A NEW fund providing community and environmental grants has opened this week. 

The Mendip Hills Fund is now offering grants of up to £2,000 to help local projects.

The fund opened for applications on October 1, and will close on December 2, with all applications going to the panel in January 2025. 

Grants will be awarded to support community and voluntary group projects that want to:

  • Help their local wildlife
  • Get their community involved in a project
  • Support social and economic initiatives like improving community facilities  
  • Support for start-up of social enterprises, e.g. local food initiatives

Grants of up to £2,000 are available for projects in the Mendip Hills National Landscape and through East Mendip to Frome. Last year the fund was able to award £12,450 to nine different projects.

The fund was set up with the Mendip Hills National Landscape Partnership and Somerset Community Foundation.

To see if you fit the criteria, visit the Somerset Community Foundation website or call Jim Hardcastle on 01761 462338 or Kirsty Campbell on 01749 344949.

To apply online, click here. 

Jim Hardcastle, Mendip Hills National Landscape manager, said: "It’s more important than ever to help nature across the Mendip Hills but funds can also be awarded for projects that help people in the area as well.

"Recently the fund helped scout groups, two art projects and gave opportunities for isolated people to help with conservation work, so a little bit of money can really help create strong community networks.

"The fund has really loyal contributors and we thank them for their continued support. Recent contributions have been strong and we are able to open the fund in a good position."

The fund is supported by ‘visitor-giving’ schemes such as local campsites, outdoor activity centres and event organisers making a donation.