The Grants Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee met to discuss grant funding for community organisations. The committee reviewed and approved recommendations for the fourth round of the Borough of Sanctuary Community Fund, allocating funds to projects supporting refugees and asylum seekers. Additionally, the committee noted the report on the Victory in Europe (VE) Day 80th Anniversary Grant Fund, which had already awarded grants to community organisations for VE Day celebrations.

Wandsworth Borough of Sanctuary Community Fund - Round 4

The committee approved recommendations for the fourth round of the Borough of Sanctuary Community Fund, allocating £49,492 to five organisations. The fund, established in March 2023, supports voluntary sector organisations in delivering projects that help sanctuary seekers feel welcome and supported in the borough.

Aaron Hardy, a council officer, introduced Tatiana Anisimova and Kostya, who have lived experience of being sanctuary seekers, and who assisted with the review of applications.

The committee considered each application individually:

• Afghan and Central Asian Association (ACAA): The application for £10,000 was not approved. The ACAA's project aimed to provide ESOL[^1] and IT classes, community health workshops, and a community event. Concerns were raised that the application was not tailored to Wandsworth, and that the organisation was not aware of the current situation in the borough.

  ...one of the things that flagged concerns for us about this application was that it did not seem to be very tailored towards Wandsworth...there doesn't seem to be a lot of tailoring towards Wandsworth in the application, which is why it's recommended that we don't support this one. [^1]: ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages.

• Ace of Clubs: The application for £8,506 was not approved. Ace of Clubs, a homelessness charity based in Lambeth, sought funding for themed weeks with events relevant to sanctuary seekers. Although 40% of attendees were expected to be Wandsworth residents, the activities would take place in Lambeth. The committee decided that as cross-London grants were available, it would not be appropriate to fund an organisation that was not based in Wandsworth.

• Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS): The application for £9,892 was approved. CARAS proposed a Refugee Week event and the creation of a social media content team comprised of people with lived experience. Councillor Lynsey Hedges, Opposition Spokesperson for Grants, enquired whether there was a limit to the number of grants that could be awarded to an organisation. Mr Hardy clarified that there was no cap, as long as the projects were different and met the criteria. Councillor Jack Mayorcas suggested that the council could learn from the project and potentially adopt it in their work with sanctuary seekers.

• Katherine Low Settlement: The application for £10,000 was approved. The Katherine Low Settlement [^2] sought funding for drop-in advice sessions, including a crèche, for families, youth club members, and new arrivals. [^2]: The Katherine Low Settlement is a community centre in Battersea.

• Power2Connect: The application for £10,000 was approved. Power2Connect [^3] requested funds for digital skills courses for sanctuary seekers with varying levels of English. Councillor Daniel Hamilton, Conservative Councillor, expressed his support for the project, highlighting the lasting skills and legacy it would provide. [^3]: Power2Connect is a Wandsworth-based digital inclusion charity.

  Councillor Mrs. Angela Graham, a Wandsworth Councillor, suggested linking the project with lifelong learning opportunities at the local college to provide an inclusive environment and raise participants' confidence.

• Tooting Community Kitchen: The application for £10,000 was not approved. Tooting Community Kitchen [^4] sought funding for group activities and workshops to support mental health and wellbeing. Kostya raised concerns about ensuring that the guests were actually refugees and not homeless people, as the grants were intended for sanctuary seekers. [^4]: Tooting Community Kitchen is a community organisation that provides food and support to vulnerable people in Tooting.

• Wandsworth Welcomes Refugees (WWR) - Children's Books in Wandsworth Libraries: The application for £9,600 was approved. Wandsworth Welcomes Refugees [^5] proposed to build a collection of resources addressing migration in Wandsworth libraries and organise related events. [^5]: Wandsworth Welcomes Refugees is Wandsworth’s accredited City of Sanctuary organisation.

  Councillor Hamilton suggested including books in foreign languages, particularly Ukrainian, Somali, and Portuguese, to make refugees feel more welcome. Mr Hardy agreed to encourage the organisation to incorporate this suggestion. Councillor Graham suggested connecting with schools, such as Bairdwood School, to promote the resources.

  The committee discussed the timeline for the project, with concerns raised about the feasibility of completing it by December. It was agreed that a more realistic timeline should be considered.

• Wandsworth Welcomes Refugees (WWR) - Establishing Sanctuaries in Wandsworth: The application for £14,800 was partially approved, with £10,000 being awarded. WWR sought funding for a project officer to help deliver their core activities and expand capacity. Tatiana Anisimova commented that while she supported the project, she did not find evidence that it was exceptional, which was a requirement for applications over £10,000. The committee recommended firming up more measurable outcomes for the project.

Victory in Europe (VE) Day 80th Anniversary Grant Fund

Ben Threadgold, Head of Strategic Projects, presented a report on the VE Day 80th Anniversary Grant Fund. The fund was established to support community organisations in arranging events to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day. A total of £4,973 was allocated to nine applicants. Councillor Graham expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative. Councillor Hedges asked about how the events would be advertised. Mr Threadgold explained that the council had been communicating about events across the borough, and that each applicant had been asked to promote their events locally.