Prout Bridge Project launches activity van after raising £20k

The Prout Bridge Project raised £20,000 earlier in the year to buy, kit out and staff an outreach vehicle - so that it can flexibly provide activities and support within Beaminster and surrounding villages.

The vehicle, affectionately named Gilbert after the late founder of the charity, Gil Streets, is now ready to take to the streets.

Alongside the support of the public, the campaign was also backed by Dorset Council, Comic Relief, Sport England's Return to Play scheme, Power to Change Community Business Crowdmatch and the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership's Crowdfund Dorset Business initiative.

Gilbert will be officially launched this Sunday, July 25 in Beaminster. The van will be in Beaminster Square from 11am until 1pm and at the skate park in Beaminster Memorial Playing Fields from 2pm until 4pm. There will also be the opportunity for those at either of the two locations on Sunday to win a brand new skateboard.

Paula Tuff, manager of the Prout Bridge Project, said: “Everyone at the Prout Bridge Project is so grateful to everyone who has supported our Crowdfunder campaign, we achieved the impossible and now have an amazing vehicle to take our services about and about to isolated areas.

"From everyone at the Prout Bridge Project team, thank you to each and every one of you that supported us."

The idea behind the campaign is to offer play and social reconnection for children and young people in the area, provide support and information with issues such as bullying, anxiety and low confidence and help people of all ages get back to health with sports and fitness activities.

In addition to this, the team hope to use the vehicle to extend the reach of Beaminster Food Bank by delivering essential supplies to households in need who are unable to get to Beaminster for collection and to offer advice services to help people build back after Covid, including a regular job club and Citizen’s Advice drop-ins.