Press Release - appeared in the Northumberland Gazette - 10 May 2007
Funding aid for groups
Funding workshops are running for community and voluntary groups based in Berwick borough.
The workshops will be run by Community Action Northumberland (CAN) and will be one-on-one sessions between Marc Johnson, CAN's Communty Development Officer and individual groups to help identify sources of funding for community based products. The sessions will be running from 11am to 5pm on Monday at Bell View Centre, Belford, Thursday at Berwick Voluntary Forum, Berwick, Tuesday May 22 at The Resouce Centre Seahouses, and Wednesday May 23 at the Cheviot Centre, Wooler.
As the sessions are one-on-one, groups need to contact Marc Johnson on 01289 34141 to make an appointment.
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Press Release - appeared in the Berwick Advertiser - 3 May 2007
Funding workshops for groups
Four funding workshops for community and voluntary groups based in Berwick Borough are being run by Community Action Northumberland (CAN).
The workshops will be one-on-one sessions between Marc Johnson, CAN's Community Development Officer and individual groups to help them identify potential funding soures for community based projects. The projects can be at any stage of development from initial ideas to existing projects that require additional funding. Marc said: "There are over 4500 grant-giving trusts in the UK, many of them with funding for groups and organisations based in the Berwick area, add to this lottery programmes and Government grant schemesand it can get very confusing for groups to know exactly who to apply to and how to make an application."
As the sessions are one-on-one it is vital that groups contact Marc on 01289 304141 to make an appointment, each appointment will last a maximum of an hour.
The sessions are planned to run as follows: Monday, May 14, Bell View Centre, Belford 11am-5pm; Thursday, May 17, Berwick Voluntary Forum, Berwick, 11am-5pm; Tusday, May 22, The Resource Centre, Seahouses, 11am-5pm; Wednesday, May 23, The Cheviot Centre, Wooler 11am-5pm.
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Press Release - appeared in The Journal - 3 May 2007
Villagers get special call
Villages across Northumberland are being invited to highlight their special qualities - and bid for a national title and £7000 prize.
Entries are wanted for the third Northumberland Villageof the Year title from rural communities with fewer than 5,000 residents. the winner qualifes for the regional final, which carries a first prize of £2,000 and a place in the national final where £7,000 goes to the winning village.
Organised by Community Action Northumbeland as part of the nationwide Calor Village of the Year competition, the Northumberland section has a £400 first prize and the county title. Comunities will be judged on four aspects of rural village life - people, business, environment and communications - and can enter as many categories as they wish. They also have to describe in up to 500 words what makes their village a special place.
Northumberland's previous winners were Wingates in 2005 and Allendale last year - which used its prize money to help renovate the village hall.
Village hall secretaries, parish council clerks, community associations and development trusts in villages across Northumberland have until May 31 to enter and judging is in June and July. Community Action Northumberland assistant director, Alan Hedley, said yesterday: "Working with fellow villagers on the entry can build up a excellent community spirit. It reminds residents, if they need reminding, of what a special place they live in."
"It is a good way to do an audit of all aspects of village life and to raise the profile of communities"
The contest is part of Calor's Rural Sponsorship programme, whch has been going for 20 years.
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Press Release - appeared in The Journal - 1 January 2007
Why we're the CAN do set-up
Community Council goes for a change of name
A respected organisation which has championed rural communities in Northumberland for more than half a century is heading into 2007 with a brand new name and logo.
Since 1951 the Community Council of Northumberland (CCN) has advised and supported hundreds of grass roots and community groups, campaigned on rural issues such as affordable housing and transport and lobbied decision-makers on important countryside affairs.
From today, CCN will become Community Action Northumberland (CAN) and its familiar logo, showing a hamlet, will be replaced by a two-tone green angular motif.
The changes are aimed at giving CAN a more distinctive identity and reflecting its increasingly proactive role.
They are part of a number of new developments following changes in the funding available to CCN, including a review of its staffing, membership and executive committee.
Chairman Bob Langley said: "There has been an ever-increasing growth in the number of community organisations and the word council has sometimes led to us being confused with local authorities."
The Morpeth-based organisation's membership is drawn from community and voluntary organisations. Its executive committee has now been streamlined and includes two new members, Norman Dunn, who represents the Northumberland Association of Local Councils, and Lynn Roxburgh.
CAN provides advice on funding, constitutions and charity law, support for village halls, community buildings and parish councils and helps with project management, local regeneration and employment services.
It has community development officers based in Berwick, Alnwick, Castle Morpeth and Tynedale local authority areas. It was originally called the Northumberland Rural Community Council when it was set up in 1951, but dropped the word rural in 1974.
Its head office is in Tower Buildings, Morpeth and can be contacted on (01670) 517178.
