The Community Champions Fund aims to support Local Authorities and Voluntary Groups to expand their covid communications. The funding will help tackle covid misinformation and encourage up-take of the COVID-19 vaccination over the coming months.
Hyndburn Borough Council have been allocated £492,870 of funding after their successful proposal, the highest amount for any Local Authority in Lancashire.
Cllr Miles Parkinson OBE, Leader of Hyndburn Borough Council said:
“This is an excellent result for Hyndburn. At the end of last year, alongside over 50 other local authorities, we were invited to submit an Expression of Interest for part of the £23 million Community Champions funding, which aims to protect those most at risk of Covid-19. Through consulting with our established community network, we put together a proposal that will make a real difference and I am very pleased to say we were allocated every penny of what we requested.”
Plans include strategies to reach those disproportionately affected by the pandemic in Hyndburn, with an aim to improve health and wellbeing for those who need it the most.
Lyndsey Sims, Hyndburn Hub Lead and CEO of Hyndburn Leisure Trust added:
“We were able to confidently bid for such a large amount of funding due to our established relationship with Hyndburn’s community and voluntary organisations. Since the start of the pandemic Hyndburn Council, Leisure Trust and HRVCVS have been working side by side to help our community through this difficult time. Under the Hyndburn Hub umbrella there are over 40 organisations who are already doing fantastic, much needed work. The way people have worked together throughout the past 10 months has been exemplary and needs to continue. This funding will be used to empower these existing community champions, harness their expertise and ultimately reduce the impact of Covid-19 in Hyndburn.”
The proposal from Hyndburn Borough Council includes various campaigns to increase engagement with key groups such as BAME communities, young people, older adults, homeless people and those with additional needs or disabilities.
Miles continued:
“This will help our borough on the road to recovery and is wonderful news at the start of a difficult year. I would like to thank all those involved in putting the proposal together, our community groups and the hundreds of volunteers for their continued dedication to Hyndburn. This funding has the potential to save lives.”
For more information about the funding, awarded please visit: