The Bank Art Centre in Eye ‘struggling’ for The Vault grant

Jon Betts joined The Bank Art Centre community hub in Eye in 2022 after seeing “huge potential” in the former bank vault.

After spending the last three years turning the downstairs room into a bespoke IT learning hub, called The Vault, Mr Betts says he is now looking for funding to pay tutors to provide lessons.

However, the 57-year-old says he has been rejected by The National Lottery, the largest funder of community-based activities, on more than four occasions. 

Jon Betts says he has struggled to achieve a grant for The Vault Digital Hub. (Image: The Bank Arts Centre) He said: “We put in huge amounts of hours for these applications and then get told no.

“It’s sad because we are looking to do something great for the community and help young kids learn how to use digital technologies. 

“I have been eating, sleeping and dreaming about this application, so it’s quite heartbreaking to get slapped with a rejection, again.

“We have this state-of-the-art community asset just waiting in the dark.

“It’s just very frustrating really.”

The vault offers local people access to eight workstations with GTX1650 graphics cards and 165Hz refresh rate monitors for students to learn game design, video editing and coding  

The Vault Digital Hub provides eight workstations where children can learn to code websites, edit video and design games. (Image: The Bank Arts Centre) The National Lottery says there are “very high demand” for its grants, which often exceed the money available.

They added: “Last year, we awarded over half a billion pounds to nearly 14,000 projects.

“We are determined to focus on the areas of greatest need, meeting communities where they are, as they are and helping them to tackle poverty, disadvantage, and discrimination.

“We wish we could fund all the great projects that apply to us but, unfortunately, we can’t, and we have to make difficult decisions.

“We know this can be disappointing for projects that are unsuccessful in applying to us.”

The Bank Arts Centre has received grants from Mid Suffolk District Council for its café in the past, which Mr Betts says has allowed it to keep going.  (Image: The Bank Arts Centre) Mr Betts says he is now looking at alternative routes of funding, including a partnership with a digital business or offering private gaming parties and paid home schooling opportunities using the facility. 

He added: “We’ve been lucky to have achieved grants with MSDC for the cafe, and that has been amazing. 

“We obviously have to keep putting in the work. 

“But we have tried everything with these grants and now we are just wondering if we should burn our bridges and go our own way.”