Community groups and charities receive boost from Ludlow Rotary grants
Ludlow Rotary awards community grants.
Ten local charities and community organisations were awarded grants by Ludlow Rotary Club at their annual awards evening held at Ashford Carbonell Village Hall on May 12.
This year there were several gardening groups among the recipients, including the ‘Cleobury Gardeners’ who are planning a project to encourage children to take up gardening, ‘Home Grown’ which organises an annual horticultural event at Clee St Margaret, and the fearfully named but extremely friendly ‘Guerilla Gardeners’ who care for the Castle Gardens at Ludlow.
Not that other community groups were overlooked. The Ludlow and District Riding for the Disabled, the 1st Ludlow Scout Group and Girlguiding Ludlow were among the groups who also received grants.
‘Ludlow Rotary Cares’ is the name the club has given to its scheme which offers local charities and other organisations supporting community life the opportunity to apply for a modest grant of up to £750. Over the past 11 years the Ludlow Rotary Club has been able to give grants totalling £60,000 to over 110 local community projects through this scheme. At the awards evening, further grants approaching £7,000 were announced.
The grants were made following brief and often lighthearted presentations by each of the shortlisted applicants to a panel comprising people experienced in community involvement.
Speaking at the event Club President, Tom Hunt, said “Apart from the opportunity to offer financial support to local initiatives, these occasions bring home the critical importance of volunteering in our communities. It’s good that Ludlow Rotary Club is able to recognise and applaud it in this way and make a real difference to small organisations.”
He added “Our support is only possible, however, through our fundraising efforts. Notable among them this year will be our Duck Race taking place at Dinham Bridge on 25 May and our Golf Day taking place at Ludlow Golf Course on 25 June. We hope both events will attract widespread interest and support.”