Volunteers needed to decide how to spend £300,000 in Dewsbury Moor

Dewsbury Moor was one of 50 communities across England to be awarded National Lottery Community Big Local funding in 2010 and from the £1million that was awarded, so far only £700,000 has been invested in community projects.

Volunteers are urgently needed to join the residents’ board which decides how the money is spent or the remaining £300,000, which has to be used within the next three years, will be lost forever.

The National Lottery Community Fund rules say there must be a least eight people on the residents’ board and more than half of them need to be residents of Dewsbury Moor.

The board’s job is to make sure the money is spent on projects and activities that will deliver the most benefit and have a positive impact on the community.

Ideas, proposals and requests for funding are made by residents, and the board meets once or twice a month to vote on which projects and activities to support and plan how they will be delivered.

The Big Local funding has already made a positive difference in and around Dewsbury Moor, supporting cycling and bike repair charity Street Bikes, providing computers in the children’s centre, helping to fund the renovation of the local rugby league team’s clubhouse, supporting local groups with community grants and even helping people into training and employment.

At the start of this year Yorkshire Housing, the region’s largest developing housing association, was appointed as the local trusted organisation for the Dewsbury Moor Big Local project.

With no customers in Dewsbury Moor, its role is to be a fair and impartial advisor, ensuring the money is kept safe until the residents’ board makes decisions about how and where to spend it.

With almost 20,000 homes across the county, Yorkshire Housing also has the people and the skills needed to support the project.

James Haigh, who is leading Yorkshire Housing’s Dewsbury Moor community team, said: “Yorkshire Housing wanted to get involved because we think communities should be given the support they need to thrive and be the best they can be.

“£300,000 is a huge amount of money and if it’s invested in the right projects, it will have a really positive impact on people living in Dewsbury Moor.

"We’ve already seen how people of all ages have benefitted from the money that’s been spent so far and it’d be a tragedy if we missed out on doing more just because we didn’t have enough people on the residents’ board.”

Tanisha Bramwell, who joined the residents’ board two years ago, said: “When I joined the board my intention was to support Big Local in delivering positive outcomes for Dewsbury Moor while also creating opportunities and social change.

"I really enjoy being a part of a team that’s fully focused on targeting priority needs in my hometown and wants to create sustainable change.

“If I was to say anything to the residents in Dewsbury Moor it would be this - get involved.

"Locally and nationally we’re seeing a huge increase in social needs and we’re living through a new crisis every other month. This is an opportunity for you to support your community, neighbours and family.

"Opportunities like these are once in a lifetime, and they’re a chance to be a part of making change for the better.

"Your input and your voice matters. Please help us to help you.”

James added: “We’re asking anyone who wants to be involved to get in touch because Dewsbury Moor needs you.

"This is all about giving residents a voice, and decisions being made by residents for residents.

"But we have to act now because it really is a case of 'if we don’t use it we’ll lose it', and we simply can’t afford to let that happen.”

If you want to find out more about joining the residents’ board, get in touch with the Dewsbury Moor community team on [email protected] or call 07544 721374.

Or pop along to one of the residents’ drop-in sessions on April 27 and May 11 between 3pm and 6pm at the Community House, 8 Schoolcroft, Dewsbury Moor, WF13 4RU.