Government funding puts centre in hands of Newcastle locals

Area:

North East England

Programme:

Community Assets

Release date:

23 3 2009

There will be something to interest everyone at an extended community building in the heart of Newcastle with the announcement today of a £1 million Community Assets grant from the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office awarded to Newcastle Upon Tyne City Council.

Working in partnership with West End Women and Girls Centre, a group addressing the needs of women and girls in the area, the Council is receiving an award to refurbish and extend the Stephenson Building in Elswick, Newcastle. When complete, The Community’s Heart Project steering group will take on a 25-year leasehold from the Council for a peppercorn rent – placing ownership into the hands of those who hold the local amenity in such high regard.

This redevelopment project has received the grant from the Community Assets programme funded by the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office and delivered by Big Fund, the non-Lottery funding operation of the Big Lottery Fund.

Kevin Brennan MP, Minister for the Third Sector, said, “The Government is investing £30 million across the country into excellent community projects such as The Community’s Heart Project. Facilities such as these are much needed by voluntary and community groups, particularly during these challenging economic times when people are increasing calling on community support.”

The improvements will see the building transformed into a vibrant community facility with a crèche, social enterprise opportunities for budding entrepreneurs and holistic therapy sessions, sports events and arts activities all under one roof. Young and old will be able to take advantage of a wide range of training opportunities in IT, confidence building, catering, and food hygiene.

Councillor Pauline Allen, Newcastle City Council’s executive member for culture, leisure and customer services, said: “This is great news for the Stephenson Building and great news for the city. This money will mean we can undertake substantial refurbishments of this historic building and bring it up to an acceptable standard.”    

BIG’s Head of Region, James Turner, said: “This project will make a real difference to the lives of people living in the local area. Providing quality spaces for local people to come together, learn, and enjoy activities is vital to ensure that the most isolated and disadvantaged get the support they need, right at the heart of the community.”

Further Information

Big 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 Assets is a non-Lottery programme funded by the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office.
• The Big Fund is the non-Lottery funding operation of the Big Lottery Fund.
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) distributes lottery funding to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. It also uses its expertise in grant-giving to distribute non-Lottery funding. BIG has been appointed to distributed around £30 million of Government funding through Community Assets
• The aim of Community Assets is community empowerment. It will do this by facilitating the transfer of genuine assets from local authorities to the third sector for the benefit of the community. Community Assets will bring about the following outcomes:

1. Local third sector organisations have greater security and independence, and are better able to meet the needs of the communities they serve.
2. Communities have more access to better facilities that respond to their needs.
3. There is more effective partnership working between local authorities and the third sector.

• The range of activities to be offered by the recipients of Community Assets in principle grants includes:

1. Holiday play facilities and activities for parents and pre-school children
2. Facilities for young people providing alternative education services, evening coffee bar, leisure facilities, professional advice and guidance, anti-gun and knife crime events
3. GP referrals, healthy eating service, facilities offering keep fit classes, group wellbeing activities, a wheelchair service, therapy and rehabilitation services
4. Adult education, training courses, addiction assistance, ICT facilities and employment opportunities in deprived areas
5. Lunch clubs and tea dances for the elderly
6. Theatre events, rehearsal space, music facilities, venues for music events, creative arts groups and experimental art exhibitions
7. Meeting rooms, office services and facilities for smaller local groups including BME communities
8. Workshops, training rooms and support to local business start-ups
9. New tourism and leisure destinations

• The Office of the Third Sector was formed (OTS) in May 2006 in recognition of the increasingly important role the third sector plays in both society and the economy. It aims to drive forward the Government's role in supporting a thriving third sector, and join up sector-related work across government: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector.
• From 30 March to 23 June 2007 the Office of the Third Sector ran a public consultation on how Community Assets will work.  A wide range of local authorities and third sector organisations responded to the consultation. The Office of the Third Sector summarised the responses and explained how they will influence the final programme on 10 August 2007.
• The Community Assets fund was first proposed last year in the Pre-Budget Report (6 December 2006).
• http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/makingassetswork

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