Birmingham Projects Scoop more than £40,000 of Extra Government Cash.

Extra Government cash has been given to the Near Neighbours small grants programme this week allowing projects across the city to be funded for activities that bring people of different faiths together – turning neighbours into friends. Thanks to the extra funding there will be music in Moseley, laughter in Sparkhill, parties in parks, football in Washwood Heath and mosaic-making in Highgate. The cash will also be used to fund an interfaith event at Birmingham University and to support a new interfaith group based in Highgate.

The latest cash boost means that £57,000 has been given away to 14 projects in Birmingham in 2012 on top of the £100,000 (99,808 to be precise) given away in the last four months of 2011.

This year 22 groups have applied for Near Neighbours funding but by mid-February all the money for small grants was fully allocated until the end of the financial year (March 31st.) Applicants were told they would have to wait until April to receive their funding if their application was successful. The extra money means events in March and early April can now go ahead and there will be more money to distribute to new applicants in the coming financial year.

On hearing the news about the extra cash the Right Revd David Urquhart, Bishop of Birmingham, said: “This is awesome. It is really exciting when people of faith come together and work together to transform their communities. People find they have so much in common when they meet to build community, care for people who are vulnerable and tackle poverty side-by-side.”

Applications continue to be imaginative and creative as well as practical and effective and we are really pleased to be able to distribute this extra cash to people who will use it well. More applications are always welcome and we’ll help with the application process at every step on the way. Do check out the main Near Neighbours website www.near-neighbours.org.uk or e-mail me, jess@nearneighbours.com.