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Tuesday 10 August 2010 evening standard
Evening Standard campaign
Plea to keep giving as hundreds of charities seek help from our fund THE
DISPOSSESSED FUND
Mark Prigg and Miranda Bryant CHARITY bosses appealed today for every Londoner to back the Evening Standard’s Dispossessed campaign, as fresh details of those who have sought funding emerged. A community radio station, a football club for refugee children and a sports club for 150 young people in east London have all applied for a grant. Today the head of the Community Foundation Network, which is collecting donations to the £1 million appeal, hailed the progress being made. Chief executive Stephen Hammersley said: “We’re delighted organisations are continuing to take advantage of the opportunity made available by the Dispossessed Fund, with hundreds of applications going through the system. “Grant applications are being received to support a variety of causes, including running events for adults with learning disabilities; building
To donate to the Standard’s Dispossessed Fund go to: standard.co.uk/dispossessed confidence in young people for interview situations; and purchasing IT equipment for elderly residents who are isolated from family and friends. “We continue to be impressed by the great work organisations are doing in their communities. We urge groups to continue to apply and seek more in Brent, Barnet, Havering, Wandsworth and Hammersmith and Fulham.” Cash is being distributed to grassroots charities working to lift people out of poverty in five areas: education; getting people into work; tackling gangs, guns and knife crime; improving health; and addressing other forms of poverty, such as homelessness, pensioner hardship and the working poor. Applications can be made by not-forprofit, voluntary, or local groups active in their community for more than a year. Their annual income must be less than £30,000 and they must be involved in tackling one of the five themes listed above.
Editorial Comment Page 14
Inspirational: Southside FM develops young people’s skills. Above, Bakari Sesay and members of the radio team
Southside FM
The radio station in Waterloo, run by teenagers from south London, aims to inspire young people while training them in media skills. The programme, run by Church. co.uk, which is in its sixth year, invites 200 teenagers a year to do courses in radio and broadcast journalism and help run the station. As well as teaching people to plan, produce and broadcast their own shows, professionals from organisations such as the BBC are invited to give talks. Manager Dominic Ridout said the success of the project was an example of how a grant of just a few thousand pounds — such as those being offered by the Standard’s Dispossessed Fund — can transform the lives of
Broadcasting the right message in Waterloo Londoners. “The first year that we ran this project we had reports that youth crime had dropped significantly in the area,” he said. “The young people learn social and critical thinking skills and the scheme provides a positive alternative to what young people could be doing over the summer. “It’s great that a major media outlet such as the Standard has taken it upon itself to support grassroots projects.” The radio project has won the support of Mayor Boris Johnson and Simon Hughes, the MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark who has visited it every
year since it started in 2005. He said: “Southside is a really valuable initiative that has engaged and encouraged lots of people from across Southwark and beyond. Southside has made a positive contribution in engaging young people.” Demi BisetteConfidence: Brockley student Demi Bisette-Wilson
Wilson, 19, from Brockley, did the course last year and plans to do it again this summer. She said: “The main problem in London is that young people aren’t motivated because there’s nothing to look forward to. They’re not stimulated at GCSE so they don’t go on to college. Southside gave me confidence and built me up without me even noticing. I got practical experience that I don’t think I would have got without Southside.”
taking action some of the groups who have applied Education
The Knowledge (Al-Maarifa) Supplementary School: Ealing-based school for refugee and migrant ethnic children. Includes workshops for children and parents on smoking, gang culture and drugs awareness.
Getting people into work
Crossworld, Lambeth: provides football training for refugee children and young people, many of whom do
not have any family in this country. The group also provides counselling and guidance and helps young people to develop a CV.
and uses local radio stations, engaging in “resolving issues” debate shows.
counselling service than is currently available.
also provides lunch clubs and advice and guidance on health and finance.
tackling gangs, guns and knife crime
Improving mental and physical health
Tithe Barn Counselling Service, Westminster: The team of counsellors speak nine different languages and engage in a variety of forms of tailored intervention. The group works with a range of clients between the ages of 18 and 65 to provide a fuller
Other manifestations of poverty (such as homelessness, pensioner poverty and working poor)
Basaira Elderly Care: members are often isolated and lonely and have a number of health issues such as dementia. Involvement in the Lambethbased group’s activities enables them to access health information and support, as well as a network of friends and the opportunity to participate in a variety of social activities.
British Business Community: the Brent-based group works to address gang issues including gun and knife crime. Operates as an accessible face with groups of dedicated volunteers
In-Deep Community Taskforce: offers nailcare and counselling to older people in Westminster. For many elderly people, attending the group’s activities can be the only time they leave their flat each week. The group