18.07.2023

First successful applicants receive funds from Durkan Homes to support community initiatives

A food pantry group, a local primary school and a community festival are all among the first successful applicants to receive community funding from Durkan Homes, a leading regional housebuilder developing a number of sites in Hertfordshire.

Durkan’s Community Fund, which opened to applications earlier this year, has chosen the three applicants, who will all now receive funding towards their local initiatives:

• The Hertford Pantry is a collaboration of organisations and individuals which aims to reduce food waste and support local Hertford residents with good quality free food.
• Durkan’s funding enables the group to provide lunch bags for families over the six week summer holiday, when access to free school meals isn’t available.
• Hoovesfest is a one day festival of music, sport food and more, designed to spread awareness of Therapeutic Hooves, a non-profit organisaton, that provides support for young people and adults with additional needs and life limiting illness.
• Durkan’s funding is for sponsorship of the main stage at the event, to bring the festival to as many local people as possible.
• St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School, located in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, aims to ensure all children are recognised as unique individuals with unique needs and are helped to develop their skills and talents to the best of their ability.
• Durkan’s funding supported the school’s programme of regeneration including landscaping to the front of the school, a new turf area for the nursery, a painted road track in the playground and new bike sheds.

The programme offers financial support to eligible applicants in Hertfordshire who are delivering work or specific projects that benefit their local communities.

Bill Beyzade, Managing Director of Housebuilding at Durkan Homes, said: “We’re doing lots of work in Hertfordshire and are really proud to have selected three great applicants to receive funding as part of our community fund programme. The Hertford Pantry, Hoovesfest and St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School are each playing an important role and supporting them is one way in which we can help shape and improve local communities which goes beyond our core activity of providing new high-quality homes.

Shelly, volunteer at The Hertford Pantry said: “The Hertford Pantry are delighted to receive the community grant from Durkan Homes. This will enable us to provide much needed lunch bags to some of the most vulnerable families we support during the school summer holidays. We would like to offer our sincere thanks for this generous grant.”

Paul, Owner of Therapeutic Hooves said: “Without the amazing generosity of Durkan homes supporting our fundraising festival Hoovesfest, we wouldn’t have been able to provide the local community with an incredible main stage which helped create a focal point for our successful fundraising drive. The funds raised will help us to continue to support children, teens and adults across Hertfordshire with additional needs and life limiting illnesses.”

Mairead Waugh, Headteacher at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School said: “We are extremely grateful to Durkan for their generosity. The additional funds mean that our nursery children will have an amazing new playground. Our older children are loving the new road track on the playground which is in constant use during our playtimes. It has made such a difference.”

 The fund remains open for applications and is part of an ongoing commitment from Durkan Homes to support local charities, organisations and not-for-profit groups. In the future, Durkan is looking to expand the scheme beyond Hertfordshire.

Beyzade continues: “Through our community fund, we can help organisations access funding that will ensure local initiatives make a difference to individuals and groups within the community. From education and sports, to society and nature, we’re interested in supporting a range of good causes. So if you think we can help you, please read our information online and find out how to apply.”

To learn more about the eligibility criteria and how to apply, interested parties should visit Durkan’s website: https://www.durkan.co.uk/community-fund/.