DOWNDERRY AND SEATON COMMUNITY FUND
FUNDS AWARDED
DOWNDERRY & District COMMUNITY BUS ASSOC. December 2023. £2000
The local Community Bus offers a vital service in rural villages in the parish of Deviock where public transport’s availability is limited. Ferrying children from Seaton to the local school in Downderry each morning, weekly services to Plymouth and Liskeard and monthly excursions taking residents further afield to places of interest, provides a valuable, and much appreciated service to residents of all ages. The local charity has a tried and tested cycle to ensure that their 15-passenger minibus is replaced every 5 years or so. The 2020 Pandemic affected much of their expected activities. With the current vehicle now ten years old, a new minibus was ordered to arrive in early 2024, and as they were reaching their last stages of fundraising, the trustee successfully gained match funding contributions from Deviock Parish Council and DaSRA’s Community Fund,
DOWNDERRY COMMUNITY SHOP August 2023 £608
When the owner of Downderry Stores decided to close the village shop, DaSRA organised a Public Meeting for residents in July 2023 to discuss how to respond to the closure. Residents’ support to retain a village store resulted in nine local residents volunteering their time and their expertise to form a Steering Group to explore the feasibility of a community shop in Downderry. It was clear that the fledging Group needed startup funding to put in place an action plan that could deliver what was recognised as an essential community asset of benefit to the local community. The Management Committee of DaSRA determined that the Steering Group’s commitment to establish a local shop would meet the eligibility criteria of the Funds to safeguard community assets and agreed to fund essential start-up costs from the Community Fund. A Survey was funded to collect essential information on what residents wanted from a community shop. Also funded was a dedicated email address, a facebook page and a website. Membership of the Plunkett Foundation was deemed an important resource to speedily gain valuable advice, information and contacts active in the world of community businesses, so the first year's annual membership was also funded. https://www.downderrycommunityshop.co.uk/.
COMMUNITY NOTICE BOARD March 2022 £1,348
A Notice Board sited in the centre of Downderry had deteriorated over the years and was in dire need of being pulled down. DaSRA addressed the years of neglect by taking on responsibility for replacing and maintaining what is a powerful communication tool used by local community groups advertising their services and activities. The replacement modern Notice Board was purchased with an award from the Community Fund, plus additional funding from Deviock Parish Council and a donation from a local resident.
SEATON WILDLIFE LAND: November 2021 £2,000
When news that 4.5 acres of Seaton woodland was being auctioned off with potential for `’low income generation`’ , our local Deviock Parish Council launched a crowdfunding appeal to take the site into public ownership and create a wildlife woodland. The Management Committee of DaSRA - Downderry and Seaton Residents Association - who has the authority to manage and distribute the funds donated to the Community Fund , assessed that the threat posed to the site if sold to a developer would meet the Fund’s criteria for funding. Within hours of the auction deadline, and as the required amount was not quite met, an award of £2000 was awarded from DaSRA’s Community Fund. Deviock Parish Council's bid was accepted. The land is now in public ownership under the management if Deviock Parish Council.
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