£30,000 boost to support local communities

Over the past year, we have provided £30,000 of funding to boost 14 community projects. 

Projects to receive financial support in 2024-25 include:

• APCAM (Assisting Parents with Children with Mental Health): £2,160 for new equipment for their WeGame Group which offers a supervised, no-pressure environment where young people can feel secure and confident to take part in gaming and social activities.
• Cassington Parish Council: £2,500 towards reinstating and upgrading the Cassington play area which has deteriorated over time.
• Leafield Pre-school: £1,390 towards replacing the school’s wooden gate with a more secure aluminium gate with keypad entry system and intercom.
• Leafield Primary School: £1,140 to help build a designated, inclusive and accessible gardening and outdoor learning area for the children so they can learn to grow their own flowers and vegetables.
• North Leigh Football Club: £2,420 to support the under 11’s team by providing new football kit, equipment and the opportunity to play in an away tournament to help build team spirit and build lasting memories.
• The Wychwoods Day Centre: £1,905 towards running their twice-weekly, day care group which offers elderly people living independently in the Wychwoods the chance to meet and socialise over a home cooked lunch and a range of activities including crafting, scrabble and indoor curling.

Our customers are encouraged to have their say and vote on any Community Fund applications and the amount of funding that could be awarded, via social media.

The Community Fund is also available to support our customers who wish to learn new skills and increase job prospects. Grants of up to £250 are available to help pay for training and coaching courses, qualifications and learning support materials.

Four customers have benefitted from this support this year. Each using the grant for varying purposes - some furthering their career, one gaining specialist dyslexic support and another setting up a mental health support website for their local area.

One customer, who lives in one of our homes in Witney was granted £195 to help gain specialised support from Rising Kites - a learning support and dyslexia assessment hub which helps young people build confidence, overcome challenges, and unlock their full potential.

Talking about the support received, the customer said: “My son has been identified as being dyslexic meaning whilst he is a smart, curious, creative and intuitive boy, he also struggles with literacy. This has impacted his self-esteem and view of formal learning. Receiving the grant to access support has made a difference to his learning and sense of self and normalised seeking support from others when we need it. Thank you to Cottsway Community Fund and Rising Kites for making this possible.”

Vicki Paxford, our Communities Manager, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to support so many worthwhile and varying causes through our community fund. From activities that help young people - such as play areas, holiday clubs and sports kits - to lunches and social gatherings for the young at heart, it’s great to be positively contributing to and supporting the community we work within.”

We have now opened our Community Fund for applications during 2025-26 and a further funding pot of £30,000 is available. For more information, including the Community Fund Annual Report which includes all the causes supported last year, see: Community Fund