Published: June 29, 2012
Dragon's Den style contest picks community winners in Burnham

Four community groups in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge have received financial boosts this week after successfully pitching their ideas to a panel of judges at an event styled on the BBC's hit TV show Dragon's Den.

Burnham and District Lions Club held the 'Lions Den' event at The Princess Theatre where representatives from Highbridge & Burnham Youth Project, Monarchs Acrobatic Gymnastics Club, Somewhere House, The Three Streets Project and The Care Centre made their bids.

"It was a very successful event and our thanks go to everyone who helped in organising and participating in the event. We had very positive feedback on the day and I believe we achieved our objectives of identifying new community groups and raising the club's profile," one of the judges, Andrew Bryant, told Burnham-On-Sea.com.

The groups pitching for help included The Care Centre, which aims to service to local self-help groups to improve recovery, reduce stress levels and provide advocacy and therapies to those in need. It was awarded £500 to provide tables and chairs for the centre when premises become available.

The Three Streets Project, a group focusing on building community spirit and
cohesion for local residents, was given £160 to provide a noticeboard to advertise local events in The Grove, Gardenhurst and Marlborough Court neighbourhood and a pledge to assist in a community event.

Highbridge & Burnham Youth Project will assist, facilitate and equip better youth facilities by providing training for specialist youth workers in the area of drug prevention and other social enhancing activities. £500 was awarded to the group to fund two drug awareness training programmes. The panel was so impressed with this project and recommended that on a successful 3 month report back, the group applied to the club for additional funding.

Monarchs Acrobatic Gymnastics Club put in a bid to provide assistance in securing a lease on training premises more suitable to their needs. It was awarded £500 towards securing a lease on new training premises.

Burnham's Somewhere House also put in a bid for funding to enable the start-up of a project to offer low cost counselling to support groups, workshops and secondary schools in the field of addiction and mental health issues.

The panel supported the aims and objectives of this group but as it is in the early stages of development and associated with an existing business more financial information and visibility was required. The business member of the panel, Tom Ashton, is to work with the group to provide a detailed business plan and this may lead to an award of £500.

Pictured: Top, the group taking part in the Dragon's Den style event and, above, the judges