Start something new
Got an idea for a new community initiative that’s missing from St Neots? Here are some resources to help you make it happen.
St Neots is a great place to live, and a lot of that is down to the amazing people who provide ways to bring the community together and to support each other. The St Neots Directory is a celebration of that community spirit.
There’s always room for something new, though. If you’ve spotted a gap, identified a need or simply have a talent or interest you want to share with others, here are some pointers for making it happen.
Talk to the experts
If yours is a non-profit project, Hunts Forum is there to help. This local charity exists to support local community groups and activities in Huntingdonshire, and their help is especially relevant and welcome to new groups that are just starting out.
Check out their guide to starting a community organisation.
The Hunts Forum team is also available for one-to-one advice. They’re a friendly bunch, so give them a call on 01480 420601 or email info@huntsforum.org.uk.
Find like-minded people
Some projects are a one-person operation, but in most cases you’ll achieve more by finding others to share the load. You may even find there’s already a similar organisation that you can join rather than starting from scratch. Another option is to find an umbrella organisation that will help by hosting your project under its insurance policies, constitution and so on.
Social media is useful for reaching lots of people quickly. St Neots has a few Facebook groups with many thousands of followers. The biggest is this one.
The local community associations – Love’s Farm Community Association and Eatons Community Association – can help to connect you with others. You could also reach out to your local town councillor or the county council’s Community Connectors for advice.
Find a venue
Check out our Places > Venues for Hire page for a list of venues to host your activity.
Raise some funds
Some activity leaders cover costs by charging people to participate, but either way, you may need to raise some money to cover your setup costs. For example, for any activity where you’re hosting a group of people, you’ll want to have Public Liability Insurance, which is purchased yearly in advance.
The Good Life Fund from CPSL Mind provides grants of up to £500 to help set up new groups. The application process is really simple – you don’t need to be a constituted group – just as long as the activity promotes wellbeing and there are at least four volunteers involved.
St Neots Town Council has a Grant Aid scheme for constituted community groups that benefit the town. It is also running an additional (temporary) grants scheme to give reduced hire fees for six months for new community and commercial activities using the Priory Centre.
There are lots of other funding sources for community and voluntary projects. Find out more at the Support Cambridgeshire website.
