|
SOUTHPORT
GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY GROUP GETS YOUNGSTERS ACTIVE
SOUTHPORT based community
group, Banks St Stephens Bowling Club, is celebrating this week
after discovering they are one of Skipton Building Society's 'Big
160', securing a slot as a winner in its Grassroots Giving initiative
after winning the hearts and minds of the public and triumphing over
nearly 1,000 other applicants across the country.
After being shortlisted in the campaign by the UK's fourth largest
building society, the group's application was then in the hands of
the public vote, to determine if they were to win £500 in funding.
Shortlisted on:-
skiptonbig160.co.uk Banks
St Stephens Bowling Club's story was shared nationally, as well as
via Skipton's social media - as a result the local group secured a
big enough proportion of the 20,000 votes received to be crowned a
winner.
David Cutter, Skipton's Group
Chief Executive said:- "Everyone at Skipton Building Society
has thoroughly enjoyed running this programme which has brought out
of the woodwork so many hard working local community groups, which
we would never otherwise have known of. It is these kind of groups
that make communities and neighbourhoods stronger, especially in
difficult economic times, and we're delighted to have been able to
showcase some of the unsung heroes across the UK who are really
going the extra mile to make life better for everyone. Skipton's
Grassroots Giving programme was set up to support groups who show
commitment to their community, who could illustrate how they plan to
evolve in the future and how the funding would be used to help
secure the longevity of their great work. Typically these grassroots
groups often struggle to secure vital funding due to their size. And
this is what we wanted to change in launching this pioneering
initiative. We now look forward to hearing the stories of the impact
our funding, and the raised profile of these groups has on our Big
160 winners. Hopefully they will continue to flourish and remain the
jewels in the crown of their local communities."
Banks St Stephens Bowling Club is
a community club for all age groups in the village of Banks, near
Southport. The volunteers at the club are aiming to introduce more
children to the sport, by increasing its presence in local schools.
Members of the club plan to pass on their bowling skills to teachers
in local schools, so they can then teach this to school children.
The funding received from Skipton's Grassroots Giving Campaign will
be hugely beneficial to the group, as it will mean all bridges will
be broken when it comes to bowls, with all age groups in the
community being involved, not just the older generation. The
donation will now allow Banks St Stephens to purchase smaller bowls
suitable for children, and begin to introduce the sport to schools.
Stuart Atkinson, chairman of the
group said:- "The grant will introduce youth to this healthy
outdoor sport, together with the help and encouragement of parents"
As part of its Grassroots Giving initiative, Skipton Building
Society has also launched a series of free resources covering a
range of key areas for community groups. From help and advice on how
groups can gain funding through to recruiting volunteers and
governance essentials; the guides can all be downloaded for free
form the Society's bespoke Grassroots Giving
website.
Skipton Building Society launched its Grassroots Giving programme as
part of its 160th anniversary celebrations earlier this year.
For
more updates on Skipton Building Society's support of community
organisations you can also follow updates via:-
twitter.com/SkiptonBS_GrG.
|
 |
Mayor's 5,000
new homes pledge on-track
LIVERPOOL is on-track to
deliver the ambitious new homes target set by the Mayor. New
figures, in the City's annual Residential Development Update, show
that 477 new homes were built in Liverpool in 2013, with work on a
further 883 properties, at 32 sites, getting underway during the
year.
The Mayor set the target, in 2012, of delivering 5,000 new homes for
the City by 2016, and the housing activity which has taken place
over the last 2 years means that more than 3,560 new houses have
either been completed, or are in the process of being built.
With planning applications from Registered Housing Providers and
private developers either submitted or approved for a further for
4,116 properties, the City is well on course to exceed the Mayoral
target.
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said:- "These figures are
really encouraging. I have pledged to deliver 5,000 new homes in
this City because I know how important a thriving, prosperous
housing market is for our future. To see us making such great
strides forward gives me real optimism. These new homes are
revitalising our neighbourhoods, providing the type of affordable
housing that people want, and generating more Council tax which can
be ploughed back into services. Just as importantly, they are
creating new jobs and apprenticeships and building confidence that
Liverpool is a good, desirable place to live."
The City Council is working with a range of partners; including
Registered Housing Providers and private developers; to deliver new
homes in every part of Liverpool, as part of the City's £130m
Housing Delivery Plan. Areas benefiting from new housing include:-
► Anfield - where the Parks scheme, delivered by Keepmoat, has
provided 346 new energy-efficient homes, with 52 more under
construction
► Edge Hill - where the £18.5 million Williamson Place scheme
has seen Bellway deliver 168 new 2, 3 and 4 bedroom
properties.
► Norris Green - where a scheme on the former site of the Boot
Estate - delivered by Regeneration Liverpool, the City's
regeneration partnership - is delivering 107, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom
homes, for private sale, and an additional 60 homes for affordable
rent.
► Knotty Ash – where Riverside have commenced a £6.3m
development of 75 - 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom homes to tackle the shortage
of smaller properties in the wake of the so called 'bedroom tax'.
► Speke and Garston – where South Liverpool Homes (SLH) is
investing £20m in the delivery of more than 170, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom
homes for affordable rent, shared ownership and for sale.
Liverpool is also making great strides in achieving the Mayor's
target of bringing 1,000 empty properties back into use. Concerted
work to identify 1,132 priority long-term empty properties in
Liverpool, and a range of work, to track down and engage with owners
and carry out enforcement action has helped bring 675 of those
properties back into use, in the past year.
Major projects which are refurbishing vacant properties in the City
include in Anfield, where the City Council is working with partners
including Your Housing Group to refurbish 550 homes, as part of the
wider £260m regeneration plans for the area. In Granby, a £14m
investment from Plus Dane, Liverpool Mutual Homes and community orgamnisations, will bring more than 100 properties back into use by
2017.
The Mayor added:- "We are achieving great things by working
creatively with our public and private sector partners; and
delivering a number of initiatives to drive up the quality of the
City's housing stock and bring vacant properties back into use.
There's much more to do, but I'm delighted with the progress made so
far."
Assistant Mayor and Cabinet for Housing, Councillor Ann O'Byrne,
said:- "Our Housing Delivery Programme is having a real
impact, and it's pleasing to see so many new-build and refurbishment
schemes taking shape in every part of our City.
It's vital for Liverpool that we provide the type of affordable
homes that people want and tackle the problem of empty properties.
In the difficult economic climate, that presents real challenges,
but these new figures show that by taking an imaginative approach to
housing delivery we can make a real difference to our communities."
Other initiatives being driven forward by the City to deliver new
and refurbished housing and support house buyers include:-
► The Homes for a Pound scheme; a pilot scheme which is giving 20
local residents the opportunity to buy a house in the Granby and Picton areas for just £1, and refurbish it. The
1st house was
handed over last year, with more to be announced in the near future.
► The Lend A Hand Mortgage scheme, which has seen the Council
team-up with Lloyds Bank to provide 25% mortgage top-ups for house
buyers who are struggling to fund the deposit for a property.
Launched in 2012, it has so far helped 64 people get onto the
property ladder.
► The Mayor launching a search for a Strategic Housing Delivery
Partner which can work with the Council to deliver 1,500 new homes
for local people, and bring a further 1,000 back into use. The
selected partner will be announced in the coming months. |
