Citizen Local Fund

With Round 2 now open, we wanted to share a quick round-up of what happened in Round 1 and celebrate the brilliant ideas that came from our communities!

We received 41 inspiring applications from customers and community groups across our neighbourhoods. Over four weeks, our Engagement Team carefully looked at each one. Then, the ideas were passed to our Customer Assurance Committee — a group of Citizen customers who help us make fair and thoughtful decisions.

Together, we chose 18 fantastic projects to support or part-fund. Many of these are already up and running, making a real difference in their communities. 🙌

With £50,000 available across two rounds, Round 1 showed just how much creativity, care and community spirit there is in our neighbourhoods. We’re so proud of everyone who took part — and we can’t wait to see what Round 2 brings!

Across our communities, passionate people are working hard to bring others together, offer support, and make a real difference. Whether it’s through cooking sessions, social clubs, or wellbeing activities, these projects are helping to build stronger, kinder neighbourhoods and Citizen Local Fund is proud to be part of it.

Here are just a few quotes from the people involved, showing the impact these projects are having:

🍽️ Wood End and Bell Green Breakfast & Lunch Club – Diane’s Story

“It was truly a heart-warming experience.”
“Just small things that I hope can make someone’s day a little easier.”
“I’m so grateful to be actively involved in my local community and to support those who need it most.”
“Why not make the project bigger—like opening a community hub or a food bank for single men like us?”

👩‍🍳 The Gateway Charity Cooking Group

“The Gateway cooking group has opened doors for me to experiment with new cooking ideas. I cook more often and the meals taste great.”
“This course empowers individuals by giving them practical skills, making the most of limited ingredients.”
“These sessions have sparked my creativity and confidence in the kitchen.”
“We learn together as a group in a supportive environment.”
“These sessions help us avoid food waste, improve food hygiene, and have a lasting impact on wellbeing.”
“I wasn’t able to attend the session, but I used the recipe and easy steps to make a healthy meal for my family. It was delicious!”

💛 NICE Charity

“Your support meant our adults, who are often facing challenges at home and in daily life, had a lovely afternoon, meeting friends and having a good time.”

🎤 Vanny Fest 2025 – Coventry

“It was more than a festival — it was a celebration of community.”
“The weather was a bit challenging, but the local community did not give up.”

These quotes are just a glimpse of the amazing work happening across our communities. We’re proud to support these projects and the people behind them as they continue to make a difference every day.

We’re really proud to share a lovely thank-you message we received from The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and the Royal Orthopaedic Charity.

This project was awarded funding in the last round of the Citizen Local Fund, to help them buy new chairs for their Admissions and Day Case Unit (ADCU).

Thanks to this donation, the hospital was able to replace old chairs with new, comfy and modern ones. This has made a big difference to patients waiting for treatment, helping them feel more comfortable. Staff and patients have said lots of positive things about the changes.

You can read more about how this has helped on their website: ADCU Chairs Project

The hospital is now planning more projects to help patients in 2025. They’ve asked for advice on how to apply for support again, and we’re happy to help. 🤝

It’s great to see how our funding can help people. We’re really pleased to support such an important cause!

Before the opening round of the Citizen Local Fund, the Engagement team wanted to support our applicants as much as possible. We know that some people applying may never have done this before, so we offered help to make sure every project – big or small – has the best chance of getting funding.

We learnt from previous rounds and from the feedback in our Citizen Local Fund survey that more support was needed. So, we worked on making tutorial videos 🎥 with helpful hints and tips 💡 to guide you through the application process. We also offered support with filling in the application form.

We’re really pleased to share some fantastic feedback from one of our applicants:

It’s wonderful to know the support is making a difference.

If you haven’t applied yet, don’t forget – the deadline to apply for the Citizen Local Fund is 5pm on 23rd May 2025. There’s still time! ⏰

👩‍💻We have created some short videos to run through the application form; discussing Top Tips, clarity around questions, and overall support when applying for CLF. Please check them out if you require any additional support. Don't forget- If you have any questions or you need support in the application process, please email the team: engagement@citizenhousing.org.uk

CLF Application Support- Introduction

CLF Application Support- Pre Application Checklist

CLF Application Support- My Details

CLF Application Support- About your Project

CLF Application Support- How Much

🎥 Citizen Local Fund Facebook Live Recap 🎥

On 3rd April 2025, our amazing team members, Vicki and Jamie from the Engagement Team, went live on Facebook to talk all about the Citizen Local Fund! 💡💰

Citizen Local Fund | Live talk with Vicki and Jamie to discuss Citizen Local Fund | By Citizen | Facebook

We understand that applying for funding can feel overwhelming, but don't worry – our goal is to ensure everyone feels supported throughout the process. Whether you're a first-time applicant or you're looking for some extra guidance, we’re here to provide all the tools and information you need to submit a successful project application. 📝✨

👉 Watch the full video to hear directly from Vicki and Jamie as they walk you through the fund's purpose, how to apply, and answer some common questions. Plus, they’re sharing valuable tips to help you complete your application smoothly and increase your chances of success! 🔑💪

If you still have questions after watching, we’ve got your back! Feel free to drop us an email at engagement@citizen.org.uk – we’re happy to help you every step of the way! 😊💬

Together, we can make your project a reality! 🚀

A Safe and Friendly Place for Everyone

Since 2022, our group, Eglise Armée des Vainqueurs (Church Army of the Victorious), has been running a project to help people who feel lonely or are struggling with their wellbeing. We want everyone to feel safe, welcome, and supported.

Thanks to funding from the Citizen Local Fund, we’ve been able to offer drinks and snacks at every session. This means people can relax, chat, and take part without worrying about being hungry. We support many people, including parents of children with additional needs, by giving them helpful information and showing them where to get more support.

The best part of this project has been watching people grow in confidence, especially those over 60. It’s been amazing to see them making new friends and smiling more.

We’ve also helped people who speak little or no English. We assist them with filling in forms, applying for benefits, and understanding important information. Our space is warm and welcoming, where people can meet others, share their stories, and feel part of the community.

One lovely story is about a man who was walking past our building. He saw people inside and wanted to know what was happening. He decided to come in—and he was greeted with a big smile and open arms. He felt so welcome that he came back the next week, and he’s been coming ever since!

Looking ahead, we hope to keep going by finding more funding and building strong partnerships. This project has made a real difference. It has helped reduce loneliness and shown people where to find help with their mental health. We are proud to be part of a stronger, more connected community.

Canley Community Church - Inspiring Women Events:

Canley Community Church received funding from the first round of the Citizen Local Fund 2024 to create the Inspiring Women Events, with three events planned between June 2024 and May 2025. These events aim to raise awareness of the fantastic work happening in the community and encourage more women to get involved.

The Engagement Team was fortunate to attend one of these events, and we were truly inspired by the experience.

It was an uplifting day, celebrating and empowering women in the community. Each guest received a goody bag and positive affirmations, while the event organiser spoke about the importance of supporting each other and promoting community wellbeing.

The events will offer a range of activities led by local women, including cultural and social events, talks, creative workshops, and activities like knitting, crochet, and more. They will provide women with the chance to learn new skills, form new friendships, and strengthen community connections.

We will also introduce women to volunteering opportunities and local support services, all aimed at making Canley an even better place to live through active community involvement.

It was a wonderful opportunity to see how the Citizen Local Fund is helping projects like this come to life.

Adullam Social Enterprise

*Click the link above to see more photos

When we received a Citizen Local Fund application from the Hillfields People Project, we were excited to find out more about the fantastic work they have been doing in their local community.

As part of their application, the local Charity (located in the Hillfields area of Coventry) described the project as “ ..a person-centred bespoke programme of barrier breaking, life skills support, and advice and guidance activities for disadvantaged young people and adults living in Hillfields.”

We were delighted to approve their application and become part of what has been &, continues to be, a very successful and invaluable project.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Hillz FM studio, to meet the students who successfully completed the ‘Introduction to Radio Broadcasting’ course.

As it was their last day, there was a mixture of emotions. The students expressed the sadness of having to part with the friends they had just made but overall, they displayed extreme happiness to have experienced such a fantastic opportunity; with hopes of a bright future in radio! Judging by the feedback from the students, the project has been invaluable to each of them in their own individual way.

The students accepted their certificates with great pride!

https://www.hillzfm.co.uk/radiotraining/