YOUR CHANCE TO VOTE FOR YOUR SALFORD COMMUNITY HEROES

The finalists for Salford’s annual Springboard Heroes Awards have been announced.

For the past year, housing association Salix Homes has been awarding grants to groups and projects across Salford that are making a difference in communities.

The landlord has donated around £33,000 to dozens of local groups and initiatives as part of its Springboard community grant programme.

From boxing clubs to beekeepers, Springboard has provided much-needed cash injections to projects that boost community spirit, promote health and wellbeing, reduce isolation and improve the environment.

Now, Salix Homes has picked four fantastic organisations from across its neighbourhoods as the Springboard Heroes finalists and it’s over to the public to vote for their favourite, with the winning project receiving a £1,000 cash boost.

The finalists for the Springboard Heroes Awards 2022 are:

Beekeepers Tony Roscoe, Amber McCormack and Anna Hill at Bee Corner.

Bee Corner: Bee Corner is creating a buzz in Salford after a neglected concrete space was transformed into a green haven for humans and honeybees in the heart of the city. The project aims to create more opportunities for people to access nature and help tackle the isolation that can come from urban living. Bee Corner is located at Islington Mill on Chapel Street and is now home to a thriving bee apiary and community garden, which is supporting people to improve their mental health and wellbeing and feel part of the natural world around them.

Salford Boxing Club head trainer Nick Burke.

Salford Boxing Club: Members of Salford Boxing Club, based in Broughton, have come out fighting to help improve the mental and physical health of Salford residents. The club aims to make regular exercise accessible to everyone, no matter their circumstances and supports a wide range of people through exercise, including people with disabilities and those struggling with their mental health. The club is using Springboard funding to give away free gym membership to people on low incomes to help remove the financial barriers that might be preventing people from exercising.

Organisers at the Family Food Fayre - Anina Fernandes, Barry Matley and Linda Pope.

Manchester City Mission – Family Food Fayre: Manchester City Mission are providing a lifeline for people living in poverty with their popular Food Fayre, which provides access to low-cost food and essentials. As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, the organisation is supporting more and more people who are struggling to put food on the table. If they win the Springboard Heroes funding, they plan to use the prize money to help reach even more people in need.

Seedley and Langworthy in Bloom volunteers Christopher Bates, Emily McKittrick, Charlotte Bates and Kimberley Bates.

Seedley and Langworthy in Bloom: This volunteer-led group is on a mission to brighten up Salford with their floral displays. Every year, the green-fingered volunteers plant thousands of bulbs and flowers along the streets, walkways and roadsides in a one square mile area across Seedley and Langworthy. They plan to use the Springboard Heroes prize money to continue their efforts to ensure Salford remains in full bloom.

Sian Grant, executive director of operations at Salix Homes, said:

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“Our Springboard grant programme provides a lifeline for many fantastic groups and projects which are really making a difference to people and communities across Salford.

“As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, it’s more important than ever that community initiatives, like our Springboard recipients, are supported to be able to sustain the work they are doing to improve lives and increase opportunities for people living in Salford.

“It’s been tough to pick just four finalists as our Springboard Heroes from all the wonderful projects we’ve supported this year, but we’re pleased to now unveil our final four. We’d urge you to cast your vote for your favourite and help them win the £1,000 prize, which we hope will go some way to enabling them to continue the wonderful work they do.”

 

Voting is now open and closes on Friday, September 16 after which the winner will be announced on the Salix Homes Facebook page.

You can watch a video of each of the finalists and cast your votes at www.salixhomes.co.uk/springboardheroes2022