GOOD causes in Redditch have received a £40,000 shot in the arm thanks to the Big Lottery Fund.
£10,000 has gone to the Britten Street Hub CIC (ommunity Interest Company) which will enable it refurbish a vital community space so it can offer more courses and help to local people.
The money will also help pay for a new reception area and office.
Development manager Elaine Grant said: “We are absolutely thrilled.
“It will enable us to offer three multi-purpose rooms so we can extend our services to the community.”
Those services include preparing people for employment, developing confidence and new skills, offering a range of Maths and English tuition as well as expanding their health and wellbeing courses.
£10,000 has gone to Redditch’s Jestaminute Community Theatre CIC which, in partnership with REACH CIC at The Space in Winyates, will see the staging of a community pantomime next Easter designed to improve the self esteem and confidence of local people.
In the process they will learn key skills so the project will leave a legacy enabling those taking part to organise and run their own events.
“We’re absolutely delighted,” said playwright Andy Higgitt of Jestaminute.
“We are hoping to get together a core of people who want to be involved and we’ll take it from there.
“They’ll have to decide whether they want a traditional panto or something a little bit different. It will have music, and hopefully some humour too!
“There’s also a legacy element as we’ll be teaching skills for people to be able to put on their own shows in the future.”
As previously revealed in the Redditch Standard £10,000 has also gone to Redditch Community Sheds, also in Britten Street.
This will provide woodwork activities to older men and women who have retired and miss the friendships and banter they enjoyed with others when they were in full time work.
Sessions will also be provided for families, creating new opportunities to spend quality time together while learning new skills. School visits will also be provided, where children can learn how to create their own bird boxes.
£10,000 has also been awarded to the Friends of Webheath Academy to set up a Family and Community Centre.
The money will be used to support parent IT classes to develop computer skills, build relationships and end isolation.
In total, 31 community projects in Worcestershire are receiving a share of the Big Lottery Fund, totalling £850,000 for the county as a whole.
James Harcourt from the Big Lottery Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, communities large and small are able to get the funding they need to bring their great ideas to life.
“Every time someone buys a National Lottery ticket it raises vital funds that help make a difference to hundreds of people’s lives.”
