Charity linked to Derbyshire Dales council set to boost good causes with annual community grants

Each year, the Ernest Bailey Charity committee considers applications for funding which would benefit residents of Matlock and surrounding towns and villages.

The charity’s terms specify that money will be primarily targeted for the relief of the aged, poor, distressed or sick, and for recreational, leisure or education facilities.

The councillors who sit on the committee will meet on Thursday, November 11, to consider 19 applications recommended for suggested grants totalling up to £2,785.

The details of ten are confidential as they relate to individual applicants, but among nine groups and organisations there should be good news – although the grants will likely all fall short of the amount applied for.

Tansley Junior Football Club is set to receive £250 towards its plans to install a defibrillator at its ground, which is used by 11 teams and for community events.

South Darley Parish Council is expected to receive £145 for its a third defibrillator to be sited in Oaker and Snitterton ward.

All Saints’ church council has been provisionally allocated £200 towards work to replace old flooring in the church hall with new slip-resistant vinyl to improve safety for the 1,400 people who use the space each month.

The volunteers who lay on a regular afternoon tea for elderly people in South Darley look set for a £145 grant. Many of the organisers are pensioners themselves, and meet the costs from their own pockets.

Matlock Town Football Club is set to receive £100 to provide Christmas day lunch and a gift for elderly residents who would otherwise be alone.

Darley Dale Primary School pupils can look forward to new trees, shrubs and wildflowers if a £100 award is approved to enhance the biodiversity of the site.

The Matlock preschool play group could receive £50 towards a new slide, while the Bonsall Village Hall committee has been earmarked to receive the same amount for baby-changing equipment.

An application from the Derwent Valley Lions Club for funds to create a Covid memorial garden looks likely to be turned down, with detailed plans for the project judged to be some way off.

“ In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. ” – Andrew Wakefield, editor.