The Rye Community Shop, which raises money for the local community of Rye and District, recently celebrated its first year of trading at 41 Cinque Ports Street. During its first year, the shop has not only provided grants to the community totalling £9,300, but also hosted a Christmas day event for people, who would have been on their own, to enjoy the festivities with others.
It is with great pleasure that the Trustees are now able to announce its second round of funding – applications for which are available either online from dave.pellen@btinternet.com or in hard copy form direct from the shop. It is hoped that many charity and community groups will be able to benefit from a grant to help either with a specific project or for its ongoing expenses. Money is granted to local charity and community groups who can show that the money will be used for the public benefit. Closing date for applications is March 20
As an example of the grants awarded at the last funding round in August, one of the recipients was the Rye & District Street Pastors who patrol the streets of Camber and Rye at night. On a recently returned grant monitoring form, Nizam Mohammed detailed that their grant had enabled them to train an additional five Street Pastors who are now on patrol on the streets of Camber and Rye, provide them with uniforms, pay their car tax and give them funds to purchase the tea, coffee, soup and pot noodles which they use when dealing with the night-time economy.
We hope to be able to award a similar amount to the last round of funding so we look forward to receiving completed applications in due course. Our patron, the Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP hopes to come again to award the cheques as she fully supports the work of the shop and indeed the last time she came, she was so impressed that she bought a necklace, promising everyone that she’d wear it the next time she was on the Andrew Marr show!
The shop has also proved to be extremely popular with the local community, rising from the ashes of its previous incarnation as a partner with ARRCC at the far end of Cinque Ports Street. The shop is in a perfect position to be able to support the local community and visitors alike with its ever changing stock of good quality clothing, children’s wear, toys and household goods. Customers are always commenting on how nice the shop is and on the fact that the stock is forever changing.
We are extremely grateful to all our donors who so generously give their unwanted items for sale. We are very lucky to live in a community where residents care about helping others and we are pleased to be able to provide a vehicle where money can be raised and ploughed back into the community it serves.
Grant application forms are available in hard copy form from the Community Shop at 41 Cinque Ports Street or by email from dave.pellen@btinternet.com .
Photo: Kenneth Bird
Please note that application forms should be requested online from dave.pellen@btinternet.com.