Nine groups shared £25,000 as part of a pilot in ‘participatory grant making’ reports Roshni Ray

A group of people including local councillors on the Grahame Park Estate — Credit – Barnet Council

Community groups in Colindale have been awarded grant funding thanks to a panel of local residents.

The panel was appointed and handed decision-making powers as part of Barnet Council’s pilot scheme, which aims to give residents living on the Graham Park Estate a greater say in the improvements they want made in their area.

The initiative – part of the Love Grahame Park Community programme – is a pilot in ‘participatory grant making’, a process that involves local people in every stage of funding decisions.

The scheme is intended to make decisions fairer, more inclusive and focused on what the residents really want. The approach ensures that funding is directed toward projects that reflect the community’s priorities and lived experiences.

The total of £25,000 in funding was successfully distributed among groups supporting local young people to play sports, tackling social isolation in older people and boosting employment skills. Each community group received grants ranging from £2,000 to £3,500 after careful review by the panel.

Funding for projects comes from money collected by the council from private developers, which must be spent on initiatives that address the impacts of developments on the community.

Panel member Evangeline Lasquite said of her experience on the panel: “I feel strongly about having resident-led groups as beneficiaries of the Love Grahame Park Community Fund.

“Although I’ve lived in the area since 1986, I don’t know what goes on around me. Joining this team has been a good eye-opener for me. I’ve enjoyed sharing and having my views heard as well as listening to other opinions that makes me think twice about my own views.”

Cllr Sara Conway, chair of Barnet Safer Communities Partnership Board, said: “We’re delighted to see the impact of the Clear, Hold, Build programme over the past two years in reducing serious organised crime and creating new opportunities, working together with partners and local residents.”

She added: “The Love Grahame Park Community initiative developed as part of this and it’s so exciting to see the positive projects that are now going to be delivered for so many residents to enjoy.”

The ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ initiative is an initiative aiming to reduce reported crimes and build a safer community in London boroughs, including Barnet.

The £25,000 announcement follows shortly after the announcement of a separate Grahame Park-focused programme of funding of £11,800 to four groups delivering youth activities.

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