Member Article

£3.2 million windfall for North East community groups

Homeless people, people with learning disabilities, drug abusers and older people are just some of the people who will benefit under the latest round of grants announced by the Northern Rock Foundation. £2.7 million of the total £3.2 million investment across the North East and Cumbria will be spent on projects in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and the Tees Valley.Some 11 organisations will benefit under the Foundations’ second round of 2006 funding. Ippr north, the only English policy think tank outside London, will receive £191,018 over three years to continue their research. Cash is also being given to develop a second Skylight Centre in Newcastle, providing learning and training opportunities for homeless people; a community centre which helps women from the black and minority ethnic communities in Newcastle gain training and employment opportunities; and a project which uses drama to educate women with learning disabilities about health issues. Other organisations which will benefit include Re-Solv, which will receive £91,136 over three years to develop work to tackle volatile substance abuse in the North East and Nightstop Teesside which will put its £90,000 grant towards the running costs of the organisation which provides emergency help for homeless young people. Streetwise Opera will also receive £39,000 towards the production of ‘Whirlwind’, an Opera to be developed and performed by homeless people from Newcastle and Gateshead.Alastair Balls, Chairman of Northern Rock Foundation, said: “I’m delighted to announce Northern Rock Foundation’s second round of grants in 2006. The awards represent a total investment of £3.2 million in people and places across the North East and Cumbria. Thanks to the hard work and commitment of all those involved, these grants will help tackle disadvantage in local communities, and to improve quality of life in our region as a whole.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .