- Bringing worthy projects to life through local donations and crowdfunding
- Almost £85,000 raised for initiatives that make a difference to local people
- More than £130,000 still available thanks to the government’s Community Recovery Fund
Tamworth Borough Council is inviting charities, groups and voluntary organisations looking to make a difference in their communities to explore a new funding opportunity as part of the We Are Tamworth crowdfunding programme.
Delivered by Tamworth Borough Council in partnership with Spacehive, We Are Tamworth was set up to support community-led initiatives that bring people together and have a positive impact on the town.
It offers groups the chance to access the cash they need to turn an idea into reality through a combination of donations from the community and grants of up to £10,000 from the council.
Tamworth Borough Council allocated a total of £165,000 (taken from the £600,000 given to the town from the government’s Community Recovery Fund) to be distributed via Spacehive to projects with demonstrable support from the community.
Since launching in 2025, nine projects have been fully funded through We Are Tamworth, raising a combined total of £84,491 on the Spacehive platform.
This was made up of £31,235 in grants from Tamworth Borough Council and £53,156 from 380 local supporters, keen to help vital initiatives that benefit their community.
Projects included free football sessions for young people, radio broadcasting training, relationship education workshops for young women, arts and wellbeing projects supporting neurodiverse residents, a community choir, a new arts festival for the town and more support for hygiene poverty.
Two more projects are currently live on the platform, seeking funds. And at the start of July, the programme opens again to new applications. Interested charities and community groups will be invited to join an online workshop with Spacehive on July 7 to learn more about who might be eligible and how to get their project live on the crowdfunding platform.
To book a place for the workshop, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/we-are-tamworth-project-creator-workshop-tickets-1991920587097?aff=oddtdtcreator
Stephen Gabriel, Chief Executive of Tamworth Borough Council, said: “This is a great example of the council and community working together to improve the town. Local people are best placed to know what their neighbourhoods need and crowdfunding is a good way to set up projects built and supported by the community, for those who will benefit the most.
“The money raised so far has already made a real difference to the lives of Tamworth people, creating new opportunities and bringing communities together.
“We want to do more of the same. The council still has over £130,000 to award to projects, in addition to pledges made by residents through the crowdfunding. I’d encourage anyone with an idea to improve lives locally to look out for the online session at the start of July.”
The crowdfunding programme is part of the new We Are Tamworth: Building Better Communities strategy, created after the council was awarded £600,000 from the Government’s Community Recovery Fund to strengthen communities, trust and pride.
To help turn ideas into action, £165,000 was allocated to the Spacehive programme, made up of £90,000 to award to revenue projects and £75,000 for capital works. The council can contribute up to £5,000 per revenue project (capped at 50% of the campaign target), and up to £10,000 per capital project (capped at 50% of the campaign target) subject to funding criteria and project eligibility.
Where projects require both capital and revenue, up to £15,000 can be pledged by the council, capped at 65% of the campaign target. Additional funding of up to £5,000 can also be awarded from the Community Infrastructure Levy for projects that improve, maintain or replace infrastructure in Tamworth.
Projects must first demonstrate local support by securing at least 20 backers (with minimum donations of £2 each) before becoming eligible for council pledge funding. Council funds are only transferred once a project reaches its fundraising target.
To find out more about the We Are Tamworth programme visit www.spacehive.com/movement/tamworth/about
Notes:
Successful projects to date:
Motivations raised £11,074, including £3,787 from Tamworth Borough Council, to deliver workshops to help 11-16 year-olds build confidence, resilience and life skills.
Community Kicks raised £13,110, including £5,000 from the council, to deliver 150 football sessions for at least 50 young people with coaching and mentoring.
Glow Up Strong secured £20,050, including £5,000 from Tamworth Borough Council. The project is helping young people recognise unhealthy relationships and build confidence through educational workshops.
The Art of Tamworth Festival secured £10,905, including £3,844 from the council. This will introduce a new art festival to the town, bringing communities together through art, creativity, workshops and public installations.
Tamworth Community Gospel Choir raised £6,140, including £3,005 from Tamworth Borough Council. This funded a series of sessions for the community combining music, heritage crafts and community celebration.
Radio Tamworth raised £4,835, including a £2,318 grant from the council. This helped local people learn broadcasting skills through free community radio training courses.
The Hygiene Hub Tamworth secured £6,904 including £4,380 from the council. This enabled the hub to hire dedicated premises to hold more items and supply hygiene essentials to more struggling Tamworth families.
Face The World Burton Mind received £8,719, including £2,544 from the council, to run a 16-week drama course to improve well-being and mental health. It culminated in a special performance.
Preserving artwork – £2,652 was raised, including £1,357 from Tamworth Borough Council, to restore the historic Fritz Steller sculptures at Tamworth Library, helping preserve an important piece of our local heritage.