Seven projects that will make a difference in Spalding are set to receive Pride in Place funding totalling more than £2.2 million, as the Spalding Neighbourhood Board announces its first round of grants. The funding awards follow an open call process that saw an initial 35 expressions of interest shortlisted to 22 applications through a rigorous assessment process, supported by independent experts. The final projects were subsequently reviewed by the Board against robust criteria, including fit with community needs identified through consultation, before the successful schemes were selected.
Board Chair Highlights Community Focus
Robin Hancox, chair of the Spalding Neighbourhood Board, said: “The Board has very carefully considered all of the applications against a clear framework. It has not been an easy task at all to decide which projects should receive funding. Ever present in all of our minds has been the needs of the local community, and the priorities which clearly emerged from our consultation. It is fantastic that we are now in a position to make these grants to these worthy projects which will make such a meaningful difference in our town. But this is just the beginning of delivering the investment in Spalding, and we will be making further announcements in due course. I would like to thank everyone for helping us to reach this exciting stage of our programme – to all the organisations which spent their time submitting applications, and also to local people who shared feedback and helped to shape the priorities for this funding. I am really looking forward to seeing how these projects move forward to benefit our town.”
Projects Align with Pride in Place Aims
The projects set to receive Pride in Place funding all fit with one or more of the three aims of Pride in Place – thriving places, stronger communities, and empowering local people to take back control. They also all meet one or more of the priorities identified through community feedback: safety and security, town centre revitalisation, town centre business diversification, cultural and heritage provision, and events and markets.
First Tranche of Funding Recipients
The projects receiving Pride in Place funding in the first tranche of the programme are:
- Spalding Gentlemen’s Society – £1 million to support works at Broad Street Business Centre to create a world-class arts, culture and heritage centre for the people of Spalding. The new centre will be an inclusive, accessible hub for arts, culture and heritage activity, containing galleries, activity and event spaces, research and training facilities, and more. A comprehensive programme of activity will be delivered from the centre.
- Enjoy Spalding (Spalding BID) – £270,000 (including £100,000 capital and £170,000 revenue) to support a programme of events and activities that promote the town as a welcoming, attractive and inviting place to be, encouraging more people in. Enjoy Spalding will deliver a wider range of activities on a more regular basis, such as themed family events, classic car show, open air live music and bike event, sports and film screenings, and Countdown to Christmas activities, along with weekly activities in the town centre.
- Lighthouse Community Hub – £190,000 (including £165,000 capital and £25,000 revenue) for building works to the new hub on 18-19 Broad Street that will bring together family, youth, wellbeing, and community activities under one roof. The project will create a welcoming, multi-use space that serves families, young people, and the wider community, including a soft play area, a dedicated youth zone, a café overlooking the river, and flexible community spaces. The funding will also support initial staffing of the new hub.
- Project St Thomas – £78,444 (including £47,444 capital and £31,000 revenue) to support targeted building improvements to preserve and maintain the building to a high standard. Additionally, funding will support the structured development of youth provision, volunteering, and the operation of the space.
- People Make Spalding, CVS Lincolnshire – £75,000 (£18,750 each year for 4 years) – a programme of work with the community that will include opportunities for community and resident engagement, support for volunteering across Pride in Place projects, and help to existing new and future community groups to be set up and run effectively.
- Tonic Health – £10,000 to support the creation of a learning incubator within its Spalding community hub. This will be a dedicated space designed to help people access learning and help residents improve their digital skills. The work will see an existing room converted into a learning space with desks, chairs, privacy booths, laptops, and a large presentation screen.
- Safety and Security investment – £640,000 (including £160,000 per year for 2026/27, 2027/28, 2028/29 and 2029/30). As previously announced, Pride in Place funding is set to support a new model to support safety and security in the town centre that combines community support officers recruited by the council with a flexible private patrol service to provide cover in the short term and to offer additional capacity and support in the longer term, particularly during busy periods.
Council Leader Welcomes Investment
Councillor Nick Worth, leader of South Holland District Council, said: “It’s fantastic to see these first grants awarded to some great local initiatives, and to feel like the Neighbourhood Board’s hard work can now start to make a real, tangible impact for Spalding and its residents. This is a significant investment in the town, in projects that reflect the priorities local people have told us matter most. We look forward to working with the Board and our partners to ensure this opportunity delivers lasting benefits, helping Spalding to thrive as a vibrant, welcoming and resilient place for those who live, work and visit here.”
Further Funding and Public Arts Commission
Further work is taking place with other shortlisted proposals to refine their project funding allocations. These will be confirmed in due course. In addition, the Board has agreed to fund a public arts commission within the next four years following a number of applications focused on this theme. More details on this will be shared as the commission develops. Following the announcement, grant funding agreements will be made with each of the projects and work can then begin. Updates on project progress will be shared in the coming months.
