1. NEWSLETTER NO. 15: JUNE 2012 Welcome to the fifteenth newsletter from the West Midlands Coalfields Regeneration Trust containing news about the projects that have been awarded funding, the National Programmes that we are running and other community and voluntary sector news. THE COALFIELDS REGENERATION TRUST The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is an independent grant-making body. We are a registered charity and limited by guarantee, governed by a board of Trustees. Our mission is: “Working closely with partners, the Trust is a key agency promoting and achieving social and economic regeneration in the coalfields of England, Scotland and Wales” We are running just one Coalfields Community Grant Programme now, this is:- Coalfields Community Grant Level 1 (previously called Bridging the Gap) for grants of up to £5,000. There is funding available through our Level 1 programme, so please contact the regional office if you would like an application pack. If you received Level 1 funding, or Bridging the Gap funding as it used to be called, over 12 months ago you might be eligible to apply to us again for more funding. Please contact the regional office if you have a project in mind where £5,000 would really help.

2. ROUND 5 FUNDING PROGRAMME - APPROVED PROJECTS Since April 2011, when round 5 of our funding programmes started, we have awarded £2,017,161 towards over 100 projects in the West Midlands. £1,819,864 has been awarded to 40 Level 2 capital projects and £197,297 has been awarded to 63 Level 1 projects since April 2011. The approved projects are set to improve 38 community facilities, assist 244 people in to work, enable 248 people to achieve a Level 1 qualification, 451 people achieve a Level 2 qualification, provide 685 new volunteering opportunities, help 1910 people improve their skills, help 6917 people improve their health and wellbeing and create up to 103 new childcare places. Level 1 Projects Approved Since April 2012 Tamworth African Caribbean Association Dance sessions for children and adults. Coton Green Pre-School Upgrade outdoor play area. Lead to Change CIC Out of school hours team building activities. Amington Band Social Welfare Centre New suspended ceiling. Potteries Theatre Co Rehearsals for stage production. Nuneaton Carnival Carnival float and costume design skills development. Ansley Sports Cricket Club Replacement doors to storage facility. Barlaston Village Hall Improvements to the hall. G-Force Trampoline Club 3 new trampolines. Cannock Wood and Gentleshaw Village Hall Ceiling and lighting improvements to hall. Polesworth Scout Group New tents for more camping trips. The Polesworth Society Oral history project. GRANT FUNDED PROJECTS – A CASE STUDY Landau – Community Café Landau support unemployed people with learning disabilities to enable them to progress into employment and to more independent lives Landau is running a community café at Cornerstone Community Centre in Silverdale, Newcastle-under-Lyme. The community café allows Landau to offer training and work experience opportunities for people with learning disabilities. Part of this project involves taking on volunteers to help with the running of the café. So far they have taken on 11 new volunteers, below are some of their stories.

3. Angelina has been volunteering with us for a couple of months. She was introduced to Landau by the local volunteer Bureau. She thought Cornerstone café was interesting because of the trainees we support. Angelina volunteers in the café every Tuesday. She says, “I am enjoying going back to what I’ve done previously - when I first left school.” Angelina has become more involved in the local community and now brings her grandson to the local mums and tots. Jackie is a new volunteer at the café. She came to Landau via the job centre as she wants to update her catering skills and improve her confidence. She has a background in school catering and café work. Ultimately Jackie is looking for paid work. Karen has joined us recently as an admin volunteer. She comes to Cornerstone on a Tuesday afternoon to help with admin for courses and the café. She fits her volunteering round her busy life and other (paid) job because she wants “to give something back”. John is a final year student at Keele University. He came with a group of other students for a taster day at the beginning of the month. At the taster day John put his IT skills to good use by helping design user friendly menu sheets for trainees who have difficulty with reading. Since then he has decided he would like to volunteer in the café and would like to attend training courses related to food hygiene and first aid. John is aware that volunteering will help his CV as well as help him brush up his skills. Contact: Margaret Hurley, Tel: 01782 201019, margaret.hurley@landau.co.ukmargaret.hurley@landau.co.uk

4. NATIONAL PROGRAMMES Healthy Lifestyles Programme Camilla Denham is the new Volunteer Development Coordinator who will be taking forward the Healthy Lifestyles Programme in the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent area. The initial stages of the programme are now underway and Camilla is working with a number of partners to engage 16-25 year olds in a sports volunteering pathway. Over the next few months those young volunteers taking part in the project will be completing their Sports Leaders Level 1 Award and moving on to their Community Sports Leaders Award Level 2. From there, the young people from the project will work together to create their own Community Games event and it is hoped that some will also go on to achieve an NGB qualification in their chosen sport. The great thing is that there is also funding available to help support the young people as they aim to complete this project. If you would like to find out more or take part and volunteer, then please contact Camilla. Tel: 01785 619349 Email: cdenham@staffordbc.gov.ukcdenham@staffordbc.gov.uk Midnight League The Coalfield Regeneration Trust funded “midnight league” began at the Chesterton Community Sports College in Newcastle-under-Lyme on Friday 4 th May. The sports diversionary initiative for young people age 8 to 19 years combines football themed activities with education, providing football coaching and sports leadership qualification opportunities for participants. Sessions take place on Friday and Saturday evenings from 6.00pm to 9.00pm utilising the synthetic turf facilities at the College and the initiative is set to run for 48 weeks. Port Vale FC Community Trust Sports Coaches supported by the Football League Trust will be delivering the weekly sessions which will include match visits to Vale Park during the 2012/13 season. Port Vale FC Community Trust Manager Jim Cooper says, “The attendances during the first six weeks of the programme have surpassed the numbers anticipated which is very encouraging. Thanks to the Coalfield Regeneration Trust young people in Chesterton have the opportunity to participate in organised sport and up skill themselves, enhancing their future employment prospects in the sports and leisure industry.”

5. Apprenticeship Programmes The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is supporting the Aspire Group and Stoke College to get a total of 60 young people from Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle placed in apprenticeships. Twenty young people have already been placed within parts of the Aspire Group including the Homeworks teams at PM Training and the Maintenance Services Team at Aspire Housing. These teams provide services in communities such as gas servicing, painting and decorating properties, assisting older people with their gardens and environmental improvements. Demme Nixon and Tammy Banks are both doing a two year Business Administration apprenticeship at Aspire Housing. “The great thing about apprenticeships,” says Demme, “is that you get work experience at the same time as doing some qualifications.” They are both doing an NVQ Level 2 in Business Admin and hope to go on and do a Level 3. They both agreed that work experience, where you actually get paid, is very rewarding and has really helped boost their confidence and will put them in a strong position to get jobs in the future. All Aspire employees are encouraged to do some volunteering in their local areas. Tammy and Demme have both done some volunteering and say how great it is and how it allows them to give something back to their communities. Carly Martin, Employment and Skills Manager from Aspire Housing said: “Aspire welcomes the support from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust. By working together we can help improve the lives of young people in North Staffordshire giving them a chance to find work through apprenticeships.” Stoke College is looking to place school leavers this July in apprenticeships with some major retail outlets. Contacts: Aspire Housing Ltd, Carly Martin, Tel: 854942, cmartin@aspiregroup.org.ukcmartin@aspiregroup.org.uk Stoke College, Josie Probyn, Tel 07786114028, josie.probyn@stokecoll.ac.ukjosie.probyn@stokecoll.ac.uk

6. FAMILY EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE Amanda Siddle, Team leader, has taken over the management of the FEI team in the West Midlands whilst Sam Goode is on maternity leave. Amanda also manages the East Midlands FEI team, so time will be spent between the 2 areas. If you need to contact Amanda about FEI matters in the West Midlands pleased contact her on 01782 626584. Teresa Sheehan is our new Community Employment Advisor covering the Cannock area. To contact Teresa please email: Teresa.sheehan@coalfields-reegen.org.ukTeresa.sheehan@coalfields-reegen.org.uk OTHER INFORMATION North Warwickshire Borough Council – Area Forum Fund The Area Forum Fund has been set up by North Warwickshire Borough Council to support local initiatives throughout the Borough. Community organisations (with a constitution and bank account) and Parish/Town Councils are invited to apply for an award which: Should be able to identify a "link" to at least one of the priorities of: o Raising Aspirations, Educational Attainment and Skill Levels; o Developing Healthier Communities; and o Improving Access to Services. Confers benefit upon the community generally and not be limited to membership of the organisation and its immediate supporters. Must be endorsed by a Borough Councillor. Awards can be for up to 60% of the total fund available to the relevant Forum.

7. Community organisations must be able to provide at least 30% match funding for the project for which a grant is sought. Parish /Town Councils must provide at least 50%. Match funding can include in-kind support. Applications will be assessed by how well they fit with the Sustainable Community Strategy. This could be used as match funding for a Level 1 application to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust. For further information, contact Jaki Douglas, Partnership and Development Manager on 01827 719492 or visit www.northwarks.gov.uk and go to the A-Z, Grants – Area Forum Fund.www.northwarks.gov.uk Newcastle-under-Lyme Grants and Locality Action Partnerships Newcastle Borough Council run a number of grants – Community Chest, Cultural Grants, Green Grants and Sports Grants and Small Grants To find out more please see the attached leaflet. Locality Action Partnerships Locality Action Partnerships have been set up across the Borough and offer the opportunity for residents to make decisions about the neighbourhoods they live in. Please see attached leaflet for more information. Newcastle Forums “Communities” Event On Wednesday 18 th July Newcastle Community and Voluntary Support are holding an event that will consist of a variety of presentations and information stands from local organisations, including the Coalfields Regeneration Trust. Everyone is welcome to attend. It is to be held at Jubliee2 in Newcastle and is FREE. It starts at 9.30am and finishes at 3.00pm. Please see the attached information about the Newcastle Forums “Communities” event

8. Rugeley Wednesday ‘Get Together’ Launch Event Wednesday 20 th June, 10am - 12pm Rugeley Rose Theatre, Taylors Lane, WS15 2AA FREE* Goodie Bags - FREE* Tea and Scones (*subject to availability - first come, first served) To book a place, contact: Caroline Bradford - 01543 500404 Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action David White has taken over the role of development officer, from Rod Parker, at North Warwickshire CAVA. To contact David please phone 01827 718080 or email: david@wcava.org.ukdavid@wcava.org.uk Volunteers’ Week Lichfield welcomes new staff Potential volunteers flocked to the Guildhall to meet with a variety of local organisations and to find out more about volunteering opportunities in Lichfield district. The 2012 Volunteers’ Week event, organised by the Volunteer Centre Lichfield District at LDCVS, was a huge success with over 20 stands, and participating organisations commenting that the event was an excellent opportunity to network with other organisations, meet potential volunteers and promote their services. Councillor Ken Humphries, Chairman of Lichfield District Council, presented certificates and thanked volunteers working with the organisations that attended the event. He also thanked all volunteers working within the district and commented, “What would we do without voluntary organisations and volunteers?” Contact: Lichfield CVS, Philip Mantom, Tel: 01543303030

9. The Coalfields Regeneration Trust West Midlands Regional Office Programme Manager – Suzanne Clarke Programme Support Officers - Noelle Hillman and Dora Dean Family Employment Initiative Team Leader – Amanda Siddle Contact details: Tel: 01782 626584 Fax: 01782 618906 E-mail: suzanne.clarke@coalfields-regen.org.uksuzanne.clarke@coalfields-regen.org.uk E-mail: noelle.hillman@coalfields-regen.org.uknoelle.hillman@coalfields-regen.org.uk E-mail: dora.dean@coalfields-regen.org.ukdora.dean@coalfields-regen.org.uk E-mail: amanda.siddle@coalfields-regen.org.ukamanda.siddle@coalfields-regen.org.uk Address: 23 High Street, Knutton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs, ST5 6DB Please note: Dora and Noelle job share, Dora works the first half of the week and Noelle the second half of the week.