Record Grants will help Young and Disadvantaged in the Broads
A record number of ten sustainable projects which will benefit Norfolk and Suffolk people have been awarded grants totalling nearly £90,000 from the Broads Authority’s Sustainable Development Fund.
The projects focus on helping disadvantaged young people to gain qualifications, encouraging young people to take up rowing and competitive dinghy sailing, reducing carbon emissions and promoting cycling.
Nigel Dark, SDF Administrator, said: “This has been our most successful funding round since grants began six years ago in terms of project quality, number and acceptance rate. The panel accepted 10 out of 12 applications, and just asked for more information on the remaining two applications.”
Grants totalling £89,880 were handed out by the nine strong SDF Panel, bringing the total for the financial year to £298,500.
The panel approved funding for:
• Up to 160 disadvantaged 16-19 year olds from Norwich who are not in education, employment or training to attend Whitlingham Country Park’s Forest Schools course where they will learn team and confidence building, conservation work, wildlife, environmental issues and sustainability.
• Three racing dinghies for young members of Hickling Broad Sailing Club. The project will build on sailing instruction provided by Norfolk Schools Sailing Association at Filby by introducing young people without their own boats to competitive dinghy racing.
• The replacement of three high specification Wayfarer dinghies at Whitlingham Outdoor Education Centre which will be used to introduce over 500 youngsters a year from Norfolk schools to advanced dinghy sailing.
• Disadvantaged young people, who are at risk of exclusion from school, to gain nationally recognised qualifications following Forest school principles. The project will benefit 500 young people in pupil referral units and special schools in the Broads.
• A project that will upgrade an existing un-signed cycle route between Beccles and Reedham Ferry making it safer and easier to use. The route will become part of National Cycle Route 31.
• “A More Sustainable Bungay”, helping the town benchmark its carbon footprint, raise public awareness of sustainability issues, qualify for entry into the Transition Town network and develop a town plan.
• A £30,000 carbon audit of the whole Broads area. The SDF funded study will be carried out in parallel with a separate, self-funded audit of the Broads Authority’s own operations.
• A two year project that will introduce 310 children at Chapel Break Infant School and their families to organic food production, healthy eating, recycling, and the ecology of their own environment. Neighbouring schools, youth organisations and the local community will be encouraged to get involved.
• The training of three new coaches for young people at Beccles Rowing Club to enable it to increase its membership from 80 to 110 and make even better use of the boats SDF helped fund in 2008.
• The development of a business plan that will help East Anglia Food Link bid for the tenancy of one of Norfolk County Council’s farms. This could lead to a new social enterprise that will create a care farm helping people with disabilities and producing food for local consumption.
SDF has another £180,000 to award in 2009/10 so if any one has any bright ideas for a project they should get in touch with John Ash, the new SDF administrator, on 01508 550116; SDF@broads-authority.gov.uk and apply before June 12.
08/04/09
