Two Kent areas to get £1m each from Big Lottery Fund
Dover town centre is one
of the areas targeted for investment
Two 'forgotten' areas of Kent are to be given a £1m lottery
boost each today.
Dover and the Newington area of Ramsgate are to be given the
cash injection as part of funding to six communities in the South
East.
Now locals themselves will decide how to spend the Big Lottery
Fund Big Local programme cash.
The areas were handpicked as ones that had been overlooked for
funding and investment in the past.
Both are said to be facing a range of different issues from the
decline of industry to high levels of unemployment and crime, or a
pressing need for new support services or activities.
Communities must now come together to decide how best to
spend the million - on anything from training and employment
schemes, to tackling anti-social behaviour, creating new community
facilities or providing more activities for young people.
As well as funding for improvements, each area will receive
training and support from Local Trust – an organisation set up to
deliver Big Local – to help residents spend the funding and
increase their confidence, skills and know-how.
Nat Sloane, Big Lottery Fund’s England chair, said: “These areas
have for many years been overlooked and have missed out on vital
funding and resources – they have people who are high on aspiration
but until now have been low on opportunity.
“Through our long-term funding, commitment, training and support
over at least the next 10 years, we will redress that balance;
giving them the power, confidence and ability to spend this funding
in the ways that matter most to their community.
“This is the Lottery’s largest ever investment in community-led
regeneration."
10/12/12
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