Meet the 10 local projects in our 2021 Community Fund

Let’s hear it for local organisations: it’s their tireless work of inviting and arranging and connecting that builds clubs, programmes, projects and gatherings. In other words, this is how community gets made.

So it’s a true pleasure to announce our support for 10 more initiatives through the third annual Brent Cross Town Community Fund. All the projects on the list are ones that ensure people thrive, each by providing access to the joy of being outside and getting active.

There’s a mural to brighten the passage down the side of All Saints Church. A 10-seater boat for children’s canoeing on the Welsh Harp reservoir. And funding for a 3×3 women’s basketball tournament by the Brent Bulls.

Clive Castillo, the Bulls’ director and head coach, said, “We’re looking forward to delivering our community project! Our project is focusing on increasing #AllGirls in sport and the overall grassroots participation.”

He added, “Basketball is so important because it keeps people active, helps with socialising and building communities, and it’s fun and easily accessible – all you need is a basketball and a hoop!”

Also receiving funding is Cricklewood Millennium Green, a remarkable community-run space that’s provided a green sanctuary on Claremont Road for over 20 years. The funds will go to repair the green’s iconic wooden train sculptures and benches by local artist Alistair Lambert (whose work you may have spotted in Exploratory Park last Christmas), as well as install a water tap and purchase new gardening tools.

Trustee Rabia Lingemann told us earlier this year about what an asset the park had been over lockdown in particular, “We realised how valuable this place was! People were meditating here or just coming and meeting friends… I’ve been coming maybe two or three days a week to do the litter picking, and I have been so blessed just to be in contact with people that I never had the chance to meet before.”

This pocket-sized park achieves an out-sized impact by sculpting its landscape into little hills, meaning there’s much to explore throughout its compact site. 

Nick Searl, partner at Related Argent, said, “We enjoyed reviewing all the brilliant submissions and despite the challenging time that has persisted were pleased to see that there remain many vital community groups and initiatives that are supporting the community.”

We’re excited to watch this year’s 10 projects unfold in the neighbourhoods around Brent Cross Town. Visit the organisations’ websites below to find out more or get involved.

A mural by All Saints Church

All Saints Church will create a mural along the Childs Hill Walk, working with the community through workshops and volunteering sessions to celebrate local heritage and make the passage more welcoming. The finished artwork will be created by a local muralist.

Women’s tournament with Brent Bulls Basketball Club

The Brent Bulls are delivering a women’s 3×3 basketball tournament, as well as offering basketball club sessions to children at local primary schools.

Sculpture repair for Cricklewood Millennium Green

Cricklewood Millennium Green will repair the Green’s iconic wooden train sculptures (below) and benches. Funding will also go to making the space easier to maintain by installing a water tap and purchasing new gardening tools. 

School trips by Friends of Mapledown School

Mapledown School has won funding to offer 100 of their students with severe learning difficulties and disabilities opportunities to go on school trips to enrich learning and enhance their pupil’s life experiences.

Summer programme from F.U.S.E Youth Project

Funding for the F.U.S.E Youth Project will support their summer programme of youth worker-led activities and free meals for young people in West Hendon. This prevents holiday hunger, while making sure these young people can have fun taking part in sports, crafts, and offsite trips.

Mental health resilience by iheart

iheart has won funding to provide a 10-week programme to support 30 students of a local school to develop mental health resilience. This will give young people emotional skills to overcome setbacks and improve confidence. 

Gardening sessions with Kisharon

Kisharon will offer accredited gardening sessions to adults with learning disabilities, with a guaranteed internship at the end of the programme. The sessions will take place in the space behind Childs Hill Library, and they plan to share resources with All Saints’ School’s gardening club.

A new boat for Phoenix Canoe Club

Phoenix Canoe Club, based at the Welsh Harp Reservoir, has won funding to purchase a new bell boat, which is a 10-seater twin-hull canoe. This will bolster their fleet so the club can offer school canoe sessions to a full class of students and set up a bell boat regatta for local primary schools.

Book exchange by Terraces Residents Association

This residents association runs a small book exchange from their allotment and playground area. With funding, they will install an accessible shed to enhance the book exchange and also offer a toy exchange and kits to get kids interested in growing and green activities.

Outdoor gym at Wessex Gardens Primary School

This local school has been awarded funding to install three items of outdoor gym equipment to be used by students, visiting children and local families who cannot afford gym membership.

Click here to see the press release on the successful 2021 Community Fund projects.