West Suffolk Council’s Cabinet approved allocations of £274,452 (close to £275,000) from the Thriving Communities Fund in early February 2026, to support voluntary and community groups across the district. The grants are aimed at helping residents with the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, mental health challenges and social isolation.
The funding round includes awards to several Haverhill organisations. Notable local allocations in the council’s recommended table include REACH Community Projects (awarded £10,000), the Haverhill Health and Wellbeing Hub (awarded £15,000), Haverhill Men’s Shed (awarded £4,500) and St Mary’s Church, Haverhill (awarded £6,000). Local library services (including Haverhill Library and the Friends of Haverhill Library) are cited in council materials as part of the community support network that provides warm spaces and activities, but the council’s published grant recommendations do not list ‘Haverhill Library’ as a named award recipient.
West Suffolk Council says the grants are scheduled to be paid from April 2026 for the 2026/27 year. The money is intended to help grassroots groups cover running costs and to kick-start new projects that reduce loneliness and improve wellbeing.
Cllr Donna Higgins, Cabinet Member for Families and Communities, said: “There are so many fantastic initiatives taking place to help improve the lives of residents in our communities across West Suffolk. While the fund can never stretch to cover everything, I recognise and appreciate the importance of all of the work being carried out by community groups, voluntary organisations and charities in our area.”
The funding comes as local groups in Haverhill report rising demand for food, fuel and financial support. REACH Community Projects has, for example, seen increased demand for its foodbank services and fundraising activity, reflecting broader cost-of-living pressures in early 2026. The council says the Thriving Communities Fund — which replaced the former Community Chest scheme — is intended to make it easier for smaller, volunteer-led groups to apply for support.
The grants form part of a wider West Suffolk package of community support for 2026/27 which the council describes as more than £650,000 in total, and coincide with local regeneration efforts including the development of a new Haverhill Health and Wellbeing Hub at the former Stourview Medical Centre.
