Aims/Priorities: Based on the generous legacy Robin Estill left, The Robin Estill Fund has been established to promote the general wellbeing and therapeutic benefits of the arts in relation to supporting people with poor mental health, autism, and or learning disability needs who live in Tameside.
This is a partnership fund, aiming to bring together Voluntary, Community, Faith or Social Enterprise organisations to collaborate on a project/programme that is directed towards young people (14+) and adults (with no upper age limit). The project will use creativity and arts-based activities to promote the general wellbeing of people living with poor mental health, autism, and or learning disabilities in Tameside.
The priorities of the fund are to build the capacity of and increase collaboration within the VCFSE sector in Tameside to support communities in line with the Living Life Well outcomes:
- People are connected and able to participate in equal society
- People are able to recover and live life well
- People have control over their lives
Who can apply? We are specifically looking for applications from organisations who specialise in arts and/or mental health, autism or learning disabilities. Previous grant holders of the Robin Estill fund are welcome to reapply.
Each application will be assessed on its own merits, but preference will be given to those applications that demonstrate the following features:
- Involves people with lived experience in co-producing the proposal and in delivery
- Promotes the inclusion of Tameside people with mental health difficulties, autism, and/or learning disability needs in the arts
- Enables people to access mainstream arts activities as well as ‘specialist’ ones
- Encourages talent in those it supports to reach their full potential
- Supports sustainability and self-funding activities beyond the lifespan of the grant
- Brings diverse people together to build more resilient communities and remove cultural barriers
- Is open to people living anywhere in Tameside
Grant Amount: We welcome applications with a minimum of 3 partners per project. Each partnership can apply for up to £37,000.
Each partnership requires:
- A lead organisation – the total amount a lead organisation can apply for is £25,000
- Partner organisation(s) - there can be multiple partner organisations.
Application Process: We encourage groups who are interested in applying to attend the Robin Estill Fund - Art of The Community Launch Event on 26 February. You can find more information and register for the event here
Please read the guidance notes in full before completing your application.
Robin Estill Art of the Community Grant Guidance Notes.docx (125.55 KB) Robin Estill Fund Application Form.docx (66.66 KB)Decisions will be made by a panel with representation from NHS ICB Tameside Mental Health, Voluntary Sector Representative and Action Together.
You will be contacted within 6 weeks unless you are asked for further information or to redevelop aspects of your proposal.
All applications must be sent to funding@actiontogether.org.uk and you will receive the decision via email.
Deadline: Applications will close on 30 April 2025
Contact: For any questions about the fund or the launch event please contact saman.nisar@actiontogether.org.uk or phone 0161 339 2345 and ask for the Tameside Grants team.