| Newsletter 9 October 2025 |
| Baton of Hope – Thank you! What an incredible day! The Baton of Hope has completed its journey through Hereford, and we are so grateful to everyone who came out to support, cheer, walk, volunteer, and share in this moment of connection and hope. From the morning tractor run, to the event for baton bearers at St John’s Methodist Church, every step carried with it powerful conversations, heartfelt support, and a united stand for mental health and suicide awareness. A huge thank you to the baton of hope team, baton bearers, local organisations, community groups, schools, colleges, partners, sponsors, volunteers, and the public for making it so special. You have helped shine a light of hope across our county.If you or someone you know needs support, please visit our Suicide prevention, bereavement & support page for local services, helplines, and guidance.  Herefordshire’s Families First Partnership Herefordshire Council is excited to host a series of Early Help Roadshows this autumn to continue our Herefordshire’s Families First Partnership programme. Community members, partner agencies, schools, voluntary and faith sectors are welcome to attend. The events details are as follows: Monday 13 October, 10.00am – 12.30pm, Larruperz Centre, Ross-on-Wye Monday 17 November, 2.00pm – 4.30pm, Kindle Centre, Hereford Wednesday 3 December, 4.30pm – 6.30pm, Earl Mortimer College, Leominster Each event will feature: Marketplace stalls Local Early Help partner agencies Opportunities to learn about the wider “Family Help” offerNetworking with schools, statutory, voluntary, and faith partnersA chance to share your views and ask questions about local support.To book your place or a stall, please email FamiliesFirstPartnership@herefordshire.gov.uk  Funding Opportunities to Power Up Community Impact in Herefordshire Good news! Multiple grant schemes are now open or launching soon, designed to support local groups, charities, and organisations across Herefordshire to deliver meaningful change. Whether your ideas focus on wellbeing, nature, safety, or bringing people together, there’s likely a funding route for you. Below is a round-up of the current grants and what you need to know. Small Sparks Grant Delivered in partnership with Herefordshire Community Foundation, the Small Sparks Grant provides up to £1,000 for grassroots projects that bring people together, build local connections, and increase community resilience. Think small but impactful: pop-up gatherings, community gardens, new local clubs. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until 30 November 2025. Learn more on the Talk Community Directory. WOW Grant The WOW Grant is aimed at supporting free wellbeing-focused activities across the county. Organisations can apply for up to £1,000 per year to deliver inclusive sessions that include food or drink, a welcoming space, and signposting to further help. Projects must be delivered by 31 March 2026. If you’d like to see examples of what’s already underway, check out the WOW Activities page. For more details visit our WOW Grant page. Safer Communities Fund 2025-26 A brand new revenue fund launched by Herefordshire Council in partnership with the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia and West Mercia Police. This fund is aimed at addressing root causes of crime, vulnerability, exploitation and antisocial behaviour, with a special focus on children and young people. You can apply for a single project up to £30,000 and applications close Sunday 12 October 2025. Read eligibility criteria and apply via the Herefordshire Council website.Nature & Biodiversity Community Grant Scheme Part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, this grant supports community projects that protect, enhance, or restore local nature and biodiversity. Grants range from £500 up to £10,000, though applications up to £35,000 may be considered if significant benefits are shown. The deadline to apply is Monday 13 October 2025. More details are on the Herefordshire Council website.Common Ground Award (New Capital Grant) The Common Ground Award, launched by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, celebrates organisations that bring people together and strengthen community connections. The funding supports projects that invest in shared spaces and facilities, helping communities to build relationships and foster inclusion. There is no minimum amount of funding that you can apply for, and successful organisations will be awarded up to £10,000, as a capital grant.Applications open on 13 October 2025 and close on 21 November 2025, with funding awarded in January 2026. Find out more on the GOV.UK websiteTo explore more funding opportunities, including local and national schemes, visit our Funding and Grants page where you can use our grant finder tool to discover current opportunities that match your project or organisation.  Herefordshire Wildlife Trust Freshwater Fan Club Herefordshire Wildlife Trust is developing a new project to harness community action for the restoration of our waterways and wetlands. The project will create communities who are knowledgeable and passionate about freshwater habitats and species, and who have the skills and confidence to take action to make their local waterways and wetlands richer and more diverse in wildlife. The project is currently planned to focus in north Herefordshire in Bromyard, Leominster, Kington and surrounding villages and will look to engage three key groups: community groups, school aged children and young people (aged 16 – 25).Activities are likely to include training events and workshops, practical conservation, WildPlay in communities and creating a suite of Action Packs to support individuals, schools and communities to take action.Herefordshire Wildlife Trust are keen to hear from any Community Groups, Parish Councils or Schools who may be interested in participating in any element of the project, and learn more about their needs and the issues and opportunities in their local areas.To find out more, please email: f.weeks@herefordshirewt.co.uk  Let’s quit smoking together this Stoptober! Join thousands of other smokers committing to quit this October. There’s no need to go it alone. It’s much easier to stop smoking when you get the right support, and there are lots of options to choose from. Herefordshire’s Healthy Lifestyle Service will be popping up across the county throughout October, offering support to stop smoking. For more information about Stoptober and support available to help you or someone you know to quit, visit the Talk Community Directory news article. For more information about support to stop smoking, visit the Talk Community Stop Smoking pages.  World Mental Health Day – Support in Herefordshire Thursday 10 October marks World Mental Health Day, a global reminder that we all have mental health, and that reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Whether you’re feeling anxious, lonely, or low, or supporting someone else who is struggling, there are many local services and resources available to help. Visit the Talk Community Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing pages to explore information, advice and support for a range of issues including stress, depression, loneliness, self-harm, bereavement, and more.Find out more on the Talk Community Directory.  What’s new on the directory? As Stoptober continues, our Healthy Lifestyles team are out and about across the county. There’s also plenty more happening across Herefordshire this week, from community meet-ups to laughter-filled evenings! New additions include: Men in Agriculture Comedy Night Stoptober Drop in Queenswood Stoptober Drop in High Town, Hereford Stoptober Drop in Leominster Community Hospital Stoptober Drop in Hereford Racecourse Stoptober Drop in Hereford Railway Station Dementia Matters Here – Hereford Carers Group Garway Talk Hub New dates for Ledbury Carers Group |