University of Derby’s Community Fund donates a further £8,000 to help local organisations

A third round of donations, totalling £8,404 from the University of Derby’s Community Fund, has helped a further five local organisations in their projects.

The University is continually looking at ways to give back to local initiatives. The Community Fund enables it to provide a helping hand to those wishing to make a difference in their community.

The fund, which has donated over £58,000 so far, has recently supported five more schemes ranging from archaeological projects at Derby Museums to Autism East Midlands.

Recent recipient, Derwent Stepping Stones Childcare and Early Education, received a donation of almost £1,000 to help their Forest Garden Project.

The funding will enable the childcare group to purchase all-weather educational resources that will support the improvement of the children’s learning experiences, enabling them to make a positive contribution to society, improve their wellbeing and learn about environmental sustainability at an early age.

Nature connectedness is an important area of research for the University. Miles Richardson, Professor of Human Factors and Nature Connectedness, is leading on research into the wellbeing benefits of engaging with nature, which could be especially important for children.

Chief Executive of Derwent Stepping Stones Childcare, Janet Holland, said: “This funding will support our forest garden project. Outdoor play has many positive outcomes that help children become more confident and better prepared for school. The funding will enable us to buy equipment for water play, mark making, construction and den building, areas that consistently capture children’s attention.”

“The Community Fund extends the university’s impact to our neighbouring communities where many of our students live, work and study. We hope that the funding provides a kick-start to small projects that can make a big difference. It’s also an opportunity for projects and organisations to benefit from student volunteer support and access additional guidance from our staff expertise.” Hannah Hallam, Development & Alumni Relations Manager.Other projects that have received funding this year include:

• £1,500, Autism East Midlands, Chesterfield: Resource the Chesterfield base of the Family Support Hub programme, which provides a supportive environment and drop-in sessions for families affected by autism.
• £2,500, Déda, Derby: Help continue to fund a falls prevention project aimed at the elderly, and improve the quality of lives of participants.
• £2,422, Derby Museums, Derby: Archaeology project that will provide access to historical objects found nearby, enabling the public to enjoy local history.
• £1,000, Helen’s Trust, Chesterfield: Supporting the delivery of a training programme in an end of life care charity covering North Derbyshire.

The application deadline for the next round of the Community Fund grants is Friday 30 November. To be eligible for funding, applicants must be based in Buxton, Chesterfield, Derby or Leek. Apply for funding here.