Lucky for some! 13 community groups win funding in Radcliffe

Thirteen was anything but unlucky for Radcliffe groups who pitched for funding to support their community projects.

They won up to £1,000 each for a wide range of schemes to improve the health and wellbeing of their neighbourhood.

Each of the 13 successful groups made their case at the latest Pitch event, held at Radcliffe United Reformed Church, and local residents then voted for them to receive council money.

The successful projects:

Baby Basics Bolton & Bury (who won £1,000): To help vulnerable pregnant ladies, their babies and professional agencies in Radcliffe. To work with members of the community in collecting surplus baby items through a number of donation points across Bury

Redbank Tenants and Residents Association (£1,000) :Lunch and Learn. A range of ‘bitesized’ learning sessions around flower arranging, cake decorating, iPad training, craft activities. Benefitting the community and some of the most vulnerable community members who would otherwise be unable or unwilling to access other learning opportunities; helping to reduce social isolation, providing opportunities to build social networks and creating opportunities for learning.

SpeakEasy (£1,000):Communication Ramps. Helping people with aphasia to develop skills so they can be more engaged with their communities. Carers will benefit from a decreased burden, and support to local volunteers to develop skills that can be transferred to helping others.

Corrie Gardeners (£1,000):Garden Tools. To purchase garden tools for the community enabling those who currently do not have tools to be able to take part in the ‘grow your own’ project.

Trinity Baptist Church (£1,000):Luncheon Club. Luncheon Club is open to all – helping those socially isolated.

Early Break (£1,000):Assertive Outreach. Offering brief intervention on the streets to young people around substance use, safety, relationships and emotional wellbeing; where referrals into service are needed - facilitate, sign post and action.

Bloco Ashê Bury Community Samba Group (£923):Samba Group. Celebrating their10^th anniversary. Deliver samba workshop and activities, providing instant fulfilment, offering gentle encouragement, lots of fun and the chance to build skills, knowledge and friendships.

Making Space (£1,000):Development of a service user DEEP group. Todevelop a group for people living with dementia (and carers if necessary or preferred) that would meet socially at a weekend with cubs/scouts from throughout the borough, meeting in Radcliffe. Playing games, camp fires, sing-a-longs, art/craft session. This group, through discussion/activity, would lead to the setting up of a DEEP group in Bury (Dementia Engagement Empowerment Project) meeting quarterly in Radcliffe.

The Woodies (£920):Woodturning Project. To purchase wood turning equipment allowing the group to make items. A therapeutic way to work with wood, providing stress and anxiety relief.

ADAB (£1,000):No More I Can. Information and support for women/men in the BAME community experiencing domestic abuse. We want to inform, educate and support women about controlling behaviour and the impact this has on our mental and emotional state. Equip them with the right knowledge so they can gain the help and support they need when they need it and in a culturally sensitive manner. The second part is to empower victims of domestic violence with skills for work or training, giving them the confidence and strength to be independent. We will help them through accessing courses at ADAB for English, IT, textiles, anxiety and depression etc or help them to become self employed

ADAB (£1,000): Love for All. To raise awareness of hate crime and the different strands it entails within this word, what it means, where to go and who to seek support from and raise awareness about bullying and cyber bullying too. We aim to empower BAME young people, women, asylum seekers and refugee residents to be more resilient and to get involved in making their community to feel safer. This project will allow people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to take part and learn about hate crime and bullying. Young people will be trained to become hate crime ambassadors who will be sources of support in schools, colleges and the community.

Holding Families (£500):Holding Families – Family Days. To support vulnerable children and families affected by parental substance misuse and its surrounding problems. The main focus of our work is the voice of children and how they are affected by parental substance misuse.

A big part of our project is family celebration days which include creative activities that help re-connect families through improving communication and relationships.

Enterprising Youth CIC (£985): Coach to Calm. To prepare participants and their families to cope better and manage life events and everyday situations through education and skills development. Host an open day, showcasing and teaching evidenced strategies and self-management techniques, empowering participants to manage situations that they would otherwise find stressful. In the immediate future this supports them in situations such as managing relationships and coping with stress resulting from daily challenges and personal circumstance i.e unemployment. We encourage participants to share their learning within their families and wider community.

Councillor Rishi Shori, leader of Bury Council, said: “It was a pleasure to be at the Radcliffe Pitch event and hear from so many local groups about the work they are doing to improve the neighbourhood. With their hard work and dedication, they are truly a credit to the community, and I wish them every success in bringing their projects to fruition.”

You can follow the progress of each project via their dedicated project page at www.theburydirectory.co.uk/thepitch.

Community groups can keep up to date on further Community Fund opportunities via www.theburydirectory.co.uk/funding.

ENDS

Press release issued: 14 November 2017.

Picture: Council leader Rishi Shori with the winning groups at the Radcliffe Pitch event.