Community cash helps make our lives better

12:20pm Friday 16th May 2008

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COMMUNITY groups across St Helens have been celebrating more than £143,000 worth of funding in 15 areas across town to improve the quality of life.

More than £ 100,000 was provided by the Sustainable Centres Fund to help 17 local community centres while the Neighbourhood Development Fund dished out £43,000 to 54 community groups for projects focusing on crime, education, employment, health, housing and liveability.

Examples of successful projects include: l Community Clean Up Days in Portico, Four Acre and Fingerpost to tackle environmental issues. More than 72 tons of rubbish was removed.

The events were organised in partnership with local residents from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund Community Groups, St Helens Council's Neighbourhood Development Officers and Neighbourhood Renewal Funded Environmental Wardens.

• A new Indoor bowling group in Derbyshire Hill was established to encourage elderly and disabled residents to become more active and to provide them with a social network. Members of the group also visit local hospitals in order to provide demonstrations and talks to patients on the benefits of becoming more involved in gentle exercise.

• A new Friday Night Football/Cheerleading group for young people has been launched in Four Acre. The area suffers from above national average levels of anti social behaviour and the group is now well attended. As a result of local girls going to watch the football, a further £500 was awarded to run a successful cheerleading project.

• A £1,000 was awarded to St Matthew's Playgroup in Portico to purchase specific equipment in order to extend their service to children under two' years of age. They have been able to provide a new baby changing facility and specialist toys and educational resources. They have achieved outstanding' status from this year's Ofsted inspection, which they acknowledge would not have been possible without NDF support.

• Neighbourhood Development funding was granted to allow a volunteer at Newton Family Centre to access an ICT maintenance course. This enabled the volunteer to gain formal qualifications and improve their employment prospects and job skills.

• Community centres benefitting from £100,000 funding included St John's, Ravenhead. Here they have purchased equipment to develop a satellite catering facility at Taylor Park. Volunteers from the local community staff the new catering facility, which has been modernised and refurbished by St Helens Council.

The Centre has developed a Business Plan, which allows all profits from the catering arm, to be returned back to the Centre to help its future sustainability.