The Bath Half Marathon Fund has again awarded grants to twelve local charities and community groups, helping more residents in Bath and North East Somerset to play, stay fit and improve their health.
Each year donations from runners entering the Bath Half Marathon are channelled through Quartet Community Foundation into sports, exercise and play projects organised by community groups within Bath and North East Somerset. The aim of the grant programme is to improve physical health and wellbeing close to people’s homes, reaching out especially to residents who are “isolated or facing disadvantage.”
Using runners’ donations from this year’s race, the grant’s panel has now awarded £15,000 in total to twelve charitable groups, including Timebank Plus in Twerton, Threeways School in Odd Down, and First Steps (Bath). An additional grant was also directly awarded to Bath junior parkrun.
Race organisers, Andrew and Mel Taylor from Running High Events, said, “We are truly grateful to the runners that opt to donate to the community fund when they enter the race. The fund was started in 2003, specifically to support local charitable groups too small to benefit from our official race charity scheme. Working with Quartet Community Foundation puts us directly in touch with these groups, where relatively small grants can make a big difference.”
Claire Wynne Hughes, philanthropy executive, Bath and North East Somerset at Quartet Community Foundation, said, “Demand for this round of grant funding was high, and we received a wide range of applications for projects supporting people – old and young – into sporting and play activities.”
She continued, “For many projects, a small amount of money can make all the difference.”
One of the projects given the green light this summer is First Steps (Bath) towards the redevelopment of its outdoor play and learning area at Twerton Children’s Centre.
Roz Lambert, chief executive of First Steps, explained, “The grant from the Bath Half Marathon Fund programme helped towards replacing a soft surface beneath a piece of climbing equipment, something which was much needed. Outdoor play is vital for children’s health and well-being, particularly in disadvantaged communities, and the improvements in the outdoor play area will make so much difference. The children are thrilled with the new soft surface.”
She added, “Outdoor play is vital for children’s health and well-being, particularly in disadvantaged communities, and the improvements in the outdoor play area will make so much difference. The children are thrilled with the new soft surface.”
Pictured above: Andrew Taylor and Roz Lambert at First Steps Nursery
