COMMUNITY groups and charities have received grants from a designer outlet to help them fund local projects.

Sixteen groups gathered at Bicester Village to celebrate and receive their portion of the Make a Difference fund.

For the third year running, the outlet invited groups and charities to put forward their ideas for projects that add value to the town and community.

Post-pandemic, the need for support has never been greater and the Make a Difference fund aims to offer a helping hand to meet the needs of the less fortunate, as well as creating new opportunities to improve the local environment.

Bicester Village community manager Lucy Busby said: “The fund complements our ongoing community programme and always produces new ideas. It is a great way to support initiatives we may never have known about."

A total of £30,000 was awarded with the maximum award to any one organisation being £4,000.

The successful applicants cover a broad range of great causes, from young people to the elderly and a number of mental wellbeing programmes, as well as special sports and educational charities.

Some of the winning groups were 1st Bicester Intrepid Scout Group, Assisted Reading for Children (ARCh), Bardwell Special School, Bicester Autism, Bicester Green, Bicester New Mums Support Network, Bure Park FC and the Hummingbird Centre.

Forget Me Not Bicester, a lunch and friendship group for older people, will use the money to hold 'welcome back' events following the pandemic restrictions with meals and entertainment for members.

While Bure Park Disability Football will use the money to fund venue hire and equipment.

Groups were asked to present projects demonstrating continued growth and sustained benefits while focusing on one of three themes: supporting women and children, togetherness and healthy living.

The event was also an opportunity to thank Bicester Village volunteers who recently transformed an area designed for car parking into a wellbeing space for NHS call centre workers at their Bicester headquarters.

After an appeal for plants and furniture, the team responded to the challenge of creating a space to support their neighbours.

After digging, clearing, painting and planting, the area was handed over to the delighted staff on August 6, with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Since the pandemic began, more than £20,000 has been raised for Oxfordshire hospitals through the sale of face masks at Bicester Village, which has gone towards staff and patient wellbeing initiatives.