Community groups throughout west Suffolk are being invited to apply for grants from a £300,000 council support fund.

The Community Chest grants scheme by West Suffolk Council provides funding for schemes such as charities, voluntary organisations, and faith groups that work to help residents.

The council helped coordinate some of the volunteer groups’ response through the Home But Not Alone helpline during the coronavirus lockdown.

John Griffiths, the leader of West Suffolk Council said: “We launched Community Chest in 2015, and that work, investing in and working with our communities, meant that we were able to set about helping the most vulnerable early on in the crisis.

“We know COVID-19 hasn’t gone away but we also know that we need to look beyond that to the long-term recovery and the role people in our communities will play in supporting each other.

“The lockdown situation will undoubtedly have effected many people’s physical and mental health. While our LifeLink social prescribing team may be able to help some of those who feel anxious or are feeling low, we know that there are also many great community-based initiatives out there that can help.

“We have invested in many of these in the past, helping residents who were lonely, isolated, people with low self-esteem or who didn’t feel a part of the community, and in projects to help families struggling emotionally with some of life’s daily pressures.

“Within our communities there are answers to some of these challenges in our society and that is why we are delighted to be opening Community Chest to applications once again.”

To apply for Community Chest funding complete the online form.

The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on October 30.

Applicants will be notified in February 2021, with funding being awarded in April 2021.

MORE: Community groups given more time to spend cash after lockdown