Two community groups in Letchworth have been awarded grants totalling £3,404 by North Herts Council.

The awards were made at a meeting of the Letchworth Committee on December 14.

Hong Kong Connect, an umbrella organisation of the North Hertfordshire Minority Ethnic Forum, was granted £1,980 towards their English language course.

The money will help fund a tutor, who will help around 50 people learn English and help them integrate into the community.

The other group to receive a grant was North Herts African and Caribbean Community. They have been awarded £1,424 to help fund a year of free and subsidised events and activities for the whole community to learn about African and Caribbean history and culture, and empower those of Afro-Caribbean heritage to have a voice within local decision-making.

The group was recently awarded a matching amount from the Hitchin Committee.

Mohammed Alam, director of North Hertfordshire Minority Ethnic Forum, said: “We are absolutely delighted with this great news!

"We are grateful to the Letchworth Area Committee of North Herts Council for awarding this vital grant to our newly formed community group.

"This grant will also help us in our capacity building to become an established community organisation and provide a focal point to the new Chinese communities who would like to move and settle in Letchworth.”

The Comet: North Herts African and Caribbean Community at a Together We Stand Against Racism gathering, with the Diversity and Culture GroupNorth Herts African and Caribbean Community at a Together We Stand Against Racism gathering, with the Diversity and Culture Group (Image: North Herts Council)

Kava Johnson, managing director of North Herts African and Caribbean Community, said: “We are so grateful and very happy to be awarded matching funding by the Letchworth Committee.

"Sharing our culture and heritage is at the heart of everything we do.

"We are looking forward to delivering the project to the community and are so glad that we will have some funds to continue to do so in North Herts."

Cllr Daniel Allen, chair of the Letchworth Committee, said: “North Herts is an inclusive district and we are delighted to help these community groups who are providing a vital service to people from other parts of the world who are settling here.

"We value every residents’ contribution to the area and encourage them to integrate and take part in the local community.”