31.01.03      
£36,000 'kick off' for community sports and arts project

Restormel Regeneration Partnership's Objective One funded Integrated Area Plan (IAP) team has gained £36,400 funding from Sports Action Zone's Magnet Fund for the Restormel Arts and Active Recreation for Health Project.

The two year pilot project aims to encourage local people to get involved in sport and the arts in their community as a way of addressing social problems within the Restormel area.

Sally Heard, the IAP's Development Officer for Newquay and its Rural Hinterland, has been the lead officer for this project. "The project will operate in the most deprived wards in Restormel, and aims to use pioneering ways to reach communities, kick starting the process of life long learning through collective community activity." She explained, "We also intend to bring into play local artists and sports practitioners, and help them develop their skills to effectively work with and regenerate communities."

Restormel Arts and Active Recreation for Health Project has taken two years to get to this stage, demonstrating the length of time it can take to pull together a project from the initial idea to funders getting involved, especially, as in this case, the project is quite complex in itself. Christine Bainbridge, IAP team Programme Manager added, "It is important that the foundation of a project is properly thought through – how its going to work, how it will be managed, what expertise is already available and what will be needed, what are the benefits to the community – these are all selling points to a potential funder who needs to know how the project will support their aims, and what they are getting for their money."

The project has already gained support from St Austell College and Restormel Arts, in addition to the Local Development Groups who represent all walks of life from the community.

Sally is delighted, "It's great to have secured this major first piece of funding – and we are hoping that the remaining funding will be confirmed in the next six months."

Editor's notes:

Restormel Regeneration Partnership

Restormel Regeneration Partnership was established in 2000, with the object of making Restormel '... a more prosperous and lively area ...' by making maximum use of the opportunities for regeneration.

Integrated Area Plans (IAPs) are the way in which Objective One can help communities. These are the plans that integrate the economic, social and environmental aspects of the Objective One programme into a framework for use in a specific area. There are eleven plans throughout Cornwall, three of which (St Austell Bay, China Clay Area, and Newquay and its Rural Hinterland) are covered by Restormel.

The Objective One funded Integrated Area Plan team was established in February 2001 to deliver the three IAPs for Restormel. It can help with developing and supporting community based projects who wish to apply for Objective One funding.

The RRP team is funded by Objective One, the South West of England Regional Development Agency, Imerys, Restormel Borough Council, and Health Action Zone.

For further information contact:
Katrina Waters
Administration Officer, RRP IAP team
Tel: 01726 623735
e-mail: Katrina@rrp.org.uk

Jason Clark
Communications Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Tel: 01872 241379
Fax: 01872 241388

jason@dclark.co.uk

back to top