John Taylor

1

2

• John Taylor
• Head of West Midlands Region

3
Introduction

• Committed to bringing real improvements to
  communities, and to the lives of people most in
  need
• Focus on outcomes
• 60-70 of grants to voluntary and community
  sector
• Big distributes half of the money that the
  National Lottery raises for good causes
• Last year 70m invested in WM plus a further 35m
  (non-lottery)

4
Examples of our funding

• Shropshire The Mere at Ellesmere 1,200,000
  via our joint Parks for People scheme
• Herefordshire 147,000 to rural media company
  to develop young peoples skills in publishing
  and media work
• Warwickshire Arley Parochial Church for a new
  397,000 community building
• Worcestershire Droitwich Spa and Rural Council
  For Voluntary Service via 434,190 for improved
  infrastructure support services to rural based
  VCS organisations
• Staffordshire 242,000 for improvements in
  Childrens Play facilities in East Staffs

5
Awards For All

• BIGs small grants scheme!
• Grants of 300 10,000
• Voluntary groups, parish councils, schools etc
• Simple application process with quick decisions
• Around 6million per year in WM or 900 awards
• Lingen Community Resource Centre in Shropshire
  8,590 to print newsletters for 8 other villages
• Ballingham and Bolstone Village Hall in
  Herefordshire 4,011 to provide equipment for
  monthly film screenings, village meetings and
  private functions

6
What is Village SOS?

• 3 million Funding programme from BIG to support
  the development of 6 rural community enterprise
  projects
• The chance to increase awareness about challenges
  and opportunities for rural areas across UK
  population
• An opportunity to showcase rural community
  enterprises on BBC TV
• Support, learning and development of rural
  community enterprise

7
Hows it going to work?

• Support 6 villages across UK to develop an
  enterprise to benefit their community
• Filmed over 12 months by BBC for a 6 part prime
  time show (from Spring 2010)
• Villages are closely supported by a Village
  Champion (recruited by Make your Mark) to
  develop their enterprise (Autumn 2009).
• A joint learning strategy will launch

8
Who is Village SoS for?

• Community based organisations representing the
  interests of rural villages
• Rural villages are defined as having a population
  of up to 3,000 people. Villages in urban areas
  are not eligible
• Informal groups can start the process need
  constitution for development grant.
• Need to be a village trust by time of full award

9
The Programme Outcomes

• Rural villages have a stronger collective
  identity and sense of pride, with strengthened
  social networks and a reduction in isolation for
  people within the community
• People in rural villages are inspired to make a
  difference in their own area, and are better able
  to meet the social and economic needs of the
  community, in particular using enterprising
  approaches
• Rural villages recognise their strengths and
  resources, have greater capacity to secure a
  sustainable future for themselves, and are better
  equipped to adapt to change

10
What kinds of projects?

• Projects that benefit the entire community
• Are an enterprise
• Could involve the development of an asset owned
  by the community
• Provide opportunities for local community members
• Between 100,000 and 400,000 in project award
  from BIG
• Capital and/or revenue

11
Oak Farm Tea Rooms

• Tea Rooms and Shop in Ditton Priors, Shropshire
• Local volunteers
• Shop sells local produce
• Developing Village History Museum

12
The funding time-line

• 01 June 2009 funding programme open for stage
  one applications
• 14 August August 2009 closes to applications
• Nov 2009 Villages receive their decisions
• March 2010 Stage two applications and business
  plans submitted
• May 2010 decisions received and filming begins!
  

13
BBC work

• BBC have launched the funding programme on The
  One Show (June 1st 2009)
• BBC facilitate a match-making process between
  village organisations (successful at stage one)
  and Village Champions (late 2009)
• BBC Film projects for 12 months starting at
  point of award.
• BBC Show 6 primetime episodes of village SOS on
  BBC Television (Spring 2011)
• Learning campaign launches on BBC Website (Spring
  2011)

14
The Learning Support

• BBC web-portal to support community enterprise
  projects launch Spring 2011
• Offering learning and support to rural
  communities.
• Could include
• Case studies (inc the funded projects from TV)
• Research, toolkits and good practice
• Referral to agencies that can help
• Promote the challenges and opportunities

15
How do we want you to be involved?

• Wed really welcome your input. In particular
  we want to build learning throughout the campaign
  and ensure theres a legacy beyond the 6 projects
  profiled

Signposting
Cascading info
Case Studies
Research
Tools Guides
16
Contacts

• Jack Lowman Communications Manager West
  Midlands
• 0121 345 7902 jack.lowman_at_biglotteryfund.org.uk
• www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/villagesos
• www.bbc.co.uk

17