Do you have a project that could benefit from a grant from the fund set up to mark the 550th anniversary of the birth of Ipswich's Thomas Wolsey?

The Thomas Wolsey 550 project has launched a £30,000 Community Grants programme, to fund a wide variety of projects which will benefit communities in Ipswich.

Applications for £1,000 - £3,000 are open from now until June 30 to voluntary and community groups, charities, social enterprises, and Community Interest Companies to help them to deliver projects, activities or events.

The grants scheme is part of an 18-month public engagement programme celebrating the 550th anniversary of the birth of Cardinal Wolsey in Ipswich, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to help increase social mobility and help build a sense of pride in our town.

Terry Hunt, Chair of the Thomas Wolsey 550 project board said: “We are really excited to launch this Community Grants programme for Ipswich at an important juncture in the development of the town.

Ipswich Star: Alyson Tipping and Richard Brame at the launch of the community fund.Alyson Tipping and Richard Brame at the launch of the community fund. (Image: Thomas Wolsey 550 Project)

Alyson Tipping, Programme Manager for the Thomas Wolsey 550 project said: “The primary objective of our funder, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, is to ensure that a wider range of people are involved in heritage, so Community Grants applications will need to meet that objective in some way

Assessment will be made by a decision-making panel using a fair scoring process. The decision panel will represent our audiences and Ipswich communities, and include young people, representatives of the Project Board, and our project stakeholders.

Details can about applications are available from Sheila Roberts at Ipswich Central.

Richard Brame from Willis Tower Watson said: “We are really excited to support the promotion and delivery of the TW550 Community Grants scheme in the role of Community Sponsor.

"Our building has been an important part of Ipswich’s heritage since the 1970s, and we wholeheartedly believe in supporting local enterprise in Ipswich to help improve and strengthen the community in which we work.”