Between April 2008 – March 2009 we funded 33 projects, added to last year’s projects that mean that CNMG have funded 113 Projects to date.
Every project approved had to pass a stringent examination from our Project Appraisal Group and/or our Board to ensure that they would provide a benefit to the people of Cotmanhay. In addition to this year several larger projects where worked up by the Working Theme groups and service commissioned.
We also delivered several projects in-house such as the young people’s holiday activities and the Junior Rangers
Community Sports Coach £40,885 over 2 years this project enables young people to take part in sporting activities over the school holidays, and in school time.
Cotmanhay Community Fire Safety Officer £30,868 over 3 years
Match funded post with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue service to employ a designated fire safety officer in the area, Maria our Fire Safety Officer has not only delivered classes to all the School, but has visited over 500 homes to carry out home fire safety checks and install appropriate equipment such as fire alarms and chip pans.
Cotmanhay Junior School little Dragons £1900 over 2 years
Tai-Chi lessons for the year 6’s, building confidence, self esteem and teamwork of 54 young people at the school.
Bright Street Laundry Project £18490 over 3 years
Funding to cover running costs for this valuable community resource, which had over 3000 transactions to vulnerable people this financial year.
Luncheon Club £15235 over 2 years. Community run project providing hot, nutritious food to vulnerable residents. Also provides social interaction, Bingo and volunteering opportunities for venerable there are 33 people who use this service twice a week, and on Christmas day served 66 dinners at either the Pavilion or in people’s homes. This project will continue into next financial year thanks to funds from Derbyshire Country Council
Home Comforts Team (HCT) £64570 over 2 years. Carries out DIY and safety work for residents in their homes and gardens if they are unable to do so for themselves. It enables elderly and disabled residents to remain living in their own homes independently; they secure homes when they become unsafe and do DIY at a small cost to other residents. Over the lifetime of the project over 100 Interventions have taken place. Whilst doing all this the HCT also train volunteers and New Deal candidates to carry out this kind of work. People in Cotmanhay and Ilkeston North have benefited from this scheme. This project has been mainstreamed through the Handi Van Scheme
Cotmanhay Enterprise Centre – Community and Learning Champion £95300 over 2 years. Community focused training which complements the Derbyshire County Council Adult Learning delivery at the Enterprise Centre. Through out the life time of the project 152 people from Cotmanhay and Ilkeston North have accessed courses such as Food safety, Sage accounts, Literacy for adults and Child protection, as well as several one-off seminars and events. And 179 have accessed the Adult learning courses which are delivered from this important community venue.
Domestic abuse project – Community Outreach - £41466 over 2 years, Research and Toolkit £5000
this project is in two parts, Community Concern Erewash have employed and trained a community worker to deliver the Freedom Programme, a 12 week course which helps victims of abuse identify their situation and work towards which ever path will be best for them and their families, the worker will also set up and develop a women’s group which will empower women through training, and other activities. The worker will then actively signpost women to relevant agencies if issues merit additional support, or activity.
The Research was carried out by Nottingham Trent University, they look into the costs of domestic abuse on our service providers and developed a toolkit on Access which costs individual cases, acts as an aid memoir and works as a client database.
The toolkit was launched as part of the Festival of Science.
The Junior Rangers – in house project - £2650 over 2 years, This fantastic project is managed by our Rangers, 2008/8 financial year we delivered 3 Junior Ranger Programmes to Cotmanhay Junior School year 5. We hope to introduce the project into Bennerley Fields School and Granby School
Young peoples holiday activities programme - £15000 over 2 years. This project was started with £10000 in the financial year 2008/9, reducing to £5000 in the last year.
Projects 2008/9
Jigsaw – Bennerley Business and Enterprise College - £24000. This project has sponsored 24 young people in years 8, 9, 10and 11 who are at risk of exclusion. The project has 3 interventions
Gold = 3 days at college and 2 days work experience with Three Valleys Housing for year 11
Silver = 2 days at college studying vocational subjects and 3 days in school
Bronze = this is for years 8 and 9, extra curriculum activities to encourage learning and reduce disaffection from the current curriculum offer.
Connexions 9 week programme - £1800. this project engaged with 7 NEET young people (not in education employment or training) and over the 9 weeks gave them an intensive programme of learning activities, 5 of these young people have gone on to positive outcomes.
The Cotmanhay Cleanup - £4995.65 building on the success of last years project working in partnership with the police, Three Valleys Housing, Groundwork, RSPCA and the Fire and Rescue Service we had two days of street clearance in the area.
Drop-in additional staffing - £3858, this project paid for additional staff to man the drop in centre over the darker months and over the February School holidays, when the young people planed and delivered the whole holiday activities, which included a volunteering programme for young people who then earn fun activities on a Friday. This project also purchased camping equipment for the Drop-in as well as several new Play station games.
Community Chest Projects
QUACKERS – funded £1555.81
Melanie and Jackie have been artificially incubating eggs and hand-rearing ducks, geese, and hens along with caring for other small animals. They have established their facility and currently run educational sessions for school children as part of the Junior Rangers scheme, to enable them to gain knowledge and understanding of our natural environment. The funding supported set-up costs, training and promotional activities.
4TH ILKESTON SCOUT GROUP – funded £1991
Support for this group provided training for adult leaders, and enabled the group to purchase equipment for Scouting Camps. There has been a noticeable boost in morale since receiving new equipment resulting in an increased membership and full parent committee.
THE BACON BUTTY CLUB – funded £1864
The Parent’s Forum at Cotmanhay Children’s Centre used the funding to pay for staff, venue, equipment and advertising in order to provide a club where fathers (and male carers) could spend quality time with their children, with the added bonus of freshly cooked bacon butties. Additional activities were arranged by the dads, including a trip out to a pantomime at Christmas.
MEL’S MISSION FOR A COLOURFUL COTMANHAY – funded £1000
Mel’s project was aimed at improving the quality of life of Hopewell Farm Residents by involving them in a community garden project to improve the street scene, planting and caring for flower beds on grassed areas of the estate. This was followed up by an Action Day at which hanging baskets were made and sold.
YOUNG AND OLD UNITED – funded £2000
Young and elderly residents of Cotmanhay enjoyed a fun day out visiting Chatsworth Hall at Christmas. Each bus had a mix of passengers and gifts were exchanged. This provided an opportunity for everyone to speak to each other and understand each others’ views and opinions, building respect and breaking down barriers.