Art works on Openreach Telecoms Boxes £1,300

The Kettering Civic Society has embarked on an innovative street art project, transforming three BT Openreach boxes into vibrant artworks by local talents Daisy Farrar-Hayton, Mark James, and Sally Leach. This initiative, supported by community discussions and feedback, aims to celebrate the town's cultural heritage and local artists while adding a splash of colour to Kettering's streets.

The project sees Daisy Farrar-Hayton's "Pleasure Park Mural" on Masefield Road, celebrating Rockingham Pleasure Park; Mark James' "The Shoemaker" on Wood Street, honouring Kettering's history of shoe making; and Sally Leach's "Cafe Corner" at Oaktree Court, incorporating residents' wishes for a garden design while remembering the former bus station.

Since the first three boxes were decorated in spring, three more have had the full treatment over the summer, supported by local sponsors. Well done to the Civic Society for keeping the programme rolling and attracting new sponsors.

Check the artists' Instagram account for all the images.

Follow Kettering Civic Society on Facebook.

The Kettering Bee Barn Project £900

The project is working to install bee barns at sites around Kettering, schools, allotments and other spaces with safe green areas. These will provide an ideal educational and nature connectedness tool, whilst encouraging participants to take part in a town-wide citizen science project to record the diversity of solitary bee populations, their allies and predators over the duration of the project.

All records will be passed to the local biological records centre (NBRC) to inform conservation efforts, and all involved will benefit mentally through the study of these fascinating insects. The project will be used to educate the community about the importance of pollinators at large through various events, both online and in person.

Follow the work of Kettering Nature Group on Facebook.

Regeneration of garden £5,000

Pilot to set up new community groups £3,060

"The grant has been used for a young persons activities held at the Grange School for Karate and mental health /well being. The sessions were well attended and have completed 10 sessions with a few more to complete.

"The chatter group is on Wednesday afternoon - we have about 10 ladies attending who like bingo and chattering to each other. Mainly retired ladies - the oldest is 94. They have other games such as cards dominoes, lotto to chose from. This will continue and become permanent activity.

"We have children's sessions starting on June 10 which is about sensory and touch for parents with young children. The first session we held was attended by about 4 families. It was new to the area and hopefully the second sessions will be better attended. We had 4 x 2 hour sessions. We are also starting another chat and well being session on Wednesday morning for younger adults again board games and mainly getting communication skills and well being the main topic.

"At Christmas we held a party, with the children all receiving a present and food A Christmas party for the community was also held, making sure had food over Christmas. The grant has helped the community and we continue to develop into larger groups."

Operating costs £1,000

The number of households supported with additional food parcels or meals provided as a result of this grant, over four months at the end of 2023 - 1000.
The number of children within those households who have been supported - 400.
The number of homeless people who have been supported (in addition to the households detailed above) - 100 parcels given out in total.

Community activities for local people £1,000

This grant paid for a Christmas fayre, Santa's drop-in and a bingo night during December 2023, and an Easter fayre and egg hunt in 2024.

The number of attendees at each session:
Christmas fayre 70
Santa's drop-in 100
Bingo 30
Easter fayre and egg hunt 100

Harvesters group £1,000

This grant paid for a trip to the pantomine in December 2023 , involving 100 people and 70 children

Mower repairs and redecoration works £800

Operating costs £1,015

Operating costs £2,000

Equipment to enable training of young people to take place £1,500

Market valuation of Gala Bingo site £2,850