Funding update Since achieving our target for the ‘Support Ellesmere Port Flea Market’ SpaceHive, we have so far been able to make use of the funds to purchase our own furniture and make some minor changes to the way we run the event. This has allowed the event to continue for free and we have held a further three well attended events in the last year. We were due to implement some bigger changes, consisting of mural artwork to make the space more inviting. A great deal of work had gone into getting this planned and we were hoping our last event would have featured this. Just as we were due to implement the artwork last month, the council had great news in that they were successful in their bidding for Levelling Up Funding. A key element of the Levelling Up Funding bid is to upgrade Ellesmere Port Market (see the full application here https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/business/shared-prosperity-fund/levelling-up-fund/transforming-ellesmere-port-town-centre) which includes the flea market. It has been determined that if our artwork was implemented now, that it is likely to be removed when the Levelling Up Funding work starts, so because of this we will no longer be progressing with the artwork. With the remaining balance of money raised through SpaceHive, this will cover some of the expenses spent to date on planning for the artwork, but also significant amount we plan to use for other community initiatives run by our Collective. We will also still continue to host events in the flea market as we look forward to seeing major changes to the flea market space.