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

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 – in parts of Mansfield and Ashfield, among other parts of the East Midlands including Corby, Erewash, Wellingborough, Kettering and Charnwood.

Using money raised by Health Lottery East Midlands, People’s Health Trust is looking to invest in projects that support people living in neighbourhoods or communities experiencing the most disadvantage in parts of Mansfield and Ashfield.

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.

Projects could be almost anything that encourage strong connections between people, and that help people to make their communities or neighbourhoods even better places to grow, live, work and age.

The trust is looking for small and local projects, genuinely designed and run by local people. By small, it could mean just a small group of people on an estate, in a few streets or villages. It is also looking for great ideas from communities of interest.

It said: “By this we mean a group of people who have something in common and wish to come together to address something that is 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, said: “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.

“Applying couldn’t be easier – it’s about local people telling us what would make their local community an even better place to grow, live, work and age.”

The closing date for applications is 1pm on Wednesday, 11 December 2019. To apply for funding, visit www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk