YOUNG people in Hartlepool are being invited to bid for grants of up to £3,000 to help them organise activities and events or get a new business idea off the ground.

A limited amount of funding is on offer from Hartlepool Borough Council’s Youth Support Service and must be used to benefit young people aged 13-19 or up to age 25 for those with special needs.

Evening activities for youth organisations, equipment for sports activities, theatre and drama productions, community gardens, residential courses and specialist coaching and tuition are just some examples of previous projects or items for which grants have been given.

Applications will be considered by a Grant Givers Panel made up of young people from across Hartlepool and applicants (who must be from the above age groups) must be prepared to pitch their ideas to the panel at a special ‘Dragons’ Den’-type event on Wednesday, January 28.

All ideas will be considered, but applicants should note that grants cannot be given to cover running/staffing costs.

Helen White, participation manager for the Youth Support Service, said: “If you are a young person or a youth group in Hartlepool with a good idea for an event or an activity for other young people, the Grant Givers Panel would love to hear from you.

“These grants could make all the difference to getting your project off the ground, but you need to move quickly as the closing date for receipt of completed applications is Wednesday, January 21.”

For more information and an application form, contact Helen White on 01429-284044 or email helen.white@hartlepool.gov.uk