- Area:
- London
- Programme:
- Community Buildings
- Release date:
- 30 3 2009
Big Lottery Fund has pledged close to a million pounds to two London community hubs to make them fitter for the future at a time of economic challenge.
At a time when many communties are feeling the pinch, the money, totalling £960,000, will ensure that the residents of Kentish Town, Camden, and Mildmay, Islington, have modern, fit-for-purpose facilities where they can access a range of activities and services.
Debbie Pippard, Head of the London region at the Big Lottery Fund, said: “This is a very challenging financial time for community and voluntary groups so we are delighted to be able to make this investment today. The money will bring much-needed improvements to these centres, enabling them to better meet the needs of local people and ensuring that they are sustainable in the long-term.”
In Camden, the Kentish Town Community Centre will undergo a much-needed expansion following an award of £475,000, which will enable the facility to meet growing demand for new activities and services within the Kentish Town community.
The money will be used to build a new group space for young people on the first floor, new offices and reception area on the ground floor and to reconfigure the hall’s interior to create more usable space. As well as increasing the activities available for adults, the renovations will mean the centre can improve its provision for young people, including extending the youth club’s opening hours.
There will also be a larger, fully accessible kitchen suitable for healthy eating and cooking activities and an IT area where the community can take part in accredited courses and training.
Justina Forristal, Centre Manager, said: "This grant from the Big Lottery Fund is a significant contribution to the expansion and improvements project at the Kentish Town Community Centre.
“We have run out of space in our building as it currently stands and this grant will enable us to provide a desperately needed dedicated space for local young people. It will also mean we can provide a range of new activities for adults in the evenings and weekends including employment & skills training, exercise classes and more space for community groups to meet."
In Islington, Mildmay Community Partnership will use a grant of £485,000 to redesign the Mayville Building, making it economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
Renovations to the 100-year-old former tram generator shed will include a new entrance extension with a new reception and foyer area, new and improved internal layout and a lift to provide better access to each floor.
The new building will host a range of social and educational activities along with more health and advice services. Current activities on offer include an older people’s luncheon club, a youth club, jazz percussion classes, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes, Saturday supplementary school, table tennis and IT training.
Trevor Mbatha, Chief Executive of Mildmay Community Partnership, said: "This award is a fantastic achievement for the communities of Mildmay who have campaigned for decades to have a community centre that is warm and accessible. The grant means that we can have a centre that greatly reduces our running costs and allows us to spend our resources on delivering services to one of the most deprived communities in London and the UK.”
Further Information
Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours contact: 07867 500 572
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030
Textphone: 0845 6021 659
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Notes to Editors
- Community Buildings is dedicated to investing in buildings that give communities a chance to improve their quality of life and meet local needs, by offering a range of activities and services open to a broad range of people.
- Up to £50 million is being distributed across England over three years with grants of £50,000 to £500,000 available.
- The programme opened for applications in June 2006. 200 applicants were invited to submit stage 2 applications and development funding was awarded to some projects.
- The programme is now closed for applications
- The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out half the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
- BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
- Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £22 billion has now been raised and more than 300,500 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
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