Council invests in community groups to enhance Civic Pride
Practical support for struggling parents and the extension of a shared orchard are just two of the community projects that are benefiting from a new fund.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has confirmed the first successful applicants to its Civic Pride Investment Fund.
Local groups and organisations are invited to apply for small grants to help them deliver positive schemes and events as part of a wider initiative designed to boost residents’ pride, and feelings of belonging, in neighbourhoods across Newcastle-under-Lyme.
A member panel has awarded a £2,000 grant to the Stoke-on-Trent Baby Bank charity to support the development of a local branch based at the Newcastle Family Hub. The popular service provides help for families in need – from clothing and equipment to breastfeeding advice, shoe fitting sessions and peer groups – to reduce financial pressures and ensure that every child has a healthy start in life. The money will help to buy children’s mattresses and items for new parent bundles while supporting a recycling and rehoming initiative.
Council Leader Simon Tagg said:
The council has co-ordinated days of action in wards across the borough as part of its Civic Pride scheme, in collaboration with partners and residents under a #PrideInNUL banner, for almost a year now to help strengthen the area’s reputation as a place which is clean, safe and friendly.
That is proving a great success and now we’ve launched the complementary Civic Pride Investment Fund – totalling £22,000 for 2025/26 – to empower local groups to get started on their own projects. It’s really encouraging to receive so many quality applications during the first round of funding and it’s good to support some worthwhile causes, like the baby bank, which represent the core Civic Pride values.”
Carla Weir, Chief Operations Officer at Stoke-on-Trent Baby Bank, added:
Our charity focuses on community well-being and tackling inequalities through partnership working with other organisations. Receiving this funding is fantastic news; it will help us to make a big difference to local families who are struggling financially by reducing their stress and making sure that they have everything they need to look after their babies.”
Meanwhile, the Green & Leafy group is expanding a community orchard in Audley after receiving an award of £500. The facility provides residents with free, fresh fruit while encouraging environmental stewardship, biodiversity and community connection. The money is being used to purchase additional fruit trees – which will be planted by volunteers – as well as compost and mulch.
A spokesperson for Green & Leafy said:
By planting fruit trees and improving an underused piece of land, we are transforming it into a vibrant, welcoming area that the whole community can take pride in. The orchard not only improves the visual appeal of the space but also fosters a sense of ownership and care among residents. It’s a positive, lasting investment in both the land and the people who live around it.”
Cabinet is also allocating £500 towards a new community garden at Bradwell Methodist Church – for a shed, gardening tools, potting bench and raised planters – and an additional £500 enabling Kidsgrove Care Solutions to replace old allotment planters, in Chesterton, for the benefit of adults and young children with disabilities, and the wider community.
The Wammy Wombles and the Community Cupboard in Clayton are receiving ongoing help from the council in terms of litter picking support and equipment.
Submissions to the Civic Pride Investment Fund are considered on a quarterly basis by Cabinet, with decisions based on need and impact. They can be submitted via the council’s website where supporting information is available.