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Friday July 7, 2017
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No. 797
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BOLD PLAN FOR PARK MANSION Rescue group’s community hub vision for old museum AMBITIOUS plans to transform the former Dewsbury Museum building into a community hub could create up to 15 new jobs. A bold new business plan for the Grade II-listed building in Crow Nest Park has been submitted whereby the museum would be re-branded as Dewsbury Park Mansion Community Hub (DPMCH). The building was closed by Kirklees Council in November 2016 due to budget cuts but the Friends of Dewsbury Park Mansion group submitted a bid in April to save the building. The bid, entitled ‘Connecting Our Community’, envisions up to 15 new jobs, including 10 for young people or the long-term unemployed, with the possibility of more jobs through the growth of other organisations and small businesses that make the mansion their base. Jenifer Devlin, a founding director of DPMCH, said: “We think our com-
munity of Dewsbury is amazing and there is now a vision of our beautiful heritage building being refurbished to a high standard with grants, bustling with people coming to take part in activities or make use of services – involving lots of volunteers and community groups – or being inspired to learn new skills, raising ambitions for themselves and the area, attending events, and just being together. “Sometimes we feel awed at what we are taking on but we know that the talents to make it work are here in Dewsbury.” The Friends of Dewsbury Park Mansion have been working closely with Locality, a national organisation
which supports community initiatives. After their official Expression of Interest was submitted to Kirklees Council, the DPMCH was formed as a charitable community benefit society
to take the project forward, as part of the council’s requirements to enable a Community Asset Transfer. Jax Lovelock, another founding director of the group, said: “We conducted a lot of research into social
and economic issues locally, and the findings clearly demonstrate the need for a community enterprise that contributes to the improvement of health and well-being, supports people back into employment, gives new and small businesses a place to grow, tackles social isolation and provides an exciting attraction for visitors. “We are incredibly excited about the project, whilst at the same time being in no doubt about the scale of it. There’s so much potential here and a vast amount of support from local people, organisations, businesses, as well as the council. “All this gives us confidence and drive to bring together the right people to make it happen.” The project will require initial funding from sources such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, but it is intended that the DPMCH will eventually become self-sustaining. A final decision from Kirklees Council’s Cabinet is expected in November.
“Our findings clearly demonstrate the need for a community enterprise that contributes to the improvement of health and well-being, supports people back into employment, gives small businesses a place to grow, tackles social isolation and provides an exciting attraction.” – Jax Lovelock, founding director of Dewsbury Park Mansion Community Hub
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