Community groups awarded funding from council’s £1 million grant scheme

Harborough District Council has approved the allocation of over £250,000 in funding to parishes and towns through its £1 million Community Grant Fund.

The grants will support a range of projects aimed at improving local services, enhancing wellbeing, strengthening community engagement and creating a sustainable environment. The latest round of funding received 19 applications.

The council’s Cabinet Sub Committee for Grants agreed, on 18 March 2025, to allocate money to:

• Bitteswell Village Hall - £5,000 to improve the building and its facilities, particularly for disabled people
• Kibworth Harcourt Parish Council - £9,995 to improve and secure the playground on Polwell Road
• Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council - £26,678 to replace and extend the access footpath to Smeeton Road Recreation Ground
• The Well, Kibworth - £7,359 to upgrade the cafe kitchen    
• 1st Lutterworth Scouts Group - £50,529 to replace the Scout Hut roof
• Lutterworth Town Council - £60,000 to replace play equipment at Crescent Road recreation ground.
• Lutterworth Town Council - £39,471 to transform the Pavillion community space
• St Nicholas Church Parochial Church Council, Fleckney - £15,300 to replace the church hall’s roof
• 1st Fleckney Scouts Group - £8,328 to construct a storage area and purchase new equipment
• Tilton & District Sports Club - £4,800 to replace old and defective floodlights with modern LED lights
• Tilton & Halstead Parish Council £5,200 to install a mobile vehicle activated sign /speed indicator sign on Oakham Road, Halstead
• Dunton Bassett Village Hall - £3,500 to improve and update the men’s toilets
• Medbourne Education Foundation - £6,816 to replace playground equipment on the village playing fields
• Medbourne Parish Council - £3,184 to replace 19 street lights with new energy efficient LED lanterns and part-night timers
• Husbands Bosworth Parish Council - £2,800 to install Local History Art Frieze in the newly developed Millenium Pavilion
• Foxton Parish Council - £10,000 to purchase a new surface for overlay onto two existing asphalt tennis courts as a multi-sport, all-weather facility.
• Houghton Field Association - £8,176 to extend the footpath linking car park to existing Jubilee walkway on Houghton Field recreation ground
• Scraptoft Parish Council - £9,436 to install a green security mesh fence around Mount Woodland
• Little Bowden Bowling Club - £2,978 to replace old light fittings to enable use of sustainable LED lights

Chair of the Cabinet Sub Committee for Grants and Leader of Harborough District Council, Cllr Phil Knowles, said: “Our £1 million Community Grant Fund provides crucial support to people and projects working hard to improve the lives of residents across the Harborough district.

“The council is committed to empowering local groups and it’s fantastic to see so many organisations benefitting from this funding. Several areas, including Lutterworth and some villages have now taken up their complete allocation within this first £1m.

“I would urge groups across Market Harborough to contact Harborough District Council officers directly with their specific requests – they are ready to help wherever possible. There is a considerable amount earmarked for Market Harborough that is yet to be accessed so please contact us.”

For more information and to apply for the Community Grant Fund visit:  www.harborough.gov.uk/communitygrants