Following the success of the 2024 Christmas Community Chest, Spennymoor Town Council has announced that it will return for 2025. The Christmas Community Chest is an early festive gift for groups and organisations keen to stage events and activities over the Christmas period.
Applications to the new fund could range from parties and food bank donations to toy appeals and shows – and the application process is easy, with just one form to complete.
Town Mayor, Cllr Liz Maddison, said: “Christmas is coming and we want everyone across our communities to enjoy themselves, so we’re making funding available for anyone wanting to enhance things for friends and neighbours around Spennymoor.
“The Christmas Community Chest is the Town Council’s way of bringing a bit of festive cheer to the folk and I encourage anyone wanting to put on an event or party to get their applications in quickly to avoid disappointment.”
The fund is open to applications from any constituted not-for-profit group or organisation based in Spennymoor or delivering services and/or activities to people in the town.
People can apply for grants, capped at £1,000, from November 14 with the fund closing a month later, on December 15. The application form, terms and conditions can be found below
Council Clerk, Ian Morris, said: “Everyone should have something to look forward to at Christmas and Spennymoor is fortunate to have an incredibly generous community with a great deal of civic pride – we hope this fund helps kick-off Christmas for as many people as possible.”
All grant applications to the new fund will go before Spennymoor Town Council for approval, so applicants are encouraged to submit forms as soon as possible.
Christmas Community Chest (2025) Criteria:
- Scheme formally opens at 9am on Friday 14th November
- Closing date for applications is 9am on Monday 15th December;
- All small grant applications that meet the criteria will be considered, with a maximum grant application being £1,000;
- Only one Christmas Grant application per group or activity/project;
- Applications must come from groups based in the parish or for activities for the direct benefit of residents from the parish;
- Grants will usually only be awarded to constituted community/voluntary organisations or groups – please provide a copy of your constitution when you submit your application form;
- Grants will only be paid into bank accounts in the recipient group's name.
- No grants will be given to individuals or paid to personal bank accounts.
- No grants will be given to commercial organisations/businesses;
- Grants will not be given to statutory public organisations for core statutory activities;
- Grants will not be given to religious organisations, unless for a purpose/activity which does not discriminate on grounds of belief;
- All activities must be complete before Sunday 1st February 2026;
- Proof of expenditure (e.g. receipts) must be provided to the Council no later than 28th February 2026. Failure to produce proof of expenditure may result in barring from future grant applications;
- Any unspent grant must be returned to the Council;
- Grants cannot be made retrospectively, you can only request funding for an event or activity that has not yet occurred.
For details contact the Town Hall on 01388 815276
