Community Stories

celebration of your stories

Welcome to community stories, a place to share news and celebrate what is happening in your community. If you have any stories you would like to feature on our page or in next months newsletter please get in touch at communityresilience@coventry.gov.uk or leave a comment at the bottom of this page.

City Centre Support for People Struggling with Addiction

The Community Resilience Team has been working closely with Dynamo project over the past few months to help them access external funding for their much-needed project. This month they heard they were successful and have just been awarded £19,800 from the National Lottery.

This funding is being used by them to offer an outreach and drop-in support service for individuals in need of day rehabilitation (dayhab) services. It includes a structured detoxification program with medical oversight, addressing the increasing demand locally.

Dynamo commented "To receive this grant is truly amazing and the difference it will make too many people's lives cannot be put into words. we want to say a huge thank you to all our supporters, the National Lottery and Shaun from Coventry City Council who supported us with the bid, you done us proud mate"

Their new project will include dayhab activities such as workshops on addiction education, relapse prevention, coping strategies and 1-2-1 counselling to address mental health and addiction challenges. Workshops for families are also being provided with counselling to rebuild trust as part of the project.

This funding will support 70 individual and their families with intensive support at this amazing project.

CRT Funding Workshop Success

This month the Community Resilience team advertised our funding application training workshops, and we were completely taken by surprise by the number of organisations that wanted to access this. We ended up adding two more training dates both of which is full.

This month we ran two course with a variety of organisations from statutory organisations schools, police, other council officers, to very many voluntary sector organisations. In total 16 organisations accessed this training, to date.

Giving them information and advice on what makes a great project, how to make your project stand out. Some practical advice on how to answer the funding questions, do’s and don’t, and tips and knowledge the team have gained over the last few years supporting organisations to access external resources. While also informing organisations what other support the council offers like digital support they can access from #Covconnects

They were very interactive sessions and our team too gained some invaluable knowledge about the amazing projects you are planning over the next year or two.

We will definitely add some more funding workshop dates in the coming months so watch this space!

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HOPE Coventry Secures Sport England Movement Fund Grant to Support Dementia-Friendly Activities

Coventry, UK — HOPE Coventry has been awarded funding from the Sport England Movement Fund, a national initiative offering up to £15,000 for community-based physical activity projects. The fund is designed to support individuals who face barriers to being active, helping them engage in healthier, more connected lifestyles.

HOPE Coventry’s successful application has enabled them to launch new physical activity sessions at their two Memory Lane Cafés, which support people living with dementia and their carers. These sessions now include dance and yoga, led by professional coaches, and are enhanced with interactive equipment purchased through the grant.

Maddy Wigmore, Fundraising Administrator for HOPE’s Good Neighbours project, praised the application process:

“We found it straightforward and flexible. It was great to have the opportunity to discuss our ideas with Sport England and Think Active before submitting.”

The impact has already been felt. HOPE staff and volunteers report that participants are experiencing improved mental stimulation, stronger social bonds, and a renewed sense of joy through movement. The sessions are not only promoting physical health but also stimulating positive memories and emotional well-being.

Organisations interested in applying for the Movement Fund can visit the Sport England Movement Fund website to check eligibility. For informal advice or to discuss project ideas, contact Diane Farmer at Think Active via diane.farmer@thinkactive.org.