West Midlands secures £5.3 million for projects to breathe new life into communities

Eight locally-led projects designed to offer people new skills and new opportunities have been awarded more than £5m funding as part of the Government’s plans to level up communities.

These include skills training for those impacted by the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic and projects to close gaps in support for key groups such as the over 50s and those with a history of offending.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), working in partnership with local councils and community groups, had submitted the bids to the Government’s Community Renewal Fund.

Successful applicants include Sandwell-based projects:

• £849,837 to Sandwell Council for the Black Country 50 plus partnership to plug gaps in support for residents aged 50 and over
• £597,936 to the Chance Heritage Trust to explore opportunities to regenerate the Chance Brothers Glassworks and Soho Foundry and Mint as economic and community hubs.

To see more details about the programme, and the additional six projects that were also funded, visit: West Midlands secures £5.3 million for projects to breathe new life into communities (wmca.org.uk)