards Funding to 'Fantastic' Community Projects

At its meeting this week, Mayor Dave Hodgson's Rural Affairs Committee approved grant awards totalling £48,000 to three important projects in Bedford Borough's Rural Communities. The applications for support were made to the Council's Rural Grants scheme and the Committee of the Executive, chaired by Mayor Dave, approved funding for:

Bromham Mill Children's Play Area and Sculpture Trail - £25,000 for the addition of an outdoor play area for children and a sculpture trail at Bromham Mill. The sculpture trail will include wooden sculptures and carvings on a nature theme, while the play area will include natural wooden climbing structures with appropriate safety surfaces.

Dalton Community Playing Field, Upper Dean - £7,250 upgrading the play area and safe surfaces and for safety fencing between the field and the brook (River Till). The application was from Dean & Shelton Social Association (the Dalton Charity), for a project which will ensure that both local children and adults can exercise and play outdoors in a safe environment.

The Old School, Oakley - £15,700 towards the repair, restoration and the conversion of outbuildings to include a community space at The Old School, Oakley. Since 1971, the old Oakley village school, built in 1842, has served as a multifunctional community building. This project involves the repair and restoration of outbuildings, including by providing insulation and heating into this section of the building for the first time, thereby helping to protect the integrity of this Grade 2 listed building. The second aim is to convert these buildings into a new flexible space for use by community groups. The scope of the project works will include full internal insulation (roof, floor, internal walls), new windows, lighting and electrics, fire alarm, heating and internal and external doors. The £15,700 contribution from the Rural Grants Scheme will provide the remaining balance of a project estimated to cost a total of £52,200.

Commenting, Mayor Dave Hodgson said: "These fantastic projects each, in their own way, enhance important community facilities in Bromham, Upper Dean and Oakley respectively. The Rural Grants Scheme continues to play an important role in supporting rural community facilities and projects, and we were delighted to give our backing to such important schemes as these."