Rubbing shoulders with royalty in Devon

The Prince of Wales visited Devon earlier this month to launch a new community fund that will help residents of the aptly named Princetown village turn their ideas into practical projects.

Prince William unveiled the £250,000 Princetown Community Grants Fund alongside the team from Devon Communities Together, who will work with both residents and businesses to ensure the money supports local good causes.

Nora Corkery, CEO of Devon Communities Together, said: “Prince William was very engaged with the vision of the fund and talked passionately about how excited he is to hear about the ideas people have and the impact it will make in the area.

“Whether people have a fully formed project, or just the start of an idea which will help the community to thrive, our experienced team will work alongside them to develop ideas and applications that could make a real difference.”

The fund has been created by the Duchy of Cornwall, and follows conversations with residents, community groups and local partners about what people want for the future of Princetown.

Small grants between £500 and £5,999 will be available to help maintain existing projects in the village, while larger grants up to the value of £40,000 will be reserved for those initiatives able to provide a significant community-wide benefit.

Nicola Gurr, Chair of Devon Communities Together, said: “As the Rural Community Council of Devon, our vision is for Devon’s rural, coastal and market town communities to be thriving, sustainable and inclusive places to live and work.

“Listening to community voices and making funding available for community-led change is key to making this vision a reality.”

Find out more at www.devoncommunities.org.uk.