More than half a million pounds in government funding will be awarded to projects that will make a difference for local people in Boston as Boston Neighbourhood Board announces its first round of Pride in Place funding awards.
The awards will be made after the Board ran an open call for projects earlier this year, inviting community groups and champions to nominate projects that could potentially benefit from funding through Boston’s Pride in Place programme.
An initial 64 expressions of interest were received and after a comprehensive and rigorous assessment process centred on community priorities identified through extensive consultation, the first grants have been announced.
Emma Tatlow, Chair of Boston Neighbourhood Board said: “I am so pleased that we are now in a position to make these grants, and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit a proposal for the funding.
“As a Board, we are very clear that we are focused on working collaboratively with the community to deliver this funding to benefit the people of Boston
“Our open call for projects allowed us to draw out a wealth of opportunities where the Pride in Place funding could make a meaningful impact in the town, and we’ve carefully considered all the applications against a robust set of guidance.
“What has been particularly important to us has been making sure that the funding decisions truly reflect what we have heard from the community in our engagement over the last two years.
“This first round of funding awards signal just the start of our work delivering for Boston and we are working together with local people, community groups, and champions to shape future funding decisions.
“We want the Pride in Place funding to have a wide reach and bring long-lasting benefits for people across Boston.
The projects that will be receiving funding in this first round are:
- £260,000 for Community Safety Officers – this funding will support the extension of the community safety officer scheme for an additional two years and build on the success of the work that has begun. The Community Safety Officers – employed by Boston Borough Council – are deployed across Boston town centre and the surrounding areas, providing a consistent, visible presence in the public spaces where anti-social behaviour has been most persistent. This project aims to improve people’s sense of safety and security in the town, a key theme that has emerged from the consultation carried out by the board.
- £173,000 for a public realm programme – the charity every-one will be leading a partnership between partners and people to work together on five projects that will bring a programme of improvements to the public realm in Boston. This will include seating, planting, lighting, signage, and repair of paths, and more, with further details set to be shared as the programme develops.
- £61,080 for Zone Go Boston – this project will see a mobile, artist-led youth space that brings free, high-quality creative activity directly into public spaces across the town. Developed by Zest, the space aims to reach and connect with young people across Boston. This project will allow young people to come together, spend time in a safe and supportive space, build connections, and have fun.
© Active Lincolnshire
© Active Lincolnshire
- £15,000 for Boston Amplify – this will be a programme of events led by Tonic Health which will bring together local young people aged 16 – 25 to showcase their arts and music talent and create performances. The events could include Battle of the Bands nights, youth orchestral performances, and more to bring young people and the community together. Zone Go Boston and Boston Amplify will join up to deliver a cohesive programme of activities within the town centre.
- £50,000 Boston Tour of Britain events – funding was also provided to support the Boston Tour of Britain events in the town, enabling local people to participate in the celebrations around this nationally important race. The events and engagement carried out helped to ensure that the race brought benefits for local people and businesses in Boston.
- £3,000 for Boston Young Enterprise – this funding will create a young enterprise project that will bring together young people aged 16-25 who are students, unemployed, or volunteering to set up a social enterprise organisation and learn about being self-employed and running a business. The project, led by Tonic Health, will equip young people with a wide range of skills they can use to access employment and opportunities.
All of the projects receiving funding align with one or more of the priorities identified by the community during the consultation. These priorities were:
- Safety and Security
- Town Centre Revitalisation
- Heritage and Culture
- Green Spaces and Connectivity
- Education and Skills
- Health and Wellbeing
- Housing
- Community Capacity Building
- Youth Engagement
In addition, a number of priorities from young people in Boston emerged from consultation and engagement. The things that young people want to see are:
- A safer, cleaner town
- More to do, enjoy, and experience
- Spaces, places, and ways for young people to connect
- Activities, support, and green spaces that help young people to feel good, physically and mentally
- More job opportunities, and help to get them
- To be heard and play a real role in Boston’s future.
All these priorities are guiding principles for the Board and its decision-making.
Councillor Dale Broughton, Leader of Boston Borough Council, said: “We welcome the first of these Pride in Place funding awards, which represent a significant investment in Boston and, most importantly, in the people who live and work here.
“The range of projects being supported reflects the priorities residents have told us matter most to them. These grants will help make our town centre safer, more vibrant and more welcoming, while creating opportunities for communities to come together and shape the town’s future. Our thanks to Boston Neighbourhood Board, community partners and everyone involved in developing these projects. I am looking forward to seeing the positive difference they will make across the borough.”
This is the first round of funding awards by the Board and further collaborative work is taking place which will result in more grants for projects in the town.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be bringing Zone Go to Boston. As a Lincolnshire-based organisation, we care deeply about creating opportunities for young people across our county and making sure that where you live doesn’t determine the quality of experiences available to you.
“Zone Go was created to take brilliant youth provision directly to young people, meeting them in the places where they already live and spend time. This investment through Pride in Place gives us a fantastic opportunity to work with young people and communities across Boston, creating welcoming spaces where they can connect, be creative, have fun and feel that something genuinely exciting is happening for them, right on their doorstep.
“We’re incredibly excited to build on the success of Zone Go so far and bring everything we’ve learned into Boston in 2027.”
Toby Ealden, Artistic Director & CEO, Zest
© Phil Crow
© Phil Crow
“We are truly grateful to the Boston Pride in Place for supporting us with these two projects, which will see greater opportunities for engagement with our young communities – offering skills, education and opportunities as well as bringing young people together through common causes. We look forward to working with Zone Go Boston and Boston Amplify and with local business leaders in these two truly collaborative projects.”
Michael Morris, Founder, Tonic Health
“We are delighted to be part of Boston’s Pride in Place programme and to be working alongside local people, community groups and partners to bring these projects to life. What excites us most is that the ideas will be shaped by the people who live, work and spend time in Boston. Through co-production, we can make small but meaningful changes that help people feel more welcome, connected and proud of their town.”
Vicky Thomson, Chief Executive Officer, every one
