CLIFTONVILLE FIRST!
Several years ago, Cllr Linda Aldred, Cllr Doug Clark and I, working with our colleagues at Thanet Community Networks, accessed £30,000+ funding through the Community Development Foundation to support projects in our ward of Cliftonville West.
We called our scheme Cliftonville First.
Here is a brief summary of the projects we have supported over the past 4 years:
Projects recommended in 2012 - Year One
Citizens Advice Bureau - Understanding Money. This project is aimed at vunerable, low income groups who are struggling to manage money to facilitate 3 sessions in Budgeting and Debt workshops.
Cliftonville Partnership - Cliftonville Winter Community Event. This event aims to encourage partnership working with voluntary and charitable orgainsations, businesses and residents bringing the whole community together, whilst also raising the profile of Cliftonville in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Cliftonville Residents Association - Purchase of a new printer and computer programme.
Cliftonville Street Wise - Harriets Street Wise. Sessions for children of all minority groups and ages, ranging from 4 - 14, to promote health and well being.
Dalby Square + A&E - Dalby Square Events. To purchase 2 new gazeboes and a karaoke machine.
East Kent Mencap - Cliftonville Action Group. To provide a forum of the local groups to participate in discussions and drive forward the Cliftonville Agenda.
Gordon Road Area Street Scheme (GRASS) - GRASS Equipment. A new printer to advertise and inform of all the events, plus minutes and agenda's of meetings.
Grotto Hill Area Street Scheme (GHASS) - Annual Community Street Party.
Margate Operatic Society - Damp Storage Area. To repair the storage area.
St Paul's Community Trust - Young Mums Community Zumba. Somewhere young mums can bring their children and get fit.
Tom Thumb Theatre - Fit For Purpose. To install a system to improve the theatre's ability to hold meetings and run events.
Thanet Community Networks - Heart of the Community Event. An all-inclusive community engagement and awareness raising event showcasing the work and activities in the Cliftonville West Ward.
Projects recommended in 2013 - Year Two
Thanet Domestic Abuse Forum - To run The Freedom Programme, which is a group offering women an insight into abusive and controlling relationships and its effect on the family.
Music For Change - To run Music in the Square, a pilot project for residents in Dalby Square and Athelstan Road. -
Kent Wildlife Trust - Greening-Up Cliftonville. This project will provide opportunities for Cliftonville residents of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in improving their natural enviroment, specifically community green spaces.
Quartet in the Community Extended Schools Partnership - A one day event to be held to bring together families from the local community with the emphasis on those who live in Cliftonville West.
The Garden Gate Project Ltd - The Garden Gate Project.
Cliftonville Residents Association - Cliftonville Farmers Market Replacement Gazebos.
Thanet District Partnership Group - Cliftonville Jobs Fair with a Difference. For people with learning difficulties to share with local businesses what they can offer employers, what skills they have, what support is available and why they can be model employees.
Gordon Road Area Street Scheme - Cliftonville Games. A frre fun day out for all the families of Cliftonville.
SpeakUp CIC - Mental Health Awareness Event. An event that is geared to show the migrant community and the mental ill health sufferers of the ward what services are available as well as reducing the stigma.
Children, Family & Youth Services (CFYS) - Thanet Food Bank. To get stock and advertise.
Grotto Hill Area Street Scheme (GHASS) - Office Supplies.
East Kent Mencap - Cliftonville Games – involving people with disabilities.
Happy Hands - Happy Hands Book Sale.
Cliftonville Partnership - “Switch On” of Decorative Tree Lighting Event.
Thanet Community Networks - Cliftonville West Ward Community 10th Birthday Party.
Projects Recommended in 2014 - Year Three
STROKE Association - A projector for their 'Positive Life After Strokes' meetings.
Cruse Bereavement Care - To run a course of Bereavement Support Groups.
National Autistic Society - Thanet Branch - Staying Open. To assist the group in staying open and paying for room hire.
St Paul's Community Trust - Lighting for the St Paul's Church Tower
Cliftonville Residents Association - Chairs for Band Concerts at The Oval Bandstand.
Thanet Domestic Abuse Forum - To run The Freedom Programme, which is a group offering women an insight into abusive and controlling relationships and its effect on the family.
Happy Hands - Inclusive Inclusive Family Zoo Trip - This project would provide a fully funded trip to Wingham Wildlfe park for vulnerable families with support from volunteers and children’s centre staff for families and coach travel to and from the venue.
SpeakUp CIC - Equality and Diversity, Challenging Stigma Events - This will be a chance for local organisations to network while raising awareness of the numerous issues surrounding Cliftonville West, it will engage the local community while challenging stigma and celebrating the vast amount of diversity that can be found in the Cliftonville West Ward.
No Namers Parent and Kiddie Social Club - We're a volunteer group of Cliftonville mothers (and a nan) providing a warm, welcoming, friendly atmosphere for parents and their children to come along, make friends, play & eat together.
Madhatters Community Craft Club (MCCC) - Through experimenting with different crafts based activities, workshops and attending local events and occasional day trips we aim to increase confidence and encourage better social skills and improve personal development of all participants.
Projects Recommended - Year four
Tom Thumb Theatre Company - To strip and repaint the front of the Tom Thumb, replacing rotten/damaged wood and ultimately returning the street facing façade of the theatre to its former glory.
ABC (A Better Cliftonville) - To support the new group in setting up and running some community activities.
Dalby Square Project - Making A Difference Community garden events.
Coffee Haven - The Coffee Haven will be a safe and welcoming place for people with mental health issues to meet and socialise fortnightly.
Oasis Domestic Abuse Service - Oasis Domestic Abuse Service and Resort Studios are collaborating to create an art exhibition in November 2014 at Resort Studios on Athelstan Road to celebrate the work Oasis has done the for victims of domestic abuse over the past 20 years and their personal journeys to safety and freedom.
Cliftonville Residents Association - Cliftonville Bandstand Summer Concerts - The Cliftonville Residents Association have been presenting a series of Summer Concerts on the Oval Bandstand for the last Eight years. These Concerts are free to all residents of Cliftonville and contain music to suit all tastes.
Albion Road Garden Project - 3 main sites in Albion Road have been deteriorating drastically over the past years. 3 Albion Rd residents spearheaded the work & were joined by people from neighbouring streets. There was an air of community spirit & civic pride not witnessed for many years.
Grotto Hill Area Street Scheme - Our project is a street party/fun day to get residents of all ages out to meet each other and promote a more unified community. We will also get the opportunity to contact old and new residents in our area face to face to explain about the Grotto Hill Area Street Scheme - who we are and what we do.
Cliftonville Partnership - Christmas In Cliftonville West - This event aims to encourage partnership working with voluntary and charitable organisations, businesses and residents, bringing the whole community together, whilst also raising the profile of Cliftonville in the weeksd leading up to Christmas.
Kent Community Organisation - Bags of Help is a two strand project that supplies microwave pressure cooking pot, recipes, fresh fruit and vegetables, and fresh meat to people in need. Each bag contains enough food for 5 to 7 days of main meals for whatever size family. Alongside this we encourage people to grow their own food in their own gardens with seeds and growbags supplied by us.
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