Community groups win £5,000 of funding

Six local groups have a won a total of £5,000 from a public ‘dragons’ den’ to improve green spaces and people’s health and wellbeing.

The groups, based in Radcliffe and Bury East, impressed residents with their presentations at a community cafe and funding pitch. The aim of the scheme is to work together on projects that put local people in control.

Local residents voted for the following groups/schemes:

Bury Police Cadets - Collabor8: awarded £1,000 to provide an opportunity for the community to share their cultural heritage, while promoting healthy living using traditionally cooked foods.

Friendly Faces Radcliffe – Choir: awarded: £1,000 to improve the mental health and well-being of elderly members of our community, using musical activity to reduce tension in those suffering from dementia.

Incredible Edible - James Street Community Garden, Radcliffe: awarded £790 to transform overgrown unadopted land into a vegetable garden with raised beds and a space for local residents to meet.

SupportiveStem Community Growth CIC - Get Active and Get Involved at The Green: awarded £890 to provide an opportunity for those suffering with health issues/isolated within our community to get involved in a range of activities and build ongoing friendships.

Making Space - Bury Dementia Service: awarded£920 toprovide a safe, welcoming, positive environment for people living with dementia, their carers, family and friends.

Making Space - Death Cafe: awarded £400 to increase awareness of death and to support people to talk openly and help them make the most of their lives, plan ahead, and make sense of their new feelings following loss.

Following the community funding, residents took part in a Community Cafe Conversation Session sharing their knowledge, experience and ideas for creating a vibrant, healthy and connected community. They were able to get to know their neighbours better and think about how to work together to create to create a community for all. The challenge was to identify what is possible and how they can help to make it happen.

Councillor Tamoor Tariq, cabinet member for communities and safer neighbourhoods, said: “It was great to see so many different and diverse community groups come together to take part in the Community Cafe and funding event. A successful and unique way of engaging with the grass roots of East Bury and Radcliffe communities, we look forward to seeing the projects come to fruition.

“We encourage more residents to get involved by making a difference and working together for a better Bury East and Radcliffe.

“Finally, I’d like to say ‘well done’ to all those involved and thank them for the good work they all do. For those who were not successful, I know officers are keen to work with them to offer support. Everybody’s presentation was excellent; it was so hard for people to choose! They are all our local heroes.”

You can follow the progress of each project via their dedicated project page at www.theburydirectory.co.uk/thepitch. Community groups are asked to keep posted for further details of Community Funds for more townships where they will be able to apply later in the year.

ENDS

Press release issued: 23 March 2017.

Picture: The successful Bury Police Cadets and their Collabor8 project.