Decision details

To ensure the Come Together events, which aim to unite people of all ages and combat loneliness in the community, go ahead as planned following the withdrawal of funding.

RESOLVED to award a grant of £5,000 to Saffron Hall for the Come Together events. To be funded from the underspend on the Community Project Grant Scheme 2018/19.

The arts can play a powerful role in bringing people of all ages together. 

Come Together will bring over 50 local people together over 10 weeks to forge intergenerational connections through dance & theatre. 

Working with Fairycroft House (particularly the young carers group), Mind in West Essex, Saffron Walden Museum, Orchestras Live, Britten Sinfonia, and Saffron Walden County High School, Come Together aims to unite people of all ages through the arts, combatting loneliness and celebrating friendship.

The group will also involve participants from the current community project Together in Sound which engages with people with Dementia and their carer’s.

The project is over 10 weeks, starting in May, culminating with a sharing at Saffron Hall and an exhibition at Saffron Walden Museum.

Unfortunately Saffron Hall has been let down by one of its funders and the event will have to be scaled back unless the sum of £10,000 is obtained from other sources.

This event fits well with the Health and Wellbeing agenda identified as part of the Council’s Corporate Plan. This is being taken as a Leader’s decision as the Council does not have a grant scheme that fits the criteria, at the level of funding that is requested. The Community Project Grant Scheme for 2018/19 (maximum award £3,500) has an underspend that it is proposed would be used for this request.

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