More than £83,000 awarded to community projects helping make Wiltshire and Swindon safer

More than £83,000 has been awarded to voluntary and community groups across Wiltshire and Swindon through the latest round of the Police and Crime Commissioner's Community Action Fund. 

Delivered by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) in partnership with Wiltshire & Swindon Community Foundation, the fund provides grants of up to £5,000 to projects that help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, reduce violence and serious harm, support victims and improve community safety. 

This year's funding will support a range of community led initiatives that align with the priorities set out in the Police and Crime Commissioner's Police and Crime Plan, helping local organisations deliver practical solutions to challenges facing communities across Wiltshire and Swindon. 

The successful organisations receiving funding are: 

Bath Rugby Foundation - £5,000 

Bath Rugby Foundation is the charitable arm of Bath Rugby and provides social, emotional and practical support for children and young people facing the greatest barriers, through education, inclusion and targeted interventions.  Funding is towards the cost of the Engage programme in Trowbridge, with early intervention for at risk young people aged 9-13. 

IPSUM - £4,884 

IPSUM is a mental health charity offering 1-to-1 counselling and group art therapy with qualified therapists.  Funding is toward the costs of increasing capacity to support female and LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic abuse. 

Motoyouth - £4,550 

Motoyouth is a small Swindon based community group offering workshops around safe enjoyment of vehicles such as motorbikes, mopeds and go karts for young people aged 13-18 who are engaged in or at risk of anti-social behaviour involving vehicles. Funding will contribute to the costs of running seven two-day workshops during the school holidays from Easter to October 2027 for up to two young people per session. 

The RISE Trust - £5,000 

The RISE Trust runs a Community Hub in Chippenham offering support to families and young people including baby and toddler sessions, a pre-school, primary school parent advisor and mentoring, advice and signposting and a team providing detached and club based youthwork in several North Wiltshire towns. Funding is towards the costs of increasing their detached youthwork in Corsham by two sessions per week. 

Waste Not Want Not - £5,000 

Waste Not Want Not provides affordable furniture and household goods to people living on a low income. Goods for victims of domestic violence are provided free of charge. The grant will support the Fresh Start Scheme, providing free essential household items to families seeking to rebuild their lives after extreme circumstances. 

WAY UK - £5,000 

WAY UK is a Swindon based, young person led project providing mentoring, community support and opportunities to influence local decision making for ages 10 to 25. Funding is towards their music based mentoring offer enabling them to work with 10 young people engaged in or at risk of criminal activity through 12 weeks of 1-to-1 mentoring. 

Kandu Community Arts Project CIC - £5,000 

Kandu Community Arts Projects CIC runs a SHOP in Chippenham town centre for drop-in community activities as well as a programme of youth engagement for vulnerable young people.  Funding is towards their football project for young people and football tournament in partnership with the emergency services and two other charities. 

Developing Health and Independence (DHI) - £4,610 

DHI is based in Bath and provides support around housing, homelessness, mental health, employment and skills and drug and alcohol recovery.  They have been working in Wiltshire since 2002.  Funding is for Wiltshire Connect, a substance misuse service for young people aged 11-18, to provide a two day residential diversionary trip as part of their recovery. 

Seeds4Success - £4,000 

Seeds4Success is a youth work charity which provides opportunities for young people living in rural South Wiltshire with a focus on those at risk of becoming not in education, employment or training. Funding is towards core costs for their programme of youth activities and support. 

Wiltshire Area Youth Service (WAYS, formerly Westbury & Warminster Youth Club) - £5,000 

WAYS provides open access youth clubs in Westbury and Warminster as well as detached youthwork and mentoring.  Funding is towards one detached youthwork session per week in Westbury. 

Trowbridge Future - £5,000 

Trowbridge Future helps the residents of the three most deprived wards in Trowbridge engage with services, access support and building community. Funding is towards the cost of a new project to engage hidden communities in Trowbridge and signpost to sources of support through their established Community Hub.  This is with the aim of reducing both anti-social behaviour and the vulnerability of individuals. 

Morning Star - £5,000 

Morning Star is a Salisbury based charity that runs a Recovery Centre, supporting people experiencing poverty and those recovery from addictions.  This provides positive activities and community connections as well as a more formal Life Recovery Course. Funding is towards their core costs. 

Wiltshire Museum (with Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living) - £5,000 

Wiltshire Museum seeks to educate the public on the archaeology, art history and natural history of Wiltshire and through their Community Curator also engages groups such as vulnerable young people and domestic abuse survivors.  Funding is towards their project in partnership with Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living working with domestic abuse survivors to boost confidence and community connections as part of their recovery. 

FearFree - £5,000 

FearFree in Wiltshire brings together services for victims of Domestic Abuse and their families, providing a full range of services with a single, easy to use access point.  Funding is towards The No Fear Here Club Champion project to establish a network of trained volunteers in Football Clubs across Wiltshire and Swindon to raise awareness of DA and provide a point of contact for signposting to support. 

Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust - £5,000 

The Bobby Van Trust is committed to improving the safety, security, and wellbeing of people throughout Wiltshire and Swindon. Application is for core running costs. 

Shine Pinehurst - £5,000 

SHINE Pinehurst is a community youth project in Swindon working in an area facing multiple challenges.  Funding is towards core running costs to help maintain their range of services. 

Previous rounds of funding have helped deliver a wide range of initiatives across the county, including projects supporting victims of domestic abuse, people experiencing social isolation and homelessness, and programmes providing positive opportunities and mentoring for young people. 

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: "I am delighted to see more than £83,000 being invested into local organisations that are making a real difference in communities across Wiltshire and Swindon. 

"Our voluntary and community sector plays a crucial role in supporting vulnerable people, preventing crime and creating safer, stronger communities. These organisations understand the needs of the people they work with and are often best placed to deliver meaningful and lasting change. 

"The Community Action Fund allows us to invest directly in projects that support the priorities in my Police and Crime Plan and help address the issues that matter most to local residents. I look forward to seeing the positive impact these projects have over the coming months." 

Wiltshire & Swindon Community Foundation’s Joint Chief Executive, Fiona Oliver, said: “Safer communities are built in many different ways, and the range of projects supported through this fund really demonstrates that. From giving young people positive opportunities to helping people affected by domestic abuse, these organisations are tackling challenges in ways that reflect the needs of their communities. 

“We’re pleased to continue our partnership with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, helping to get funding to local organisations whose knowledge, experience and connections make them so important to the communities they serve.” 

The Police and Crime Commissioner's Community Action Fund is financed through money recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act and from unclaimed property, ensuring that funds are reinvested into initiatives that help make Wiltshire and Swindon safer for everyone. 

For more information about the Community Action Fund, visit the Wiltshire & Swindon Community Foundation website.

Tuesday 3 November 2026