Could your good cause benefit from a KCOM Community Grant?

If you run a charity or group that helps to improve life for people living in Hull and East Yorkshire, now is the time to apply for a KCOM Community Grant.

The Hull-based IT and communications company recently relaunched its grants scheme to allow the public to vote for which groups will win one of three quarterly grants worth up to £1,000.

Brendon Smurthwaite, KCOM’s community coordinator, said: “Our relaunched Community Grants Scheme proved incredibly popular when we opened the voting up to the public earlier this year, with nearly 50 applications and 1,600 votes to pick the final three lucky winners.

“Now, we’re doing it all again with our second round of grants of the year – and we’d love to hear from any groups, clubs or charities who think they deserve to win £1,000.

“Anyone can apply, the main criteria is that you must be a group that enriches life in the KCOM region and makes a real difference to people’s lives.”

The window for a new round of grants has now opened and groups have until Friday, 2 August, to get their bids in.

Brendon, said: “We’d like to see as many groups as possible getting involved by telling us what they do and why they deserve to receive £1,000.

“As a company that’s been at the heart of Hull and East Yorkshire since 1904 we want to see the region and its communities thriving.

“So, whether you need equipment for a local club or funding to provide services that benefit your area, we want to hear from you to see how we could help.”

A panel of KCOM employees will choose a shortlist of six groups, with the three eventual winners then picked by an online public vote.

The three charities who claimed the first grants chosen by the public were: The Special Stars Foundation, which helps youngsters with disabilities, Bundles of Joy, which provides baby equipment for families in need, and The Friends of Westcott, which is using the money to buy guided reading books for the east Hull primary school.

Each year KCOM employees spend more than 1,500 hours volunteering as part of its community activities. It also invests around £100,000 in community initiatives each year, giving donations, time and fundraising support to around 150 different organisations across the region.

To find out more and to apply for a KCOM Community Grant click here