£10k funding boost for Dartmoor communities

Dartmoor National Park Authority has welcomed a funding boost to help it support communities as they respond to and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.  Thanks to £10,000 from The Prince’s Countryside Fund, Dartmoor National Park will be able to bring organisations together and provide them with training and support so they can build stronger communities for the future.  The Authority will do this by establishing a new Dartmoor Community Support Network. The network will offer practical training, networking opportunities, events and professional support. It will link new community groups with established ones, promote local goods and services and give organisations more opportunities to identify new markets and share best practise.  It will also look at how the public, private and third sectors can work together in ways that benefit people who live and work on the moor.  To join the network email your details.  Dartmoor National Park Authority Chair Pamela Woods said: “We’re absolutely delighted to receive funding from The Prince’s Countryside Fund. Supporting our communities throughout the pandemic has been one of our priorities and this funding will enable us to respond directly to feedback from the community groups, creating a network to bring organisations together to share learning and develop opportunities to work together.  “Dartmoor’s resourceful communities have really risen to the challenge of supporting the vulnerable throughout the pandemic and we’re so proud to be able to continue working with them.” Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Prince’s Countryside said: “Over the past year, The Prince’s Countryside Fund has provided a vital boost to over 100 rural communities through our grant programmes.  “We wanted to help organisations like the Dartmoor National Park Authority who are responding to the needs of their locality, particularly in dealing with the impact of the pandemic. We would like to thank players of People’s Postcode Lottery for their vital support of our grant programme.” In response to the national emergency, Dartmoor National Park launched a Coronavirus Community Support Grant (CCSG) early last year. It provided upfront grants for initiatives aimed at building community resilience. Funding recipients ranged from care organisations to community groups and all of them worked throughout the pandemic to ensure those most in need were able to get vital supplies including food, medicines, healthcare and emotional support.  The network is a direct result of feedback from them on what else they need going forward to help sustain community resilience; so places continue to respond to, recover from, and withstand adverse situations.  The project is supported by three existing community initiatives: Chagfood CIC, a community-supported market garden; NED Care, a Dartmoor-based social enterprise set up to provide support and personal care; and The Seed CIC, a community wholefood shop and café.