New funding opportunity

[Gayle]

A new funding opportunity that I've just heard about.

Big Lottery Fund Community Building

Village halls and other local venues will benefit from the new Community Buildings programme announced by the Big Lottery Fund. The programme will be open for business by summer 2006.
The Big Lottery Fund will make £50 million available over three years through the Community Buildings programme to projects across England. More details about the scheme, including information about those who can apply and how will be released in 2006.
Community buildings act as a focal point for the community and are key to promoting community cohesion. There is an established need for more and better community-owned venues that complement state-owned facilities, such as libraries and extended schools. Creating or improving community buildings such as village halls will enable local people to make better use of facilities and encourage more activities to take place within them. Although money for capital projects is currently available through existing funding streams, the Community Buildings programme will focus solely on this aspect of civil renewal.
Village halls and other community venues support a diverse range of activities. When they are well run and maintained, more local people are encouraged to become involved in those activities.
Once a community building has been improved, beneficiaries could include groups and projects who need space for public meetings, parent and toddler groups, fitness, recreation, arts, basic skills training, social events and more. Whilst this programme will inevitably focus on the capital aspects of community buildings, it will be the activities that take place within each building that are crucial and fundamental to its success.
The Big Lottery Fund are working with key partners to develop the programme and are in early discussions, but they expect that the programme will focus on ensuring that there is good community engagement in developing and refurbishing these buildings. In addition, they want to ensure good community use and encourage best practice in terms of management of the buildings. Historically, both the Millennium Commission and the Community Fund provided a significant level of funding for community buildings; the Millennium Commission contributed £50 million in the form of a dedicated programme, while the Community Fund has awarded over £138 million to community buildings since 1995. Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk


There are tons of buildings in Hyndburn that could benefit from an injection of cash - Ossy Town Hall, the Palladium building, the old Firestation in Ossy, Peel Court. Any one of those could be turned into a community hall - any other ideas?

I'll keep you informed of the funding as it becomes available for applications.

[SPUGGIE J]

I would go with the Palladium or he Town Hall. Plenty of space to be creative with for the Ossie residents.