The Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has confirmed the launch of the Know Your Neighbourhood (KYN) Fund, a £29 million package of funding designed to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England, including Torridge in northern Devon.
Of the £29 million, £19 million of government investment will support people living in disadvantaged areas to connect with others in their community and engage in volunteering, with the aim of improving wellbeing and pride in place. The National Lottery Community Fund is also investing up to £10 million to support their existing projects working across the same target areas.
The 27 target areas (listed below) were selected using data on:
o People and local economy factors (e.g. household incomes, local labour markets, economic and multidimensional deprivation); and
o Strength of civil society and community factors (e.g. depth and breadth of local VCSE activity and funding, level of volunteering and community participation).
The 27 areas are:
o Barnsley.
o Barrow-in-Furness.
o Blackpool.
o Bolsover.
o Burnley.
o Cannock Chase.
o County Durham.
o Doncaster.
o Fenland.
o Great Yarmouth.
o Halton.
o Hartlepool.
o King’s Lynn and West Norfolk.
o Kingston upon Hull.
o Knowsley.
o Middlesbrough.
o Rochdale.
o Sandwell.
o South Tyneside.
o Stoke-on-Trent.
o Sunderland.
o Tameside.
o Tendring.
o Thanet.
o Torridge.
o Wakefield, and
o Wolverhampton.
For further information about the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund, please visit the GOV.UK website.
