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 Save a Warrior UK for £4,704 towards
equipment for their new podcast and social media recording studio. The
equipment will include two digital cameras and kit, lighting kit and video and
sound recording equipment.

 

Save a Warrior UK is
a suicide‑prevention programme dedicated to preserving the lives of those
in the Armed Forces and Emergency Services community by addressing mental
health and wellbeing through a compassionate, proactive approach. Save A
Warrior UK operates a community co-working space in Fareham Shopping centre and
wishes to convert one of its rooms into a professional podcast and social-media
recording studio. The studio will be open to residents, students, charities and
community groups, providing an affordable and accessible place to record
podcasts, interviews and educational content. Community groups who have
expressed an interest so far include Autek, Community First, Recovery
Connections, Inclusion, Crafty Makery and Disabled
Peoples Voice.

 

The podcast and
social-media recording studio will provide accessible recording facilities for
podcasts, interviews and social-media content, with equipment and training
available to those who cannot afford commercial studios. This will support
voices of the Fareham community by enabling groups, veterans, schools and
charities a chance to share their stories and raise awareness of community
issues.

 

The total cost of the
project is £4,981.98. Save a Warrior UK are looking for £4,704 from the
Community Fund, with the remaining amount being funded from their reserves as
well as the organisation updating their refreshment station as part of this
project.

 

As of 31 December
2025, Save a Warrior UK held £1,278.43 in their accounts. In accounting year
October 2024-September 2025, there was an income of £32,087.40 and an
expenditure of £36,060.04.

 

Both Ward
Councillors, Councillor L Whittle and Councillor K Wiltshire, supports the Save
a Warrior UK application.

Decision

It is recommended that the Executive Member for
Leisure and Community: -

 

(a) 
approve
the application to award £4,704 from the Community Fund; and

 

(b) 
that
a condition of the award be that should Save A Warrior UK leave Fareham
Shopping Centre, the new location for the equipment / recording studio will
need to be approved by the Head of Leisure and Community.