A Scout Hut will be refurbished and community groups supported thanks to hundreds of thousands of pounds of funding awarded in Derby by the Mayor of the East Midlands.
Mayor Claire Ward has awarded £296,766 to Sporting Communities for Normanton Together from her £3 million Community Development Fund, alongside £296,766 to 176 Project Nile Scouts for the group’s Scout Hut refurbishment project and £257,507 to Community Action Derby for Arboretum Matters.
Normanton Together aims to deliver language and life-skills classes to promote community cohesion, while Arboretum Matters will train dozens of community leaders to help deliver hundreds of volunteer hours.
Arboretum and Normanton are two of 10 neighbourhoods across the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) area chosen for investment after being identified as facing high levels of disadvantage and having fewer local community and voluntary organisations than other areas.
Mayor Claire said: “I’m thrilled to see this funding reach the heart of communities like Arboretum and Normanton. Local people know their neighbourhoods best, and these projects show what can be achieved when we back their ideas.
“These neighbourhoods have been overlooked for too long, despite the strength, diversity and determination of the people who live there. This investment is about putting power and resources directly into local hands so communities can shape the changes they want to see.
“By supporting community-led projects like these, we’re building stronger, healthier neighbourhoods, boosting pride in place and ensuring everyone across our region has the chance to share in its future.”
Community-led schemes in the key areas have now each been awarded up to £300,000 to support projects designed to build skills, strengthen resilience and help residents shape the future of their own neighbourhoods.
Arboretum Matters will deliver locally managed micro grants, enabling residents to fund and lead “high-impact grassroots activities” to tackle “crisis of inequality with devastating gaps in life chances” the ward faces.
Voluntary Action Derby’s application said: “This community-led initiative will harness the strengths of Arboretum and Normanton by investing in grassroots leadership, inclusive decision-making, and strategic influence.”
Jonathan Dwerryhouse, Community Action Derby strategy and partnerships manager, said: “We’re thrilled to have been awarded the Mayor’s Community Development Fund for Arboretum. Community Action has worked within Derby’s communities for 50 years, and we’re excited to develop new grassroots initiatives alongside our community partners that will build stronger communities.”
The project aims to support at least 20 grassroots organisations with £100,000 distributed in grants, match-funded by partners. It aims to set up and train three community-led investment panels, as well as training and mentoring 45 emerging community leaders to deliver 1,000-plus volunteer hours.
Normanton Together will use Normanton Park as a hub to create a network of support across the ward.
Sporting Communities’ application said: “Normanton is a proud, diverse community with huge potential, but residents tell us they need safe spaces, support, skills and opportunities to thrive together. This project focuses on inclusive growth, answering what local people have consistently asked for: a place to learn, connect, feel safe and build their futures.”
Planned work includes environmental clean-ups and language and life-skill classes. It is hoped the work will improve wellbeing and confidence, reduce isolation and promote community cohesion and deeper cultural integration, leading to safer neighbourhoods with reduced antisocial behaviour.
Ross Podyma, Sporting Communities strategic director, said: “Normanton is a uniquely vibrant place, shaped by a rich blend of cultures, backgrounds, and lived experiences. This exciting investment will strengthen their sense of belonging, enhance wellbeing across the community, and deepen the relationships between partners so that our work together is sustainable and impactful.
“We are truly grateful for this award and for the confidence it places in our partnership. It will help us continue building a better, fairer future for the community of Normanton—together.”
Targets include 1,000 residents and pupils involved in community clean-ups to improve local pride, 60 residents engaged in environmental wellbeing sessions, and 300 residents reporting improved mental wellbeing.
Sporting Communities said: “This project will leave a lasting legacy that strengthens Normanton’s physical environment and social fabric. The refurbished Pavilion will operate as an education, skills and employment hub, providing education, employment and community programmes well beyond the funding period. It will replace a former ASB hotspot with a safe and inclusive space for growth.”
Project Nile Scouts’ community scout hut needs renovation and expansion, “to continue fostering growth, learning, and adventure for our youth”.
The refurbishment will bring a much-loved but dilapidated building back into full use, increasing capacity from 40 to at least 60 children and enabling the launch of a new Beavers group for younger members.
Located in one of Derby’s most disadvantaged wards, the upgraded hut will provide year-round youth activities, strengthen volunteering, and create a lasting community asset supporting confidence, wellbeing and opportunity for families in Normanton.
Mohammed Hashim, Group Scout Leader, said: “This funding is a huge moment for our community. It will transform a tired, cold building into a safe and inspiring space where young people can thrive, grow in confidence and build their futures. We are deeply grateful for this investment in Normanton.”
Click here for further information about awards to other areas of the East Midlands.
Published on: 20 March 2026
Categories: News, Economic Development