Helen Barrett,
Regen.net,
28 July 2010
Good causes distributor the Big Lottery Fund (BLF) has launched a £200 million fund to help regenerate up to 150 neighbourhoods across England that have previously found it difficult to access renewal funding.
The Big Local Trust will provide at least £1 million and up to £2 million to each neighbourhood over ten years. The fund will be administered by an independent charitable trust, which will work with neighbourhood representatives to decide how cash will be spent, the BLF said.
The first 50 to benefit have been named today by the BLF.
A spokesman for the BLF said the funder had worked with local authorities and community groups to identify both urban and rural neighbourhoods that had found it difficult in the past to secure regeneration funding. He said cash would be available for a range of projects such as skills training, education, play areas and community centres.
The BLF is also calling for expressions of interest from organisations to run the trust that will administer the scheme, with a deadline of 12 August. It expects to select a preferred bidder in October, and for money to reach neighbourhoods by December 2011.
Peter Wanless, chief executive of the BLF, said: "Big Local Trust will help local people identify their pressing issues and develop the skills and confidence necessary to start changing things in their community for the better."
