North Yorkshire Coast Fund supports eight coastal organisations to deliver community projects

Eight organisations working along the North Yorkshire coast have received a share of £32,683 from the North Yorkshire Coast Fund, helping them deliver projects that benefit people in their communities. 

Now in its third year, the fund continues to invest in voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations that are making a difference to local communities. This year’s projects range from outdoor wellbeing activities for young people to weekly chair exercise sessions for the older generation in Staithes, reflecting the creativity and dedication of the coastal communities they serve. 

Many of the projects are designed to reach people who can face additional barriers to support, particularly those living in rural and coastal areas. Several organisations are also responding to growing concerns around mental health and wellbeing, offering opportunities for people to build confidence, connect with others and access help closer to home. 

Around 1,200 people are expected to benefit from this latest round of funding. 

A panel shaped by local voices 

A unique feature of the North Yorkshire Coast Fund is the people who help decide where the money goes. Young people sit alongside community leaders, council representatives and residents with lived experience of coastal life, ensuring decisions reflect local priorities and real community need. 

Sarah Norman, Grants Officer at Two Ridings Community Foundation, says: 

“Hearing these young people speak about their community and understanding the needs is incredibly powerful. They bring honesty, and their voices shape the fund in a way that makes it genuinely responsive to the community.” 

By involving young people directly in the decision-making process, the fund is helping ensure resources are directed towards the issues that matter most to them and their peers. 

A growing legacy of coastal investment 

Since launching in 2024, the North Yorkshire Coast Fund has distributed more than £116,000 through 26 grants across the former Scarborough Borough area. The funding has supported a wide range of projects that strengthen communities, improve wellbeing and create opportunities for local people. 

This latest investment continues that work, empowering organisations that understand their communities and are committed to helping them thrive. 

As these eight projects get underway, they represent more than just funding. They reflect the passion of local organisations, the insight of young people and the shared ambition of coastal communities working together to create positive change. 

The local initiatives supported 

Here’s how some of the local groups are using their grants: 

• Futureworks NY are piloting an outdoor skills and wellbeing project for young people in Scarborough, using supervised metal‑detecting in a rural setting to build confidence, social skills and connection with the countryside. 

• Friends of Falsgrave Park purchased a portable freezer to support catering at community events, helping make gatherings in Falsgrave Park more inclusive and family‑friendly. 

• Burniston & Cloughton Village Hall and Playing Fields are reinstating an outdoor‑accessible toilet to improve access to the playing fields and surrounding facilities, enabling longer participation in sports and outdoor activities. 

• St Mark’s Church run a weekly after‑school sports group for primary‑aged children on the Barrowcliff estate, offering equipment, healthy snacks and inclusive opportunities to take part in sport. 

• Revival North Yorkshire CIC deliver weekly ‘Move It’ chair‑based exercise sessions for older people in Staithes, supporting physical health, confidence and social connection. 

• Feeding and Sling Support Whitby CIC hosts accessible infant feeding and babywearing support sessions across Scarborough, improving parental confidence, wellbeing and early years support. 

• Off The Hook Scarborough CIC are delivering a 12‑month wellbeing programme called Moving Forward, using boxing and gym‑based activity to support boys and young men in Eastfield. 

• Restore Filey are supporting Live Wires, which is a regular family activity programme for children and young people in Filey and surrounding villages, strengthening confidence, family relationships and community cohesion. 

Get involved 

Applications for the North Yorkshire Coast Fund will reopen in February 2027, offering grants of up to £5,000 for direct project costs. To learn more about applying, visit tworidingscf.org.uk.