Alan Mak with Hayling Community Centre manager Tania Jones & administrator Tina Lambert.
Alan Mak MP has visited two local community projects bidding for National Lottery Funding to show his support.
Hayling Island Community Centre was awarded £31,080 in April 2015 from the Big Lottery Fund to develop their application to extend and improve the Centre.On Friday 16th October, Alan saw how funding would help build a new café and extension. A popular facility,this project addresses existing oversubscription and brings more essential services to local people. These services will help reduce antisocial behaviour and isolation, assist in combating addiction and provide opportunities for people to gain new skills as well as provide further social opportunities.
Hayling Island Community Centre Association have used this award to develop the project and have now submitted their final proposal to Big Lottery Fund. They are awaiting a decision on the full grant to carry out this work.
Music Fusion were awarded £9,370 in November 2013 for their YOUnique project in Havant. The organisation used the funding to run film making workshops for those at risk of and victims of anti-social behaviour, hate crimes and cyber bullying. The intention was to enable the beneficiaries to learn how to deal with bullying, prevent them suffering serious emotional harm and stop them from becoming introverted and isolated. They will shortly be bidding for more funding to keep the project going.
Alan Mak MP is also supporting the Awards for All funding workshop for community groups, a small grants programme which gives grants of between £300 and £10,000 to voluntary and community organisations, schools, and health bodies that support people and communities in need.
Commenting, Alan Mak MP said:
“I enjoyed meeting residents at the Hayling Island Community Centre, and dropped in on the regular Lunch Club for older people and tried my hand at table tennis. Centre manager Tania Jones, administrator Tina Lambert and their many volunteers do a great job, and I am fully behind their bid for Lottery funding. Even with the rise of e-mail, Facebook & Twitter, nothing beats real face-to-face contact which is what the community centre does best!
“Music Fusion are an inspirational local music education charity working with young people, giving them new skills, more confidence, and the chance of a fresh start. They’ve used their previous Lottery funding very effectively, and I’m backing their bid for new funds to keep their good work going.”