Community groups awarded council funding

Eleven local community groups have been supported to do their good work thanks to funding from Bury Council.

The small grants panel has approved a total of £30,300 in the latest round of bids.

The successful applicants were: Tottington Play Scheme, Openshaw Park Green, Bury Society for Deaf and Hearing Impaired, Relate, Eagles Wing, Inspire Community Voices 2, Culture Well, Topping Fold TRA, ADAB, Prestwich and Whitefield Heritage Society, and Radcliffe Traders Group.

Councillor Sandra Walmsley, cabinet member for communities, said: “All these groups improve the quality of life for people who live in the borough, whether through arts or business, recreation or general help. We are happy to support them and wish them every success.”

One of the successful applicants was Eagles Wing, a mutual support group for asylum seekers and local people who have met at the Mosses Centre for the last eight years.

Sue Arnall of Eagles Wing said: “We exist to support each other as good friends and we all contribute to a wide range of activities throughout the week.  We have no paid staff and so our 20 volunteers work hard to organise group and individual support sessions.  We also have a grant from Children in Need which pays for our small children to have fun during the day, and for three family trips throughout the year.

“We have more than 100 active members who come to our English class or the sewing group where we do all sorts of handicrafts and share recipes and home made food, or to our two advice sessions where volunteers offer their time to help others with difficult personal problems. We share second hand clothing, toys and equipment, and we make sure that anyone in financial difficulties is helped with a food parcel from Porch, or with some money to cover emergencies.

“The grant that the council is kindly giving us will make sure that we can continue to befriend newcomers to our town, and our old friends can make sure that no one is lonely and isolated when they arrive here. We have members from all over the world, speak five or six languages, but a warm welcome is guaranteed to all who join us.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 21 May 2013.