Residents asked to support community projects across Sefton

Sefton Council urging residents to lend their support to three new  ideas which will put local people at the heart of the efforts to create more vibrant, resilient and connected communities.

Residents can give financial backing to three projects this Spring, including a borough-wide women’s volleyball scheme and a campaign to create a living and green alleyway space in Formby.

The funding opportunity is part of Sefton Crowd, an initiative that aims to give anyone who lives locally with ideas about how to improve their area the opportunity to gain funding via the UK’s leading civic crowdfunding platform Spacehive.

The aim is simple – to fund and deliver exciting and innovative ideas to improve Sefton put forward by the local community, for the local community.

The council has allocated a dedicated match-funding pot of £50,000 to help these projects achieve their goals.

In this latest round there are three campaigns residents can lend their backing to. They are:

• The Sefton Volleyball Club, who are looking for £1598 to start a club specifically for women and children in the borough.
• The 8 Alleyways Project, who are looking for £11,058 to rejuvenate and transform an alleyway in Chapel Lane, Formby
• The Made In Bootle Project, who are looking for £3,483 to create an online platform for residents of South Sefton to showcase artisan goods and wares.

So far, over 746 residents, businesses and other organisations, have come together alongside the council to get behind 16 ideas, with over £91,000 raised across Sefton. From wildflower meadows to virtual music festivals, Sefton Crowd is helping people bring their ideas to life.

The Woodend Community Woodland Project is just one example.

Frank Sharp, Trustee of Friends of Maghull District said: “In the most challenging of times, the rich, accessible, friendly collaborative support from Spacehive and the incredibly generous motivational pledges from their partners Sefton Council, Idverde and others made the seemingly impossible possible.

“This enabled us to exceed our £23,803 funding target by 14%, to reinvigorate an historic woodland entrance to Maghull, with a welcoming, accessible, safe, iconic and engaging wildlife friendly space, focusing on enhancing the environment, history, community, and legacy.”

Sefton Crowd forms part of an innovative approach to civic planning by Sefton Council which sees crowdfunding as a key channel to involve communities and local organisations in regeneration.

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, said: “These three  projects are all about putting local people at the heart of the efforts to help Sefton recover from the pandemic.

“I’m also calling on companies and foundations to join us in offering support – whether funding or in-kind – to the ideas people post on the platform so we can work together to make them a real success. The more people that get involved in Sefton Crowd the more amazing places we can create together.”

And it’s not just the council offering funding to local projects. The idverde Community Investment Fund could pledge up to £1,000. It aims to empower local people to deliver sought after projects that improve their local green space or the public realm, enhance the local environment, and boost the wellbeing of local people.

If you are interested in making a pledge or want to find more information about any of the projects above, please visit –ww.spacehive.com/movement/seftoncrowd or email info@spacehive.com.