In Gloucestershire, Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl allocates 1% of the overall policing budget to the Commissioner’s Fund, which supports county-based projects that deliver one or more priorities. Cotswold Friends has received funding for the Community Activity Programme to provide Lunch Clubs from April 2017 until April 2021, thereby supporting older and vulnerable people who live in the North Cotswold community. The Fund also provides support for the recruitment of Local Charity Representatives (outreach volunteers), who help to spread the word about charity services to new areas. Amanda Howard, CEO at Cotswold Friends said: “Martin has funded Cotswold Friends each year since he came into office and has shown consistent commitment to investing in community services across Gloucestershire. This demonstrates his understanding of how supported resilient communities have less problems and help to solve their own problems, so needing less input from services like the police. Cotswold Friends has worked with local community police officers on community projects in the North Cotswolds and on several occasions the Police and Crime Commissioner has written references for us to support other funding applications, including the latest successful Big Lottery Bid and our current application to PeoplePlus. We would like to thank Martin for his ongoing support.”