Two Bedford charities to share over £35k after successful bids for council grants

Two charities will share over £35,000 following their successful bids to a Bedford Borough Council Committee.

Trustees of the House of Industry Estate Management Committee manage the trust that owns a “significant” part of the land around North Wing Hospital and the Bedford Blues rugby club, as well as a piece of land called Freemen’s Common.

Last night (Tuesday, October 31) the chair, councillor Henry Vann (Lib Dem, De Parys), said the applications for financial assistance and grants before the committee were “in-line with our charitable object as a trust” in terms of the relief of hardship and distress.

The first successful application was for £27,940 from Samsons Academy for salary costs.

Samsons Academy’s target group is people on low income, refugees and asylum seekers, unemployed people, disabled people, people living in an area of deprivation and Women & Girls.

Lee Phanco, chief officer for assessment, application & business, said: “This [application] is around specific courses to help children and young people to understand where they may be at risk of child sexual exploitation, and how to be able to resist those.

“And it also includes providing some wider training around schools and the community.”

Councillor Colleen Atkins (Labour, Harpur) said: “This is yet another example of the excellent work they’re doing.”

The second successful bid was for £7,068 to fund project expenses for 46 sessions of Music24’s Singing Café programme to be held in Bedford borough.

The charity’s application said the twice monthly Singing Cafés are open to anyone looking for a way to get out of the house and have more social connections.