£191,000 windfall to help beat recession

TEN Oldham charities and voluntary organisations will share a £191,000 handout to support local people battling the recession.

The money will help deal with the extra demand on their services fuelled by the credit-crunch.

Home Start Oldham received the the lion’s share — £32,675 — which enables it to continue offering services to families undergoing difficulties until the end of this financial year.

Joy Wrigglesworth, senior organiser, said she was “very pleased” and the windfall had thrown the struggling organisation a lifeline, which meant its 40 volunteers could continue with Home Start’s vital work to support families with a child under the age of five.

The body was forced to cut back its services when National Lottery funding stopped last year and it was unable to get full funding from other sources.

The Greater Manchester Youth Network was awarded £25,000 to set up and run a project to help young people use volunteering to gain skills to help them get a job, and the same figure went to the Salt Cellar and Key to the Door.

Oldham Cancer Support Centre, based at Failsworth Primary Care Resource Centre, received £18,469, and

Oak Community Development was awarded £17,295 to provide extra courses and workshops to help local residents access employment and training opportunities.

Werneth and Freehold Community Development Project received £14,000, Peshkar Productions was given £12,000, Off the Record received £11,550 and £10,000 went to The Faithworks.

The Community Foundation for Greater Manchester was given the task of breaking the good news to the groups chosen to benefit from the Government’s Targeted Support Fund.

The fund specifically helps organisations deliver vital services during the recession, such as debt advice and counselling sessions, and job skills training for the recently unemployed.

Alison Seabrooke, the foundation’s chief executive, said: “In Oldham, charities and voluntary groups are working hard to help their communities through the recession.

“I am pleased that these organisations will receive grants to help them deliver vital support to so many people in the area during the economic downturn”.

She added: “This essential funding will help support people in areas that need it most, when they need it most, so communities can come out of these difficult economic times stronger.”