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23 May 2024

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has launched a new grants scheme to support the Voluntary and Community Sector to deliver arts and culture activities for local communities in West Northants.
Grants of up to £5,000, are available for arts and culture projects or services that address an identified local need and support, enable or facilitate the achievement of one or more of the Council's strategic aims, objectives or priorities.
To be eligible to apply for this new grant scheme organisations must operate or be prepared to operate within the geographical area of West Northamptonshire and meet two or more of the following requirements:
- Providing ongoing arts or culture activities for the local community
- Improving the well-being of vulnerable people
- Increasing the number of people accessing arts and culture
- Increasing the number of visitors to West Northamptonshire
- Increasing levels of physical activity through the use of arts and culture activities
The funding is available for new or existing projects and is open to all Voluntary and Community Sector organisations, however priority for funding will be given to those who work with:
- Young people aged 0-16
- Care leavers
- Carers
- Foster carers or adopters
- Older people
- People with disabilities
- People with mental health issues
- People from diverse communities
“West Northants has a rich art and culture offering and we are thrilled to invite our local Voluntary and Community Sector organisations to apply for this funding to support their creative and cultural activities that engage and benefit our residents and communities.Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture & Leisure“This funding could be used for projects such as music events and festivals, and creative activities such as exhibitions, workshops, performances and more.
“I encourage all interested organisations to get in touch and submit an application before the deadline.”
Applications for this round of funding should be submitted before 5pm on Wednesday 26 June 2024.
Interested organisations can find out more and view the evaluation criteria on the WNC website and in the Council’s Community Funding Grants Framework. For an application form and guidance please email [email protected].
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23 May 2024

A documentary film sharing real life stories of homelessness and recovery in Northampton has been created alongside a Virtual Reality experience enabling people to see rough sleeping through the eyes of people with a lived experience.
Streets of Change aims to raise awareness of homelessness by following people’s journey from sleeping on the streets to recovery and signposting to the support available for those who find themselves in a housing crisis.
Film makers One to One Development Trust have been working closely with West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) Outreach Team to document their work supporting people who are homeless, sleeping rough or struggling with addiction.
Each day the Outreach Team, alongside colleagues from Change, Grow, Live, check up on rough sleepers in the town and help support with their specific needs with the aim of helping them to integrate back into the community.
Judi Alston, Film Director of One to One Development Trust has been talking to people who are sleeping rough, living in in temporary accommodation and the workers that support them. She said: “There are a lot of preconceptions about people who are homeless. This project aims to address some of those stereotypes and bring more awareness to the stories of those affected by showing the importance of agencies working together to support this growing societal problem.”
Homelessness is an escalating problem across the UK. In January 2024 there were 92 known people who were homeless in West Northamptonshire, and the numbers are rising with up to 5 new referrals every day. Mortality rates for the homeless are on average 30 years less than the national average according to national homeless charity Crisis.
WNC works closely with many partner agencies including Northampton Hope Centre and Midland Heart as well as many dedicated voluntary groups, to support people in need.
“Eradicating homelessness is a top priority for the Council and we are committed to working with partners to take a preventative approach when it comes to homelessness and rough sleeping.Cllr Adam Brown, Leader of WNC“Our Outreach Team already deliver exceptional work to support our most vulnerable residents including daily checks to ensure they are safe and well and signposting to support services for their individual needs.
“This documentary film is testament to this work which has resulted in people moving off the streets and into secure accommodation where they have an opportunity to start fresh and live safely and well.”
In addition to the documentary film, the One to One Development Trust have also produced an immersive Virtual Reality experience to give an insight into what it is like to be alone and homeless on the street at night. The Virtual Reality scene uses poetry and artwork created by people who are homeless to bring together an evocative experience that can be used in education and for awareness-raising.
The documentary film and Virtual Reality experience will be launched in May, followed by a regional, and national tour of screenings at Film Festivals and events. People can view the documentary trailer here.
To find out more about the council’s homelessness provision or if you are concerned about someone who is rough sleeping, please visit the WNC website.
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24 May 2024

West Northamptonshire Council is inviting residents to share their views on the development of a local Healthwatch service.
Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion for people who use health and social care services in the local area. Its job is to ensure local voices are heard and people’s views and experiences are used to improve existing services and to help shape services. Where issues are identified, Healthwatch will ensure that the NHS, local authorities and other decision makers listen and use feedback to improve local health and care services.
Healthwatch’s role includes gathering residents' opinions on their experiences with healthcare and social care services, identifying areas needing improvement, and working with authorities to implement changes.
Currently, our Healthwatch service operates across North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. This model has been in place since 2013 and its current contract ends 31 March 2025.
From April 2025, West Northamptonshire Council will commission its own local Healthwatch to represent the residents of West Northamptonshire, providing a more localised service.
To help with this, the Council are seeking resident views to help develop a new Healthwatch service tailored to the specific needs of West Northamptonshire. The council aims to create a service that truly reflects the local community's requirements.
By engaging in the survey, residents can help shape a Healthwatch that is representative of the local context, which will support in better health outcomes and service delivery in West Northamptonshire.
Residents can participate in the survey, which is open until June 16, 2024.
For more information and to participate in the survey, visit the West Northamptonshire Council's Citizen Space page.
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24 May 2024

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) joined forces with the Oxford to Cambridge pan-Regional Partnership at the UK’s Real Estate, Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) this week.
Held in Leeds from 21 to 23 May, with over 13,000 delegates attending from across the UK and internationally, the conference focuses on connecting investors and developers with local places.
WNC’s purpose for attending UKREiiF included promoting West Northamptonshire as an area for investment, to raise the profile of the place and the local offer, to collaborate with wider areas and partners, as well as to promote investible opportunities available through live and upcoming regeneration schemes, including the Greyfriars masterplan in Northampton town centre. The Council was inundated with meetings and discussions across the forum discussing the benefits of investing in the local area.
In order to capitalise on the volume of potential investors at the forum, WNC hosted a panel event on fast-paced research and development and revolution in skills, providing a deep dive into the robust capabilities across West Northants and the wider region including the cluster of skills and abilities.
The panel was attended by many interested parties to hear how they can invest in this area and heard from WNC’s Assistant Director of Place-Shaping, the Head of Sustainable Investment & Partnerships at Prologis, the Head of Business Sustainability & Partnerships at Silverstone Circuit and the Director of the Arc Universities Group. WNC offered panel attendees bespoke and custom-made chocolate formula 1 helmets, created by local chocolatier Racing Chocs.
“We are thrilled to have been a part of UKREiiF this year, showcasing what West Northants has to offer, including why our area is so attractive for investment and how the public and private sector are collaborating to develop a thriving place that will achieve an inclusive and sustainable economy.Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture & Leisure“West Northants is home to high-tech innovation, multi-million-pound regeneration and advanced infrastructure as well as being the logistics powerhouse of the UK, all of these things make it the perfect place for investors and businesses to prosper.
“It was fantastic to be part of the Oxford-Cambridge pavilion where we showcased the great assets and opportunities within West Northamptonshire to a national and international audience, raising our profile as a destination of excellence for business and investment.”
“It’s abundantly clear that West Northamptonshire has a bright future. Using UKREiiF as a platform to champion their ambitions, there was a great deal of interest from investors who want to be involved in West Northamptonshire’s growth story.Dr Richard Hutchins, Managing Director of the Oxford-Cambridge pan-Regional Partnership“We were delighted to work with the highly professional economic development team to present the business and development opportunities as we continue to profile the Oxford to Cambridge region as a science and innovation superpower.”
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24 May 2024

E-scooter users in Northamptonshire are being urged to stick to the road and stay off the pavement when riding e-scooters.
Northamptonshire Police, West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire Councils and scooter operator Voi are joining forces to remind riders of the rules.
Rental e-scooters, such as those operated by Voi, can only be ridden on roads, cycle paths or shared use cycle/foot ways designed for use by bikes/scooters and pedestrians. They should never be ridden on pavements.
Shared use cycle/foot ways are marked by blue circular signs with the symbol for a bike and pedestrians (an adult holding a child’s hand) in white. They sometimes, but not always, have a white line down the middle to segregate the path and they may have the cycle and pedestrian symbol painted in white on them.
It is illegal to ride private e-scooters on any public land in the UK.
Voi e-scooters can be parked on pavements, except for in no riding or no parking zones, but they should be wheeled on and off the pavement at the start and end of the journey.
Voi will take action against users who ride on the pavement with a three strike policy which can ultimately result in a lifetime ban.
Pavement riding by Voi riders can be reported by filling in an online form on report.voi.com or emailing [email protected] with details including date, time, exact location and if possible the scooter’s four-digit registration number.
Northampton Police advise anyone who spots a private e-scooter being ridden to call them on 101 or report it online at www.northants.police.uk/ro. If caught, people risk a fine and having their e-scooters seized.
“We are committed to working with our partners to ensure that the e-scooter scheme is safe for all.Cllr Phil Larratt, Highways & Transport“Riding an e-scooter on the pavement is illegal and dangerous, and can cause significant consequences. We would like to remind all e-scooter riders to follow the rules on the road to help keep everyone safe.”
“Riding an e-scooter on the pavement can be exceptionally dangerous and that’s why it’s illegal to do so.Matt O’Connell, Safer Roads Team Manager for Northamptonshire Police“An e-scooter is a motorised vehicle and if one came into contact with a pedestrian, it could have serious, or even fatal, consequences.
“Please respect the rules of the road and your fellow road-users when riding an e-scooter by leaving the pavement for pedestrian use only.”
“Flagrant disregard for others by riding scooters on pavements is just not acceptable and I’d encourage residents to report this anti-social behaviour by contacting Voi. Sanctions will be taken against serial offenders.Cllr Matt Binley, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Highways, Travel and Assets“Since e-scooters were introduced in North Northants, we have always worked hard with Northants Police and Voi to ensure that riders are aware of where scooters are permitted and we will continue to do so.”
“The vast majority of our users follow the rules and don’t ride on the pavement, but stick to the road, cycle paths or shared use cycle/foot ways for safe riding."James Bolton, general manager for Voi UK“E-scooters are a great way to get around - they’re safe, affordable and sustainable - but we don’t want our riders to cause an inconvenience to other members of the community."
“We would urge all riders to be considerate to other people, especially pedestrians and stay off the pavement when riding.”
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