Group projects in city and county set to receive boost from community fund  

A befriending service, group of community litter pickers, and a canal boat that hosts storytelling sessions are among those set to benefit from a fund created to support impactful local projects. 

The annual University of Derby Civic Community Fund attracted almost 100 applications from individuals and organisations across Derby and Derbyshire, each proposing a community project or creative business idea designed to make a direct difference locally. 

Eleven stand-out projects have now been selected to receive seed funding from the University. Seed funding provides early-stage capital to validate concepts for those organisations and individuals in their early stages. 

Successful applicants will be invited to work closely with researchers and academic experts to develop, profile and share their work within the wider civic community.  

They will also be invited to attend the annual University’s flagship Civic Awards and reception; a prestigious, invite-only event which, this year, will take place this summer at Derby Theatre.  

The successful applicants are:  

• All the Water’s A Stage: an initiative, based in Whaley Bridge, that works with local schools to put on a variety of activities on a canal boat 

• Building Bridges in the Community: a community project that promotes and celebrates diversity and inclusion, offering a place to meet and discuss complex social needs and low-level mental health illness 

• Derbyshire Befriending Service: a local co-operative organisation that provides a befriending service regardless of age or circumstance 

• High Peak Community First Responder Group: a non-profit organisation that supports people of the High Peak with urgent medical assistance. Funding will replace outdated equipment 

• Inspire with Kid Karam: a project led by Surtal Arts in partnership with Kid Karam, a South Asian breakdancing artist from Derby. This aims to inspire school pupils themed around enabling opportunities through culture 

• SEND Digital Creators Lab: an adaptive gaming Community Interest Company (CIC) that offers SEND-friendly digital lab sessions in the High Peak area 

• Slow Colour Yard: a community garden for local families in Long Eaton that will host a series of nature-based creative workshops  

• The Florence Nightingale Community Event: a bi-annual event that celebrates the heritage of health and legacy of Florence Nightingale across Derbyshire 

• Undercurrents: a local charity supporting peri and menopausal women in Erewash 

• University Student Mental Health Ambassador programme: a programme from the Will Garvey Trust Foundation – using University of Derby students as a pilot group – that aims to support students to look after their mental wellbeing 

• WORTH Essentials: an organisation that supports Derbyshire women and children in recovering from the trauma of domestic abuse. 

Rhiannon Jones, Professor of Civic and Communities at the University of Derby, said: 

“We have been overwhelmed by the strong response to this year’s Civic Community Fund, with so many deserving projects applying.  

“As part of our Civic University Agreement, we are proud to support local groups with our expertise, and to build lasting partnerships that make a real difference across Derby and Derbyshire. 

“We look forward to working with this year’s successful applicants to deliver meaningful impact.” 

The Civic Community Fund supports the University’s Civic Agreement, launched in June 2022, by creating new local partnerships and providing support to civic projects that will have a positive impact within the community.  

Although a relatively new initiative, the University has a long history of supporting local projects, providing funding to inspiring groups across Derbyshire that make a real difference to people’s lives. 

The seed funding initiative – the earliest round of investment a startup raises to turn an idea into a real business – has helped nine organisations to date.  

These include Derby-based Bridge the Gap, a community interest company that supports children and young people with their emotional wellbeing, Nightwatch Dark Sky Events and Links CVS, a voluntary organisation that provides support to community groups in North East Derbyshire.