Gloucestershire County Council has launched a new £159,000 youth fund to help support young people and community youth projects in the county.

The fund provides £3,000 to each of the county's 53 electoral divisions, allowing each county councillor to support projects in their local area. This way, they can make sure small youth projects are supported, so they can continue the excellent work they are doing with local young people.

Councillors are able to support a wide range of youth projects and initiatives, including sport, recreation and leisure activities, wellbeing, mental health, building resilience and digital innovation for young people.

The fund is also open to a variety of local groups, including but not limited to community and voluntary organisations, charities, community interest companies, town and parish councils and sports groups.

Cllr Lynden Stowe, deputy leader and cabinet member for finance and change at Gloucestershire County Council, said: "We want to do all we can to support communities to build back better and this youth fund, allocated evenly across the county, will ensure every community, supported by their local county councillor, can bid for funding.

"I would urge groups who think this fund can help them make a real difference to children and young people in their community to make sure that they apply."

For more information on the Build Back Better - Youth Fund, as well as details of how to apply visit https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/build-back-better-councillor-scheme/.

All applications need to be submitted no later than mid-January 2024 so they can be processed within the financial year 2023/24