Groups are boosted by awards windfall

LOCAL community projects have benefited from more than £16,500 of funding.

Oldham’s Respect Our Community Awards (ROCA), administered by a board of local businesses and headed by First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO), has awarded the cash to a host of groups.

ROCA was set up in November, 2007, by FCHO to give financial assistance to projects that bring communities together, improve lives and have the potential to become self-sustaining.

The latest round of funding saw a variety of creative and inclusive ideas supported.

These include Active Citizens, run by St Barnabas Church, Clarksfield, which supports Asian women who have been suffering the effects of social isolation. It received £1,000 towards the costs of teaching new skills and self-worth.

Fun For All received £4,995 to offer activities to children through the school holidays, at the ARC Community Centre, Alt, throughout 2013. It is hoped the scheme will attract a team of volunteers to grow and make the scheme self-sustaining in the future.

Waterhead Community Choir has been awarded £800 to fund its conductor. This new community choir now hopes to attract new members and to perform at local events and festivals.

Growing Together, The New Fields Allotment Society, off Fields New Road in Chadderton, received £3,000 to educate the community and local children in growing their own food and plants, and to buy essential materials.

Our Town, a social media-based soap opera, run by Oldham Theatre Workshop, received £2,500 to explore how by using the PSHE curriculum they can educate and engage with their followers on health, education, community cohesion and physical and mental wellbeing.

Oldham Mela 2013 has been awarded £4,452 to train young people in music and visual arts so they are ready to perform at the 2013 Oldham Mela.

The chairman of the ROCA board, John Porter, of Wrigley Claydon Solicitors, said: “To see a variety of creative, supportive and educational initiatives taking shape through ROCA funding is highly satisfying.

“We look forward to hearing about the progress of these projects.

“We would encourage anyone with an idea that makes a positive difference to local communities to come forward and apply for ROCA funding.”