Do you know of a special project to improve a village hall, community building or shop in East Devon?

So far, more than £10,000 has been given to various schemes which look to improve their community, like with new or improved toilet facilities, kitchens, floor repairs or energy efficiency measures, thanks to East Devon District Council's (EDDC) Community Buildings Fund.

The authority is now looking for other community projects to invest in! But the deadline for applications is fast approaching - 5pm on January 9 2023.

The grants, up to £5,000 each, are being offered to rural local communities in areas not covered by a town council, which are planning capital building projects or refurbishments.

Among the projects helped so far, in the past 12 months, are:

• Branscombe Village Hall Sports Pavilion which received £3,000 towards renewing the pavilion itself
• Northleigh Village Hall received £2,259 towards renewing the surfacing of the car park, to help people with mobility issues 
• Chardstock Community Shop has been granted £1,620.20 to help create a communit-owned shop as the village's shop was going to close
• Dalwood Community Shop has been granted £4,000 for an extension to the shop to include a hot drink machine, tables and chairs
• Lympstone Village Hall was granted £3,364 to help pay for audio and visual equipment to increase the appeal and usability of the hall

Interested applicants can find all the information they need, including application forms, on EDDC's website: https://eastdevon.gov.uk/grants-and-funding/grants-available-from-us/community-buildings-fund/

Councillor Jack Rowland, EDDC's Community Grants panel chair, said: "I'd really encourage eligible bids to be put forward to take advantage of this grant as the examples shown of the successful bids show what can be achieved via this route."