Last chance to win £150K for community project

As part of its Building Better Communities campaign, Jewson is asking local people in Cambridge to put forward community buildings that are in need of some TLC. From a much needed coat of paint for a village hall, to a brand new home for a local sports club, community spaces most in need could win a share of a new, mammoth £250,000 prize pot.

This year, applicants can choose to put forward their project for either a top £150,000 prize or a smaller share of a regional prize £100,000 fund where they can ask for anything from £500 to £10,000 to spend on building materials.

Nominations can be made via www.buildingbettercommunities.co.uk or the Jewson Facebook page.

A new addition for 2016 is the top £150,000 prize, which will see one project receive a transformation using the Saint-Gobain ‘My Comfort’ building principles.

Recognising that we spend around 90% of our time inside, the My Comfort approach focuses on creating buildings that are comfortable and healthy, good for the people who use them and good for the environment. My Comfort creates buildings that are warm, quiet, well-lit and have good air quality, but don’t cost the earth to run.

David Fenton, Marketing Director at Jewson, said: “We want to make a difference to the communities we work in and help transform projects that are close to their hearts. That’s why we’ve upped the prize fund to a quarter of a million pounds this year, so that we can turn the buildings we love into warm, inviting and efficient spaces for the whole community to enjoy. If you know of a project which can help to make an impact where you live, get on Facebook and spread the word!’

In 2015, Jewson received over 2,000 entries into the competition and as a result, it helped to change the future of 14 community projects across Great Britain.

After impressing the judges with its entry, the Beccles Station Project in Suffolk was one such winner and was granted £5,000 to go towards the transformation of the building into a community hub.

Christine Pinsent from the Beccles Station project, said: “I’d encourage anyone who knows of a deserving community project in their town to nominate. The support we’ve had from Jewson since winning last year has been a huge boost to everyone involved in the project.

“Beccles Station has become a hub for the community. With the prize funds we’ve been able to completely refurbish our disabled toilet, insulate part of the building and out a small kitchen in, so we are really pleased with this grant. The Jewson staff in Lowestoft have been very accommodating, helpful and just want to be a part of it. We really appreciate all of the support, both locally and nationally. It has made a great difference, thanks to all at Jewson!”

A number of suppliers have committed to supporting Building Better Communities 2016, including British Gypsum, Marshalls, VELUX, Polypipe and Tarmac.

For more information, visit www.buildingbettercommunities.co.uk

 
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