19 local projects benefit from final round of PLP small grants

Every spring the Pool of London Partnership (PLP) announces the successful projects that will be receiving funding from the Small Grants Fund in association with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The Small Grants Fund provides important funding to community groups, schools and local businesses for small-scale projects that benefit local people in the PLP's wider area which stretches from the core riverside district into Bermondsey and Rotherhithe in Southwark and Shadwell and Wapping in Tower Hamlets.

This year nineteen projects will be sharing £35,000 of Small Grants funding.

"There was an excellent range of projects this year that will benefit children and adults and that span across many themes such as history, art and sport," says the PLP's Michael Pavey. "Overall, the projects will help get people interacting with others and enjoying their local area."

End of an era

These are the last groups to receive a PLP Small Grant before the PLP winds down at the end of March 2007. In recognition of the valuable work that the Small Grants Fund has helped achieve the new London Bridge Company (a business improvement district) will be taking on the PLP's role as funder of the scheme.

The new scheme will be known as the London Bridge Small Grants Fund and PricewaterhouseCoopers has offered to continue providing match funding. The Small Grants Fund will form part of the London Bridge Company's 'Building Bridges' service to strengthen the relationship between businesses and the local community.

Some of the projects to be funded

Bermondsey Reminiscence

The Social Contact Group's cultural reminiscence project for older women with mental health conditions who have lived and worked in Bermondsey all their lives.

Community Fun Day

Tabard After School Project is organising local community fun day that will include talent shows for young people, food, music, and information on local organisations and services.

Dance & Arts

A series of dance and arts workshops for the after-school club at St Jude's Community Centre. The workshops, for children aged 5-11 years, will culminate in dance performances in the summer.

Football Fever

The Design Museum is mounting football-related design project with young people to culminate in an exhibition and education programme coinciding with the World Cup.

Historical & Cultural Walks

Southwark Mysteries is putting on eight healthy, historical and cultural walks in the Pool of London targeted at special interest groups such as Bengali women, young mothers, over-50s and those with mental health issues.

Lightbox Art

Working with a local artist at Charterhouse Young People's Centre, a series of educational art workshops will result in new artwork to be displayed in the lightboxes in Guy Street Park.

The Lions part

The Lions part's celebration of the October Plenty (representing harvest time) and Twelfth Night festivals in the Bankside area.

Southwark Young Pilgrims

An archaeological educational project for young people with the Rotherhithe Heritage Museum. This is an extension of the Southwark Young Pilgrims Project.

Teddy Bear Hospital

A one day event for children to take their teddy bears for a 'consultation' with medical students on a simulated hospital ward. The project is designed to help allay children's' fears of doctors and hospitals.

The World Outside My Window

An Artsweek involving artists-in-residence at Snowsfields Primary School. The project will increase children's' awareness of different art forms and local art amenities as well as improving their understanding of the local area.