Community groups and enthusiastic individuals can benefit from a funding and skill sharing event being held in the borough next month.

The next round of ‘Make it Happen’, an innovative approach to supporting community projects, will be held on Saturday 8th February.

The event offers local community groups and individuals the chance to present a three minute pitch and bid for funding from Dudley Council’s public health team. A panel decides which ideas to fund but all participants go away with something.

The event is different as it looks at more than just funding. All participants are asked what they can share to help each other. It could be skills and knowledge, volunteering time, the use of venues or items such as equipment or seeds.

So far 30 ideas have already been turned into action, with around 150 people coming together for three previous Make it Happen events held since April 2017. Councillor Nicolas Barlow, cabinet member for health and adult social care, said:

"Make it Happen is a brilliant way of bringing together like-minded people with a real desire to help those in their communities. By offering to share skills, expertise and time, the groups who come to the event walk away with so much more than a pot of money.

"The next round is sure to be popular so I’d recommend that people get in touch now to see if they can take part."

The next Make it Happen event will be held on Saturday 8th February from 10am to 3pm at the DY1 Community Building, Stafford Street, Dudley.

If you want to pitch an idea on the day the closing date for applications is Friday 24th January. To book a place at the event online go to makeithappentickets.eventbrite.co.uk.