ELEVEN community projects are being awarded grants totalling nearly £327,000 in the second round of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s £1m Innovation Fund.

Schemes the PCC for Wiltshire and Swindon Angus Macpherson is commissioning include school theatre performances highlighting domestic abuse issues and a youth adventure education programme.

Mr Macpherson said: “The Innovation Fund is a way for me to empower communities. It is about commissioning projects on the ground which help achieve my six main priorities, particularly tackling anti-social behaviour and crime, supporting vulnerable people and reducing re-offending.

“Initiatives I would like to particularly note include a youth cafe in Walcot, Swindon, and the Youth Adventure Trust, which like several of the projects are focused on youth engagement.”

A total of 47 applications requesting grants totalling nearly £1.5m were submitted for the second funding round.

In Swindon, Sixth Sense Theatre for Young People, SEQOL, Swindon 105.5, Swindon Council East Locality and Threshold Housing Link have all benefitted from the fund.

Community radio station Swindon 105.5 was granted £11,840 to support a meadow garden project in Penhill, working with young peopel and developing community broadcasting. The project is to support a group of residents, Swindon Youth Offending Team and Swindon Academy in Penhill.

The East Locality has been given £11,000 to create a youth cafe in Sussex Square, Walcot, as part of on-going work to reduce anti-social behaviour in the area, which has included engagement with residents and businesses.

Threshold Housing Link will use £20,865 to coordinate activities and a life skills programme for residents to enable them to start training or employment.

The applications were carefully considered by the Commissioner and an advisory panel, made up of Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Pat Geenty, Wiltshire Council Leader Jane Scott, Swindon Council Leader David Renard and Rosemary Macdonald from The Community Foundation for Wiltshire and Swindon.

One more funding round will take place in March 2014 with £330,000 allocated. The deadline for application is March 3. For more information about the Innovation Fund, including a downloadable leaflet and an application form, visit www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk