Get involved with the next funding round on the Cheshire West Crowd

Cheshire West and Chester Council is launching another funding round on the Cheshire West Crowd, providing plenty of opportunities for community projects to bring their ideas to life.

The Cheshire West Crowd, run by the Council in partnership with Spacehive, allows everyone to put forward community-led projects and attract funding to make the borough more vibrant, resilient and connected.

Since the Cheshire West Crowd first launched, 94 community projects have collectively raised nearly £1.6 million from almost 5,000 backers, including the Council.

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of the Council and Champion for the Cheshire West Crowd, said: “This initiative is such a fantastic way for community projects to raise much-needed funds.

“Not only can projects pitch to the Council to access the funds we set aside, but they can call on the support of their local community so it’s a real collective effort from everyone involved.

“The Cheshire West Crowd is one of the most successful initiatives Spacehive has run and we’re delighted that this will be our fourth funding round.

“If you have an idea, please consider using the Cheshire West Crowd as there’s plenty of support available from the Council and Spacehive, making it easier than running your own crowdfunding campaign.

“We’re looking forward to helping many more community projects on their journeys in this latest funding round.”

Tarporley Community Centre ran a crowdfunding campaign during the last round on the Cheshire West Crowd, attracting funds to make improvements to the inside and outside of the building.

Anita Langford, Business Secretary of Tarporley Community Centre, added: “The pledge from the Council towards our project was vital as it was 75 per cent of our target.

“Installing new double glazing and cavity wall insulation will help us save energy, which is important for the climate and reducing our energy costs.”

Saughall Colts JFC has also successfully raised more than £32,000 to install a new drainage and heating system, benefitting players, parents, coaches, volunteers and the wider local community.

Norman Peers, Fundraising and Sponsorship Officer of Saughall Colts FC, commented: “We’d like to thank all who helped Saughall Colts achieve our goal, particularly the Council and Spacehive.  

“The funding we’ve received and the project once it’s completed will mean a lot to our community.”

An online workshop is planned for 3pm to 4pm on Thursday 29 June so you can find out more about the Cheshire West Crowd.

• Register for this workshop

Regular information sessions will also be held by the Council’s Communities team, providing an opportunity for you to have an informal chat about any ideas you have and get advice to take your crowdfunding campaign forward.

• Find out more about these sessions

The deadline to submit projects on the Cheshire West Crowd and pitch to Council funds during this latest round is Wednesday 27 September 2023, with projects needing to hit their crowdfunding targets sometime during December 2023.

• Create your own project

For more information about the Cheshire West Crowd and how you could get involved, visit: 

• spacehive.com/movement/cwc. 

Pictured - Parkgate Society is one of the successful projects, installing information boards about the village's past and present.