As the Covid-19 pandemic impacts continue to be felt in communities, Cheltenham Borough Council welcomes an additional £50,000 provided by Gloucestershire County Council to launch the 2021 Community Resilience Fund.

Last year Gloucester County Council and Cheltenham Borough Council formed a partnership to support local community groups to tackle the Covid-19 crisis head on. In total £100k was granted through the council's Community Resilience Fund to support 51 local efforts including:

• £4,951 granted to Caring for Communities and People (CCP) to support the unprecedented demand a Cheltenham foodbank was experiencing.

• £300 granted to The Reddings Resident's Association to support the work of the residents' association in providing a volunteer support group to their local community.

• £1,198 granted to St Michael's Cornerstones Trust to support the purchase of laptops to allow centre managers to work remotely and therefore continue to support the community response.

The 2021 revived grant pot will be distributed to local voluntary and community organisations to help with their continued efforts in supporting people and communities made vulnerable due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The fund will also support recovery efforts within communities, particularly projects that build on what we've valued most during the crisis, whilst working to ensure that post-crisis Cheltenham is a place where everyone thrives.

Cheltenham Borough Council aims to make decisions about funding as quickly as possible.

Cllr. Rowena Hay, leader of Cheltenham Borough Council said: "I'm particularly pleased to be able to re-open this fund to offer support to the countless numbers of community-based groups who are still tackling the Covid-19 crisis head on. These groups are critical to ensuring our Cheltenham communities stay resilient and supported in these unprecedented times."

Cllr Mark Hawthorne, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said: "The impact that the pandemic has had on our most vulnerable cannot be underestimated, and the continued lockdown restrictions keep this sharply into focus.

"We have been working closely with our partners, voluntary and community groups across the county since March and it's truly inspiring how people have come together to support each other. But there is always more that can be done. That's why we have allocated this additional funding to help the networks already established in Cheltenham and our other districts to offer more help - I'm confident it will make a real difference."