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‘Football for All’ Returned this summer
Hot on the heels of Morecambe Football Club’s success we held a summer soccer skills school for local kids.
A similar event was held earlier in the year and was a huge success. ‘Football for all’ is for local children from West End County Primary School and Sandylands Primary School, and is free to enter with a healthy lunch, drinks and snacks all provided.
A fully qualified Football Association coach organises a program of activities as well as devising a personal development plan and a progress report for each player.
The four-day event aims to give the players the opportunity to brush up on their football skills, enhance their personal fitness levels and to promote good behaviour.
The coach and his assistants also work to encourage positive qualities and values, such as, teamwork, communication skills, personal development coaching and attitude and awareness. Prizes will be awarded to the players who show exceptionally good behaviour.
Alan Winters, Community Development Officer for Winning Back Morecambe’s West End, said: “This is a great event for local kids and it is completely free for them to join. The coaches are fantastic with the children and have as much fun coaching as the children have learning new skills”.
Police Community Support Officer Sarah Houghton added: “It was a great event to be involved with. As well as being good fun it gave the youngsters something to do in their holidays and was a fantastic way for the police to engage with younger members of the community.’’
The event culminated with an awards ceremony attended by family members, where the children received a certificate and a commemorative medal.
Lone Parents are Better Off
Lone parents came to an information day held in October to see how much better off they could be by going back to work.
There were lots of information stands from local organisations including Jobcentre Plus, Winning Back Morecambe’s West End, Lancaster & Morecambe College, Furniture Matters, the community health nurse, Better Futures, the Children’s Centre and Nextstep.
Alan Winters, Community Development Officer for Winning Back Morecambe’s West End said: “We were delighted in the number of parents who came along to the information day it was also great to have the support from other organisations who took the opportunity to network.”
From the people attending the information day there have been several who agreed to join on a Better Futures course, four people were referred to the Introduction to Retail Employment course, 2 signed up for the Access to Employment in Schools course and others benefited by gaining advice about college courses, studying from home, joining Furniture Matters as a volunteer or by having their CV updated.
COMMUNITY CHEST
The Community Chest can award any amount up to £2000 to local projects.
The funds for this year have now been allocated. Here are some of the successful bids to the Community Chest fund…
New Shop Frontage Makes a Real Impact
A place where local people with social problems can get help has been given a new lease of life thanks to Winning Back Morecambe’s West End.
The ‘Community Chest’ fund can award local organisations up to £2000 and the West End Partnership thought that West End Impact was a very worthy cause.
The money has been used to replace the front windows and door which were in desperate need of repair. The old timber frames were rotting badly and were quite dangerous. The refurbishment has given the building a new lease of life and looks cleaner and is safer.
Manager of West End Impact, Tracey Kohl, said: “The new windows and front door have changed the appearance considerably and looks more friendly and welcoming. House of Anderson provided the materials and did a great job of the installation; they also helped by giving us a really good deal.”
Primary Pupils are Blowing their own Trumpets
More pupils at Sandylands have been learning how to play brass instruments thanks to a grant from the Community Chest
After School Activities
Sandylands Primary School successfully bid for £780 from the Community Chest for after school activities for Year 5 and 6.
The weekly after school activities took place at Regent Park Studios towards the end of the summer term. Pupils who were on the verge of anti-social behaviour at school were selected to attend.
Green Zone for School Play area
West End Primary School was successful in their bid for a landscaped zone within their play area.
The school applied to the Community Chest for £1600 to create an area with plants and seats within the playground for the children and parents.
Parents and pupils have been involved in the project to transform an area of the busy playground into a tranquil zone with raised beds containing plants and shrubs that attract butterflies and other wildlife.
Safe Landing for Stunt School
Regent Park Studios work consistently with local residents and have been involved in most of the community events in the West End this summer.
An application was submitted to the Community Chest fund for £2000 to purchase a special air bag which is used as a landing mat.
The bag will be used by pupils attending the local schools and by local people who attend services run by; Sign Posts, Lancaster & Morecambe College, Lancaster City Council, Connexions and many more.
The air bag was used at the opening of the West End Gardens. Anyone brave enough could climb the scaffold before jumping from a great height to land safely on the air bag.
There are a number of beneficial effects from taking part in these kinds of stunts and activities. They help to build self confidence and self esteem as well as contributing to physical fitness.
Youth Club
Regent Park Studios’ after school club for over 11 year olds has received funding to offer a subsidised rate for single parent families.
The subsidised rate is available to children over the age of 11 who come from single parent families. The children take part in various activities including using the climbing wall, the trampoline and learning stunt moves. The activities help to develop social skills and interaction and improve self esteem.
The Community Chest grant offers those on lower incomes the opportunity of attending the after school club by reducing the price. It also provides single parents with the possibility to take up employment opportunities knowing that their children are being safely looked after by positive role models.
Community Clinic
A clinic has been set up within Signposts to offer advice on sexual health and contraception funded by the Community Chest.
The clinic provides Chlamydia screening, pregnancy testing and emergency contraception. The service aims to address the specific needs of the local community including lone parents, young people and Polish translation.
The clinic aims to improve the health and well being of local residents who may be unable to access main stream services such as accessing GP appointments or attending evening appointments due to childcare.
Security Measures for Galloway’s Society
In light of recent attacks of vandalism at the Galloway’s Society for the Blind, an application for CCTV has been awarded by the Community Chest.
The three cameras cover three sides of the building and should make the building more secure and act as a deterrent to vandals. The Community Chest grant has been matched by Lancashire Constabulary for £759 from each organisation.