Red Nose Day: £50k cash pot launches for YOUR Leeds community projects

Comic Relief has teamed up with the Leeds Community Foundation (LCF) for the YEP-backed giveaway and small organisations can now apply for a slice of the Comic Relief Community Cash Grants fund.

Projects which aim to do great work and help local people living tough lives in Leeds could receive a cash boost of £500 to £1,000 from the funding scheme.

The initiative is being launched as selfless children, teachers, businesses and organisations are turning on the laughter and taking part in a range of fundraising activities today for Comic Relief’s annual Red Nose Day appeal.

Sally-Anne Greenfield from Leeds Community Foundation, which will manage the fund on behalf of Comic Relief, said: “These small grants really do transform the fortunes of the local organisations they benefit.

“There are so many groups in Leeds which are a vital resource for the community and do a massive amount on very little money.

“These new Comic Relief Community Cash grants will provide a welcome boost.”

Groups in the city that benefitted from a Comic Relief Community Cash grant in the last round of funding include DJ School, West Leeds Juniors Football Club, Opportunities Inspiring Learning (OIL) and the Hunslet Initiative.

Gilly Green, head of UK grants said: “The Comic Relief Community Cash initiative is extremely important to Comic Relief and enables us to help more than 1,000 smaller projects all across the UK.

“The grants can be used for a wide variety of needs, from equipment for disability sports clubs, to activities bringing communities together, to specialist training for volunteers providing essential support.

“We encourage any community group or project who are in need of some extra funding to apply for the grant through their local community foundation.”

Fundraisers in Leeds are being joined by millions across the country today, donning the famous plastic noses for Red Nose Day.

The annual appeal will culminate tonight when a bumper line-up of comedians, entertainers and celebrities take to the stage in aid of charity.

This year’s TV broadcast will feature comedians Joe Lycett and Sir Lenny Henry, and chart-topping singer Ed Sheeran.

They will be among a series of acts to take to the stage in London for the TV marathon including comic favourites Miranda Hart, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Warwick Davis and Jonathan Ross.

Coverage of Red Nose Day’s mammoth evening of live comedy, sketches, music moments and fundraising films will be broadcast live on BBC One from 7pm.

Applications are open now for the Comic Relief Community Cash scheme.

Interested groups can apply for a funding boost on the LCF’s website, by visiting www.leedscf.org.uk/community-cash-grant-scheme.