Your Council News - September 2023

IT'S GREEN WEEK! EVENTS, OPEN FORUM & MORE

Join us for our Carbon Neutral Open Forum and hear our ongoing plans for becoming greener faster as a council and a wider district. Since declaring a climate emergency in 2019, we've already taken action, including: installing over 2000 solar panels, launching a retrofit programme to reduce energy consumption in our council homes, installing 60 new electric vehicle charging points in car parks and switching council buildings to 100% renewable energy – to name a few.

Winchester Green Week begins on 23 September, and runs until 1 October. For a full list of events taking place across the district, head to the official website.

ACCESSIBLE ACHIEVEMENT MARKED AT PARALYMPIC PERSONAL BESTS

The annual Winchester Go LD Paralympic Personal Bests event took place on Thursday 14 September in Winchester Sport and Leisure Park. More than 200 people with learning and physical disabilities participated in a wide variety of sporting activities before being presented with an award by Paralympic champion swimmer Maisie Summers-Newton (above right) and the Mayor of Winchester Cllr Angela Clear (second from left).

Paralympic Personal Bests is a partnership between Winchester Go LD, Winchester City Council, Everyone Active and the University of Winchester. Read more on our website.

FOOTBALL FOUNDATION VISIT PAVILION

The Football Foundation, joined by Leader of the Council, Cllr Martin Tod, Cllr Kelsie Learney, Cabinet Member for the Climate Emergency and Winchester MP Steve Brine visited Winchester to see the progress of the new pavilion at King George V playing fields. The pavilion, funded by the council alongside grant funding from the Foundation, replaces two outdated pavilions with a single larger, accessible, modern facility incorporating energy-saving measures to make it greener and more sustainable. Read more on our website.

APPLY FOR COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING

Applications are currently open for the latest rounds of grant funding.

The Town Forum Small Grant scheme and District Small Grant schemes both provide one-off grants of up to £1,000 to local groups and organisations.
Charity DentAid, which runs pop-up dental clinics supporting homeless people and vulnerable adults in partnership with Trinity Winchester, previously received a Town Forum Small Grant enabling clinics to take place. These supported 27 individuals from January and April this year, providing a total of 156 specific treatments. Read more and find out how to apply on our website.

COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING SURGERIES

Meet our grants team at a funding surgery on Monday 9 October, 2pm-4pm at St Peter’s Church, Jewry Street or join an online support session on Tuesday 17 October, 9.30am-11.30am: sign up via EventBrite. Details of current open schemes, including the project grant scheme (Winchester town based) and small grant schemes (district-wide), are on our website.

FIRST KINGS WALK FESTIVAL

The First Kings Walk Festival takes place on Saturday 30 September and will showcase the area’s eclectic blend of independent businesses. Organised by the Kings Walk businesses, the event will run from 10am until 5pm, with live music, delicious food and free tasters, make and takes and special discounts.

We recently completed the renovation of Kings Walk - which will provide a backdrop to the festival - as part of a series of early improvement work ahead of our wider Central Winchester Regeneration Programme. The new courtyard garden will be the focal point and a place to enjoy some live lunchtime jazz.