Dancemind promotes health and wellbeing through dance, movement and collaborative arts.

We aspire to nurture and support people through dance and movement as its primary medium, encompassing an exciting programme of classes and workshops, enthusing health and wellbeing across a diverse range of people at all stages in life.

Crick Allotment Society work to safeguard and manage the allotment gardens as a safe and sustainable community asset, for the benefit of current and future members, enabling and promoting the growing of fruit and vegetables for home consumption, for members and their families.

Local authority to the town of Burton Latimer

What we funded and why

£30,000 was awarded through the Burton Wold Community Wind Farm Fund, to secure the future of the library. This will provide much needed funds for the payment of the loan on the property, funds to host events and services to users. The core activities will be included in the overarching approach of community development, so will be highly inclusive, particularly geared to the vulnerable and excluded members of the community. Within this approach there will be an emphasis on the promotion of social, emotional, and economic wellbeing with close links to BL Health Centre and the schools. There will be an extensive outreach programme to ensure that everyone in Burton Latimer knows that the library is owned by them, for them and the programme of activities will be delivered as a result of public discourse. We will also have a focus on environmental sustainability.

The Town Council held a series of consultation events following requests from residents, they purchased the facility in order to prevent its closure.  A vote was taken which was unanimous to retain the facility for residents. Since opening the library receives a daily high footfall, this includes all age ranges from the community, the ramblers have a regular meeting point each week, the children from local schools visit regularly, the library is always well attended each day, resulting in the need for more volunteers to become available to the service. The facility also offers home delivery service to members of the community who are unable to visit in person.

The residents of Burton Latimer would not have a facility to offer the services the community needs, this puts a strain on the local NHS and County Council who are unable to offer these services at present due to huge waiting lists and cuts to services. The Library offers a large host of resources for those able-bodied and not, the mentally impaired, children, elderly and the general community. The nearest library is Kettering and many residents are unable to go to that facility, many services have been stopped at Kettering, the bus pass service has been invaluable to residents as this is one of the services that have been cut. North Northamptonshire have requested Burton Latimer to set up many services that are unavailable elsewhere, such as the cancer support groups, bus pass, disabled badges and child safeguarding events. Having the library in the town enables those who do not have access to transport to utilise this facility.

Baby Basics Northampton is a Community Group who aim to ensure that every baby has a safe place to sleep. They provide much needed essentials and equipment to mothers and families across Northamptonshire who are unable to provide these items for themselves; including but not limited to teenage mums, people seeking asylum and women fleeing domestic abuse and trafficking.

The organised moved their premises to Wollaston just before the lockdown to allow for larger space to meet the increased need for their services.

Laugh Out Loud Theatre are a non-profit theatre company whose aim is to bring theatre back into the community within the county for everyone to enjoy. They want to make theatre affordable and accessible to all. Their shows are designed and written to maximise audience engagement and participation. They want the community to feel a part of the work they create.

United African Association (UAA) advise, support, advocate for and represent the African community. They promote community cohesion through events, projects and activities that showcase African culture and heritage.

Their current activities include providing African food parcels, supporting the food beneficiaries and wider community with various issues, signposting to other organisations and telephone befriending services.

We are keen to bring the local community back into the centre following the covid pandemic and create a safe space for local people to engage in activities, groups and build support networks. We are hopeful to re-build the thriving hub that the Doddridge Centre once was, involving the local community in voluntary opportunities and providing learning opportunities.

We work with many different organisations, charities, voluntary and community groups to provide space for them to undertaken their own groups and activities or use our rooms for meetings, conferences and events. We engage in assisting them to build their own organisations by using ours as a starting platform.

We have been working hard to listen to the voices of the local community in what they would like to see happening within the centre and this is an important part of our future, to ensure that we co-produce the activities and events which taken place here at the Doddridge Centre.We undertake community development and community work in furtherance of our charitable aims

We are working with the local community and organisations to relieve poverty by providing support for other organisations which give help to people suffering hardship.

We are a community hub offering a variety of services to a variety of organisations, groups and the local community.

Favell Day Services provide day care and support for adults with physical disabilities. This consists of social interaction, leisure and recreational activities, all to improve life experience and social isolation.

Support required:

During the winter months, Favell Day services required funding to purchase additional warm clothing and equipment to support their members to stay warm and health. Items required included heated over blankets, warm pyjamas, thermals. Power banks and waterproofs.

What was achieved through the grant:

 The grant helped increase the health and well-being of Favell Say Services members through reducing the impact the cold can have on morale and leading to further health problems. As well as improved health and well-being, there was a reduction of stress, anxiety and depression and members were even able to enjoy the winter outside by having the appropriate clothing leading to increased physical activity and mental health.