Grants approved for local projects

Plans to add artwork to the railway station, create ponds in the Ise valley as well as new boxing club equipment are being funded by Kettering Town Council.

Kettering Town Councillors have approved the grants for a range of different local projects. Groups were invited to apply for a range of funding including voluntary sector support and environmental grants, including measures which help address the cost of living pressures on local residents and improve mental health and wellbeing

Cllr Lloyd Bunday, Leader of Kettering Town Council and chair of the Finance and Governance Committee, said: "We were impressed with the range and variety of grant applications. There are so many fantastic projects and ideas in Kettering it was difficult to narrow it down.

"We chose the grants based on the amount of people who will benefit from the projects and the wider impact that they will have in Kettering."

Kettering Civic Society was granted £3,000 to create artwork along the pedestrian bridge at the railway station.

Monica Ozdemir, secretary of Kettering Civic Society, said: "Following the Society's successful bid last year from Kettering Town Council to begin painting BT Boxes around the town, we are thrilled once again at success in our bid to continue with public art around the town. There has been a great deal of positive feedback and paintings along the footbridge at the station will lead commuters on an art trail around the town.

"We will be working with Louise Chandler and local artists from the Shine Arts and Wellbeing Group. Through their research not only will they get to know more about the town but will be showing their talents and enhancing commuter experience by creating inspiring, entertaining and interesting subjects based on the local area."

The other grants approved were:

Natural-Ise

Creating ponds along the Ise valley to trap floodwater and create new habitats- - will also help alleviate flooding

£2,000

Brambleside School (working with Natural-Ise)

Gardening and sustainability project and creating new wildlife habitat on school site

£631

Ronald Tree Nursery

New wildlife habitat on school site

£2,500

Grange Resource Centre

Developing their allotment to improve what is grown and to support a campaign to encourage healthy eating habits for local people

£1,800

Kettering Boxing School

New equipment

£1,490

St Andrews Art Centre

Promoting arts with a Battle of the Bands project and Youth Cinema

£2,500

Big Bubble Theatre Company

Anti-bulling workshops in seven primary schools in Kettering

£2,500

Kettering and District Samaritans

Funding to put towards their operating costs

£2,500

Shine Arts

Wellbeing outreach programme for the neurodivergent and SEN adult community in Kettering

£2,500

Kettering Amateur Boxing Club

New ring canvas, mats and equipment

£3,000