New community fund launched by new Velindre cancer developer Acorn

Acorn, the developer working on the new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC), and the Velindre University NHS Trust have come together to launch a community benefits scheme called Thrive Communities.

Thrive Communities will be available to all voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations operating across South East Wales and will offer either voluntary hours, grants or resources to successful applicants.

As part of its commitment to add social value to the new Velindre Cancer Centre build, the Thrive Communities initiative will be available throughout the life cycle of the project, and therefore ends in early 2027.

The Board will discuss and decide upon which community engagement activities and social responsibility initiatives will be undertaken as part of the project. It will meet on a quarterly basis and will consider everything from small grant applications to community volunteering schemes.

One hundred hours of volunteer days will be available from Acorn staff, sub-contractors and its supply chain to successful applicants, as well as small grants of up to £1000, with 20 being awarded over the next two years.

Thrive Communities Resource Bank will also be available to charitable organisations, with unused or excess materials from the construction phase of the project donated free to voluntary organisations.

Katie Hathaway, stakeholder and engagement manager at Sacyr UK, the contractor building the nVCC on behalf of Acorn, said of the scheme:

“Social value and giving back to our local communities is a key target for us during the build of the new Velindre Cancer Centre, and Thrive Communities further extends the reach and positive impact we can have on local voluntary and charitable groups.

“Applications are open to all voluntary, charitable and social enterprise organisations who could do with our help. From simple manpower to make a project happen, to a small financial boost to get a scheme over the line, or simply some extra building materials to finish off a project, drop in an application form, chat to us about it and we will do our very best to help.”

For more information about the social value work going on at the new Velindre Cancer Centre project, visit: newvelindre.info/home.

And to apply for a Thrive Community grant, visit: https://newvelindre.info/documents/d/velindre/nvcc-thrive-communities_jun-2024