- Area:
- North East England
- Programme:
- Community Assets
- Release date:
- 23 3 2009
Sedgefield residents will have a first-class place in which to improve their health and well being, thanks to a £752,718 Community Assets grant from the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office awarded to Sedgefield Borough Council.
Working in partnership with Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP), the Council receives an award to refurbish and extend the Pioneering Care Centre, an existing building serving the people of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. Once the work is completed, the PCP will take on a 125-year leasehold from the Council for a peppercorn rent. Through this transfer of ownership, the Partnership hopes to effectively address local needs and increase sustainability of the important local amenity.
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.
With a new lease of life, the Pioneering Care Centre will house a new Health and Well Being suite, providing local residents with increased access to physical activity classes, group activities, therapy and rehabilitation services. The revamped centre will also house a vibrant community café, Employability Centre of Excellence, meeting rooms and office accommodation.
Chief Executive of the Borough Council, Brian Allen, said: “Sedgefield Borough Council is absolutely delighted to have received confirmation of the grant to enable work to commence on the extension of the Pioneering Care Partnership in Newton Aycliffe. The extra space provided will allow the partnership to provide a great range of services for vulnerable people and in particular, those seeking a route back to work”.
“The Borough Council has enjoyed a long and successful working relationship with the Board members and staff and it gives me great pleasure and a sense of pride to hand over the building to them, to continue to provide great services for local people.”
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 Pioneering Care Centre. 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.”
BIG’s Head of Region, James Turner, said: “The improvements planned at the Pioneering Care Centre will add value to what is already a wonderful community resource. It will not only create an important venue for the whole community to come together, but will provide a vital connection for those seeking support and advice concerning their health and employment prospects.”
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:
- Local third sector organisations have greater security and independence, and are better able to meet the needs of the communities they serve.
- Communities have more access to better facilities that respond to their needs.
- 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:
- Holiday play facilities and activities for parents and pre-school children
- Facilities for young people providing alternative education services, evening coffee bar, leisure facilities, professional advice and guidance, anti-gun and knife crime events
- GP referrals, healthy eating service, facilities offering keep fit classes, group wellbeing activities, a wheelchair service, therapy and rehabilitation services
- Adult education, training courses, addiction assistance, ICT facilities and employment opportunities in deprived areas
- Lunch clubs and tea dances for the elderly
- Theatre events, rehearsal space, music facilities, venues for music events, creative arts groups and experimental art exhibitions
- Meeting rooms, office services and facilities for smaller local groups including BME communities
- Workshops, training rooms and support to local business start-ups
- 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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