BIG grant to help resource centre
A KINSLEY community centre is celebrating after being awarded more than £50,000 towards a refurbishment project.
The Kinsley and Fitzwilliam Community Resource Centre, on Wakefield Road, has received 51,980 from the Big Lottery Fund's (BIG) Reaching Communities Programme.
The money will be used to extend the centre's cafe area to make it easier for people in wheelchairs and with pushchairs to access.
The kitchen area will be extended to allow staff more freedom to cook food from scratch in a bid to improve health levels in the area.
The kitchen will also be used to offer local residents a range of new cookery courses.
The toilet, shower and storage facilities will also be improved.
The whole project will cost 133,000, with additional money coming from the Public Health Development Unit.
The centre is also waiting to hear back from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in the coming weeks about the final grant it needs.
BIG's Reaching Communities Programme awards grants to projects that offer people better life chances, build stronger communities, develop improved rural and urban environments and improve health and wellbeing.
Centre manager Michelle Rayner said: "We are absolutely delighted that we have got this grant.
"We had to go to a number of different organisations for funding but we are getting there.
"Our cafe area is quite small and it gets very busy. It doesn't leave much room for wheelchair access or for parents with children in pushchairs.
"Expanding will allow us to offer cookery courses and staff will be able to cook healthier meals from scratch.
"Kinsley and Fitzwilliam have poor health levels and high obesity so this is something we can offer to help and it is a social activity for residents as well."
The centre was one of four West Yorkshire organisations to be awarded money this month.
Vanessa White, Big Lottery Fund Head of Region for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "These projects across West Yorkshire show the wide reach of the Lottery as it distributes funds to improve communities and the lives of those most in need.
"Whether it's providing activities to keep young people healthy, helping addicts and their families receive support, ensuring people access eye care, or improving a community centre in a rural area, each of these projects will make a marked difference to people's lives."
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Weather for Wakefield
Thursday 09 February 2012
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