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Published:
February 28, 2006
Burnham-On-Sea
regeneration group hits the jackpot with £127,000 grant
Members
of the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Regeneration Partnership
group are celebrating this week after securing a huge grant from
the Big Lottery fund for almost £127,000.
The
money will be used to help the social regeneration of the towns
through the appointment of a Community Development Worker.
 The
grant runs for a period of three years and in that time the worker
will be tasked with achieving many of the projects in the Community
Strategic Plan.
These
include reviewing existing local voluntary community resources
and working with their management committees to improve resource
levels and use of facilities.
The aim is to avoid closure of further community resources, as
has been threatened in the area recently.
A
further aim will be to deliver a 'needs assessment' of isolated,
disadvantaged and hard to reach groups since parts of the two
towns are recognised areas of deprivation.
The
workers will also work with young people and the organisations
that represent them to incorporate their needs into the work of
the company and in future developments in the towns.
Enhancing
the effectiveness of local voluntary groups and improving membership,
awareness and activities of those groups to promote strength,
vitality and sustainability of the community and social network
in the area.
Recruitment
of volunteers to continue the activities of the worker after the
three year post finishes. This helps meet the over-arching aim
that regeneration should be 'for the community, by the community'.
Ken
Hindle, vice chairman of Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Regeneration
Partnership, said: "We are delighted to receive a grant from
the Big Lottery Fund."
"We
have an enthusiastic body of people ready to welcome the worker
and look forward to the positive difference that this appointment
will make to the quality of life in our towns."
"The
worker will be based in the Burnham and Highbridge Community Centre
and will appreciate suggestions on how best help can be provided."
The
Burnham-On-Sea
and Highbridge Regeneration Partnership
was set up in 2005 to take forward the proposals laid out in 2003's
Community Strategic Plan for Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, which
came about through the South West Regional Development Agency's
community based Market & Coastal Towns Initiative.
The
Company has achieved three major recent successes by involvement
in the construction of the River Brue walkway linking the two
towns, the new lighting in Manor Gardens, and the granting of
outline planning permission for the proposed Cultural Quarter
in Princess Street.
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