Purpose

This report presents an application for funding
under the Council’s Community Funding Programme.  

 

An application to the Community Fund has been
received from 4th Portchester Rainbows for £2,000 towards the
purchase of a silent disco starter set.

 

4th Portchester Rainbows would like
to purchase a silent disco starter set after their positive experience of
hiring a unit at a recent girl guiding event and seeing the benefits to their
members for this equipment. The equipment would be used within the local Guides
groups for fundraising, as well as hiring it out when not in use for a small
charge within the Fareham and Titchfield divisions which in total has 634 child
members. They will also hire out the equipment to the Scout groups in the area
who have similar member numbers as well as local schools. The money generated
from hire would fund replacement headsets and possibly further set ups
depending on its popularity, allowing this project to be sustainable.

 

The silent discos can provide potential
fundraising for Guide and Scout groups as well as school PTAs. 4th
Portchester Rainbows would store the equipment safely at the Guide Leaders home
providing secure, dry storage and allowing better accessibility for hirers.
There will be a hire agreement in place to cover terms and conditions such as
damages. This will also stipulate that the equipment can only be used for
not-for-profit organisations and benefit the youth of Fareham Borough.

 

The total cost of this project is £2,233.97. 4th
Portchester Rainbows are looking for £2,000 from the Community Fund, with the
remaining amount of £233.97 being funded from their reserves.

 

As of 11 July 2025, 4th Portchester
Rainbows held £1,300 in their accounts which includes a ringfenced £935 for
their annual subscription to HQ due in February. In the current accounting year
September 2024-August 2025 there so far is an income of £2,381 and expenditure
of £1,853.96.

 

Both Ward Councillors, Councillor Bainbridge
and Cllr D Wiltshire supports the 4th Portchester Rainbows
application.

 

Decision

RESOLVED that the
Executive Member for Leisure and Community approve the application to award
£2,000 from the Community Fund with the following condition:- All hiring
enquiries and bookings must be documented and a copy of this shown on a
monitoring visit 3 months after the Community Funding award is issued. If there
are any access issues for community organisations hiring this equipment, an
alternative storage location and booking management will be sought.