Derbyshire Groups Benefit in 1st Round of 2004 Awards

Derby Law Centre, based in Market Hall, has been awarded a grant of £133,684 to enable it to set up a much-needed One-Stop-Shop in Normanton. The Shop will provide free legal advice on a range of issues affecting the local population, including housing, employment, debt, immigration and nationality and welfare benefits. The grant has also saved jobs at the organisation’s City centre base.

A grant of £92,394 will enable The Volunteer Centre, which serves chesterfield and North East Derbyshire to continue its successful and valued befriending scheme for older, isolated people. The grant will ensure that the project, which recruits volunteers and matches them with older people who have asked to be befriended, will continue to run for at least a further three years.

Older people will also benefit from the grant of £9,385 given to Tideswell Tai Chi Group. The grant will pay for the specialist tuition fees of a Tai Chi teacher who will hold weekly exercises classes for older and disabled people to help them increase their physical fitness and mental wellbeing.

South Normanton Community Church’s grant of £73,695 will be used by the group to run outward bound residential events for disadvantaged fathers and their sons living in the Bolsover district. The money for this grant came from the fair share initiative. Research has shown that the District of Bolsover has not had its fair share of lottery funds in the past; therefore a special pot of money has been set aside by the Community Fund to specifically help groups and organisations serving Bolsover.

Nacro Community Enterprises will use its grant of £25,039 to provide a safe and secure children’s play area at Osmaston Family Project. The Project gives support to families in the areas of Osmaston and Allenton, by providing services such as pre-school provision, parenting programmes, training courses and counselling services.

Susan Holmes, Chief Executive of Derby Law Centre, echoed the sentiments of all the grant recipients, saying, “We were delighted on hearing of our success. Without the grant, we would not have been able to expand the service to one of the mostdeprived and needy areas of the City. Furthermore, it would have led to cut backs in the present staff levels at our City centre base.”

The £334,197 of lottery money awarded to five Derbyshire organisations is from a total of £1,886,817 awarded to five counties in the East Midlands by the Community Fund. The money has been awarded as part of the Community Fund’s rolling grants programme in 2004.

	5 March 2004 Five Derbyshire groups benefit in first round of 2004 awards
	The five organisations – Derby Law Centre, the Chesterfield-based Volunteer Centre, South Normanton Community Church, Osmaston-based Nacro Community Enterprises Limited and Tideswell Tai Chi Group - will share a total of £334,197 of lottery money. The grants are the first to be awarded to the county’s good causes in 2004 by the Community Fund. Five further rounds of Community Fund grants are expected throughout the year. Derby Law Centre, based in Market Hall, has been awarded a grant of £133,684 to enable it to set up a much-needed One-Stop-Shop in Normanton. The Shop will provide free legal advice on a range of issues affecting the local population, including housing, employment, debt, immigration and nationality and welfare benefits. The grant has also saved jobs at the organisation’s City centre base. A grant of £92,394 will enable The Volunteer Centre, which serves chesterfield and North East Derbyshire to continue its successful and valued befriending scheme for older, isolated people. The grant will ensure that the project, which recruits volunteers and matches them with older people who have asked to be befriended, will continue to run for at least a further three years. Older people will also benefit from the grant of £9,385 given to Tideswell Tai Chi Group. The grant will pay for the specialist tuition fees of a Tai Chi teacher who will hold weekly exercises classes for older and disabled people to help them increase their physical fitness and mental wellbeing. South Normanton Community Church’s grant of £73,695 will be used by the group to run outward bound residential events for disadvantaged fathers and their sons living in the Bolsover district. The money for this grant came from the fair share initiative. Research has shown that the District of Bolsover has not had its fair share of lottery funds in the past; therefore a special pot of money has been set aside by the Community Fund to specifically help groups and organisations serving Bolsover. Nacro Community Enterprises will use its grant of £25,039 to provide a safe and secure children’s play area at Osmaston Family Project. The Project gives support to families in the areas of Osmaston and Allenton, by providing services such as pre-school provision, parenting programmes, training courses and counselling services. Susan Holmes, Chief Executive of Derby Law Centre, echoed the sentiments of all the grant recipients, saying, “We were delighted on hearing of our success. Without the grant, we would not have been able to expand the service to one of the mostdeprived and needy areas of the City. Furthermore, it would have led to cut backs in the present staff levels at our City centre base.” The £334,197 of lottery money awarded to five Derbyshire organisations is from a total of £1,886,817 awarded to five counties in the East Midlands by the Community Fund. The money has been awarded as part of the Community Fund’s rolling grants programme in 2004.		For further information about how to apply for a Community Fund award please call 0115 934 9300 or visit www.community-fund.org.uk.