Nottingham community projects given cash boost

Published by Claire Tinston for IPB Communications in Housing and also in Communities

Nottingham based groups are benefiting from a cash boost thanks to a number of donations made by community regeneration specialist Frank Haslam Milan (FHM).

FHM, which forms part of the Keepmoat Group, has donated over £6,000 to worthy causes across the region.

FHM is one of seven contractors working with Nottingham City Homes to improve 29,000 homes owned by Nottingham City Council over a five year period.

Work got underway in April 2008 to install modern, new kitchens and bathrooms, install heating systems and fit safe and secure double glazed windows and doors across Nottingham.

As a result of FHM’s commitment to supporting community projects, Gedling and Sherwood Cricket Club in Rushcliffe will use a £1000 donation to fund training facilities and equipment such as new balls and helmets. They currently have 86 youngsters in their academy which will increase significantly when they extend their indoor practice provision.

John Gell, the Treasurer of Gedling and Sherwood Cricket Club, said: “We are delighted with the donation Frank Haslam Milan has given us which is going towards funding new equipment. It will also help us to carry on training younger players throughout the winter which quite simply we wouldn’t have been able to do due to the costs of hiring out sports venues.”

Nottinghamshire YMCA in Shakespeare Street, Nottingham, has received £1,000 in funding from the contractor. The donation will enable a group of 10-15 adolescents to research what kind of activities are available to young people in Clifton.

The group interviewed local youth leaders and stakeholders such as Police Community Support Officers and councillors as part of their research, before uploading their findings onto the new YMCA digital website.

FHM chose to support Nottinghamshire YMCA as the organisation has been supporting vulnerable people in the district for the past 139 years through its services which include two homeless hostels, two community centres, two health and fitness centres, a social enterprise cafe, children’s services and youth services departments.

Southchurch Court Tenants and Residents Association in the Clifton area has also benefited from a £1,000 cash boost. The group used the donation to purchase new equipment for their ‘lending library’ and a personal computer to continue the IT and internet tuition service they provide.

FHM has also pledged £1,000 to the Bestwood Black Diamonds Welfare Band, based in the village of Bestwood in the north of Nottingham. The group is a community based brass band that performs regularly in the local area and participates in regional and national music contests.

Nottingham Moderns Rugby Football Club in Wilford Village, Nottingham, received £1,000 funding for a coach and referee development programme, and Charis Life Church (now Hope Church Nottingham) has been awarded £1,500 to employ a part-time children’s worker.

FHM’s donations have been secured through the Keepmoat Foundation – a community investment programme funded by Keepmoat.

Martin Smithhurst, Managing Director of FHM in Yorkshire and the East Midlands, said: “We are delighted to be able to help so many worthwhile community projects in this way.

“The projects we have chosen do some fantastic work with young people and in the community in general and we decided to support schemes ranging from a YMCA to a church and residents association to ensure we reach out to diverse sections of society.

“As an organisation, we pride ourselves in giving something back to the communities in which we work and the groups we have chosen to support deserve recognition for all the wonderful work they do. We’re confident that the funding we’ve been able to provide will help safeguard the future of these important services for years to come.”

Apart from delivering a Secure, Warm, Modern home improvement programme for Nottingham City Homes, FHM has also received funding from some of the country’s largest energy providers to address fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency for low income households.

FHM is working on projects to warm up homes in Mansfield and Nottingham funded through the Community Energy Saving Programme which will see 90,000 homes across England, Wales and Scotland benefit.  In the Aspley area of Nottingham, FHM is carrying out the Aspley Super Warm Zone initiative to fit solid wall insulation to more than 800 properties for Nottingham City Homes.