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40 community groups across the North East have won a share of an £11,500 prize pot from the Venator Community Fund.

The Venator Community Fund has now awarded over £50,000 to schools, community groups and charities across the region since it was established in 2018. In 2021, scores of charities and community groups from around the North East region applied to win a grant.

This year, Venator offered a top award of £1,000 to the application that received the most public votes in an online poll, with £750 and £500 awarded to the second and third placed projects. Another 37 winners each received a grant of £250.

Groups were invited to apply online and propose, in no more than 250 words, how their group would use the funding to support teamwork and innovation in their community.

A total of 67 applications made it to the voting stage which ran from Tuesday 1st June until Monday 25th June 2021 and over 30,000 public votes were cast.

The top prize of £1,000 went to Hartlepool Rugby Football Club with 3,948 votes. The second prize of £750 went to Kingston Park Primary School in Newcastle with 2,739 votes, and a third prize of £500 went to The Owl Tree Children’s Café CIC in Newcastle with 2,629 votes.

Karen Fenwick, Vice President Corporate Branding and Communications at Venator, said:

“We’re pleased to announce the winners of the Community Fund for 2021 who share our values of teamwork and innovation.

“This year, we felt it was more important than ever to support our North East based charities, community groups and educational establishments that have been so adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s a pleasure to have seen so many worthy entries from scores of sports clubs, groups, charities and schools that do such tremendous work in their communities – and we’re delighted to reward them with a grant.”

To view the winning projects please visit www.venatorcommunity.com or follow on Twitter and Facebook @VenatorFund.