Hall users hope to build new future (From The Oxford Times)
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Hall users hope to build new future
5:00pm Tuesday 28th August 2012 in News
By Damian Fantato, covering Summertown, Jericho and North Oxford. Call me on 01865 425429
Yarnton residents hoping for a Gannett grant to rebuild the village pavilion, from left, Delroy Evans (youth football), Linda Kimber (Guides and Brownies) Gary Hall (Yarnton FC) Mick Fallows and Fred Jones
MORE applications have been flooding in for charitable grants from the Oxford Mail.
The Gannett Foundation is giving away up to £10,000 to charities across Oxfordshire.
Bids so far range from a new pavilion to the resurfacing of a village hall car park.
The foundation is the charitable arm of Gannett, which owns Newsquest, the parent company of the Oxford Mail and its sister paper The Oxford Times .
Charities and groups can apply for Gannett grants of between £5,000 and £10,000.
One group hoping for a cash boost is the Yarnton Playing Field Management Committee, which seeks £10,000 to rebuild the village’s pavilion.
Fred Jones, chairman of the pavilion development committee, said: “The old pavilion is an old portable building from the 1980s, but despite all the work we have put into it, it is just passed its sell-by date.
“We thought about completely refurbishing it, but it is not financially viable.”
The pavilion is home to Yarnton Blues Youth FC, Yarnton Men’s FC, Yarnton Guides and Brownies and the village’s cricket club.
Last year’s grant winners were Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground (£6,500), Oxford Food Bank (£10,000), and Carterton’s memorial bell appeal (£9,000).
Other bids this year include a request for £5,000 to resurface the Milton-Under-Wychwood village hall car park, £5,000 for fundraising tools for dementia charity Daybreak Oxford, and just over £6,100 for a rescue boat and trailer for Abingdon Sea Cadets.
Simon O’Neill, group editor at Newsquest Oxfordshire, said: “Last year’s winners demonstrated just what a great boost this grant can be in these difficult times.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the wide range of causes which will be in the running for this year’s grant.”
Religious or political groups, schools, hospitals, and general appeals are not eligible, nor are applications for salaries or running costs.
All applications go through a strict judging process.
Applications must be in no later than 5pm on Friday, September 21. For more information and to submit an application, click on the link
