More time to help ‘digitalise’ your village hall

A one-month extension for community venues to apply and spend grant funding to help offer digital and face-to-face events has been revealed.

Funding of up to £4,000 is available to the county’s community run-venues to be spent on equipment that could be used to run hybrid meetings, or otherwise extend their use.

And this support just needs to be matched by the operators meeting 20% of the full cost of the equipment or service purchased.

The grants are being offered through Arwain, the county’s LEADER programme, which aims to get residents, businesses and communities involved in delivering innovative solutions to address economic, social and environmental challenges.

Cllr David Selby, Powys Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on our community-run venues, with them having to adapt to new ways of working by introducing digital technology. To support them with this, grant funding from the LEADER programme in Powys has become available to provide improvements to their digital presence and their ways of delivering services.”

The types of improvements that could be funded include video conferencing equipment for the venue, SMART TVs, digital platforms, video calling equipment, laptops and tablets, audio equipment (microphones and speakers), hearing loop systems or training on how to set up and use any new equipment purchased.

Applications for mobile equipment will also be considered for some community groups, but they will need to get in touch the with RDP team to discuss further before submitting the application.

Anyone interested should get their application, from rdp@powys.gov.uk, in by July 15.

RDP Programme Assistant Kat Rohts can be contacted on 01597 826940.