First phase of
£5 million support fund unveiled

Date published:  3 July 2026

Residents, families, businesses and community groups across the district are set to benefit from the first phase of the £5 million We Are Wychavon Support Fund.

The money will be invested over the next two years and is built around four key themes of supporting wellness, supporting business, supporting families and young people and supporting sustainable communities.

The first package of schemes, which will be introduced over the coming months, includes:

• Free swimming for under-16s.
• Free swimming for over-60s.
• Free learn-to-swim sessions for all ages.
• Reduced fares on the Worcestershire On Demand bus.
• One hour's free parking
• Support for businesses to create apprenticeships.
• Targeted support to help tackle youth unemployment.
• Funding for families facing financial hardship who do not qualify for existing support.
• Enhanced speech and language support for children.
• New Ward Budgets enabling councillors to support small-scale community projects that do not qualify for existing grant schemes.

Details of how each scheme will work and residents can access them are currently being finalised. Launch dates will be announced through Wychavon’s website, e-newsletter, social media and the local media.

Instead of focusing on a specific part of the district, schemes have been chosen so as many residents as possible have the opportunity to benefit from them.

Further schemes will be announced in phases as the programme develops.

Cllr Richard Morris, Leader of Wychavon, said: “For more than 50 years, we have worked hard to improve the lives of our residents. The We Are Wychavon Support Fund is another example of that commitment in action. It’s about providing practical help where it can make the biggest difference, whether that is helping someone learn a new skill, supporting a family through a difficult period or strengthening a local community project.

“I’m delighted thousands of residents will have the opportunity to benefit from the fund over the next two years.

“This is just the beginning. As more schemes are developed over the coming months, we look forward to announcing even more opportunities for residents, businesses and communities to benefit from the fund.”

Cllr Emma Stokes, Wychavon’s Executive Board Member for Resources, Investment and Innovation, said: “This is a great and innovative scheme. With no Wychavon Council Tax rises in seven out of the last nine years, Wychavon’s good fiscal management has provided stability and secure returns on investments. Whilst we all benefit from great parks, toilets and waste collections - all for just under £11 a month for the average Band D council taxpayer - we can now enjoy the benefits of swimming, on-demand travel and parking concessions, along with new investments into our early years and young people entering the workplace.”