Main Grants Programme Case Study
FAIR project
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has contributed £75 000 towards a programme of support for the voluntary, community and faith sector to enable groups to become more active partners in local regeneration. The fully funded FAIR Project Manager has worked jointly with Wigan & Leigh CVS in the delivery of this scheme.
“In 2000, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust responded to a need to provide a dedicated funding advice service in St Helens – a need that was identified through consultations with the voluntary, community and faith sectors of St Helens by Coalfields Regeneration Trust and St Helens CVS. Over a 2 year period we were able to provide communities across St Helens with 15 Funding Information Points providing all the relevant funding “tools”. The Coalfields Regeneration Trust also supported our quarterly newsletter, an inaugural Funders' Fair, relevant training and awareness sessions, and the establishment of networks with partner agencies and funders.
In 2004, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust funded the next stage of development that enabled the FAIR Project to continue and improve the services mentioned above and also to research the more fundamental elements of building a sustainable voluntary community and faith sector.
The direct result of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust funding and the learning from this, has enabled the FAIR Project to successfully bid to the Big Lottery Fund for a 4 year project worth £497,000 (Nuts & Bolts: Strengthening the Sector) to undertake a longitudinal research study that will provide evidence of critical success factors that should inform and influence future thinking of funders and policy makers, and increase the efficiency, effectiveness, viability, skills and knowledge of the Sector toward sustainability and a competitive edge.
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has provided St Helens CVS and its associated projects a platform to promote Sector sustainability, especially in geographical areas of extreme deprivation.
Without CRT funding and its faith in our capabilities, we would not be able, in turn, to support the many local organisations that do extremely valuable work”.
Sue Wright, St Helens CVS
Swinton Car Project
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust awarded £39 098 for the purchase of additional stock cars, motorbikes and tools requested by the Swinton Car Project.
The Swinton Car Project operates in conjunction with the local Police as a crime prevention initiative in an area with high levels of serious vehicle crime. All young people taking part are either young offenders or young people regarded as highly likely to offend.
These young people, introduced to the scheme by local Police, attend auto-engineering sessions two evenings a week, working alongside qualified mechanics who have volunteered to convert de-listed road cars provided by the Police into banger or production stock cars that are then raced at weekends. Participants work in teams of driver and pit mechanics and there is a graffiti team that paints the cars and apply logos ready for racing. The best performing driver and crew teams can be selected to race one of the V-8 Hot Stocks (top of the range racing cars) that the project owns and younger participants aged 13-16 have the chance to race the mod-stocks and mini-stock car.
This provides an effective diversionary activity in an area where youth nuisance is a major issue and there is a high level of young people with anti-social behaviour orders. The main stipulation for a youngster to remain on the project is that they do not offend or re-offend. This has been shown as a successful intervention, with over 90% of those joining the project not re-offending.
The project is supported by a multi-agency management committee that includes the Police, Swinton Youth Partnership, Swinton Neighbourhood Team, CVS and elected councillors from the local area. Police figures demonstrate that serious vehicle crime has been reduced by more than 60% over the time the project has been running in the Swinton and Pendlebury area.
Golborne Parkside Sports and Community Club
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has contributed £ 195 000 towards the capital build costs to erect a community clubhouse in addition to fully funding a Sport and Community Development Officer to take forward social, recreational, sporting and support services to encourage good health and well-being for the local community.
The development will encourage involvement of local residents, especially young people and disadvantaged groups, in health awareness activities, adult education. The new facility has two large recreational meeting spaces for local community events as well as a weights room and Youth Zone, fitted out with sports and leisure equipment and operated by young people for young people with support from Community Police.
The club provides fun fitness sessions including rounders, netball, 5-a-side football and basketball for those who wish to play on a non-competitive basis. The club’s approach is to encourage members to become involved in sporting activity that is based on having fun with participation open to non-fit members.
The rugby league section of the club has been developing their programme, with an expansion in successful Tag Rugby tournaments engaging mixed teams from local schools.
“The school has benefited from a tag rugby lunchtime club. This was one area that we wanted to develop further, as there were many children who were keen to participate in rugby as opposed to football. Most of the activities have been non-competitive and all of the children have been involved and have played an important role, regardless of their ability. This has developed the confidence of those children who find PE challenging and has raised the understanding that PE is fun”.
Mrs PA Carter and Mrs LJ Morgan Hillam, St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School
“Willow Grove School is a Primary School for children with emotional, social and behavioural difficulties. What started out as rugby skills and training has developed into an extremely valuable extension to our curriculum. It has a massive impact on several areas of our children’s overall development. Dave [Smith] reinforces the skills of the team playing and interaction. He encourages the children to support less able members of their group and his sessions are inclusive of every child within the school. [He] provides the opportunity for all children to access sport and is very skilled at building self esteem and encouraging participation. By accessing these sessions the children are provided with a productive extension to the schools PE curriculum”.
Valda Pearson, Willow Primary School
“Our partnership with Golborne Parkside Rugby Club has developed magnificently over the last 18 months. Dave has worked with two classes in school time and has run an after school club bringing skills and experience to 70 children between 7 and 11. Add to this two tremendous tournaments organised and run by Dave and you can see why we are delighted to be in partnership with Goldborne Parkside and Dave in particular”.
Mr SC Sheekey, Abram Bryn Gates County School