Community research programme awarded £1m

The money will be used to train and upskill community members to lead and shape the future of the East Marsh estate

A community research programme in Grimsby has been awarded just under £1m.

The East Marsh Community Research Network will use the funding to help on a range of issues, including economic, health and environmental concerns.

The programme will be delivered by The Young Foundation, a non-profit organisation that specialises in community research and social innovation.

Chief executive Helen Goulden said: "We know that local communities understand local needs best."

"The insights gained from East Marsh Community Research Network and other local research networks will be vital if we are to work together to tackle some of the persistent and entrenched challenges we face," she added.

The money has been awarded through the Community Research Networks programme, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

It will be used to train and upskill community members to lead and shape the future of the East Marsh.

The East Marsh network is one of nine community projects across the UK that has received funding. Others include a network addressing rural challenges in Durham and a group researching economic inequality in Belfast communities.

Killian Troy-Donovan, programme manager at Our Future, which works to bring together local leaders and communities, said: "We know what is possible when people have space to explore the questions that matter to them."

"The East Marsh Community Research Network will build on the vast knowledge that exists locally, empowering people who have been exploring these questions for much of their lives," he added.

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