LOCAL NEWS 8 Fund<strong>in</strong>g to Renovate Church Burntwood Town Council has been awarded over £180,000 from the Government’s Community Ownership Fund to renovate and modernise Chase Terrace Methodist Church, transform<strong>in</strong>g it <strong>in</strong>to a Community Centre for residents. Follow<strong>in</strong>g a successful, locally driven campaign last year to save the build<strong>in</strong>g for community use, the Town Council purchased the former church <strong>in</strong> December, and received confirmation last week that their bid to the Community Ownership Fund was successful. The Fund has awarded £71 million to 231 projects across England and is available to support communities to take ownership of assets which are at risk of be<strong>in</strong>g lost. ....................................................................................... Charity’s Lifesav<strong>in</strong>g Lottery You can help Midlands Air Ambulance Charity save lives by play<strong>in</strong>g its Lifesav<strong>in</strong>g Lottery for as little as £1.15 each week, with the weekly chance to w<strong>in</strong> £1,000! Not only do you get the opportunity to w<strong>in</strong> one of five cash prizes each week, by tak<strong>in</strong>g part you are support<strong>in</strong>g a vital cause that saves lives every day. Midlands Air Ambulance Charity provides a crucial emergency service to those <strong>in</strong> the most serious and critical need. Every lottery entry and every pound raised keeps your local air ambulance <strong>in</strong> the sky and critical care cars on the roads. Each £1.15 entry entitles you to a unique number, and the w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g numbers are randomly selected by computer each week. The Lifesav<strong>in</strong>g Lottery is only available to those aged 18 or over, you can either pay monthly, bi-monthly, biannually, or annually. With onl<strong>in</strong>e signups tak<strong>in</strong>g less than five m<strong>in</strong>utes, it’s easy to register and start play<strong>in</strong>g today. Visit www.midlandsairambulance.com/lottery. ....................................................................................... Chair’s Charity Improve Elderly Lives The Chair of <strong>Lichfield</strong> District Council is highlight<strong>in</strong>g the work of a charity which helps older people ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> their <strong>in</strong>dependence and live more fulfilled lives. Councillor Ann Hughes is support<strong>in</strong>g MHA Communities South Staffordshire dur<strong>in</strong>g her term of office and recently attended a special lunch and social group that it organised for people with dementia at the Old M<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g College, Burntwood. MHA is hold<strong>in</strong>g a fundrais<strong>in</strong>g Communi-tea Party on Tuesday 21st <strong>May</strong> at Chasetown Methodist Church from 1pm to 3pm. To book a place call 01543 674257. Anyone seek<strong>in</strong>g more details, or who would like to make a donation can contact MHA Communities South Staffordshire on the same telephone number or email southstaffs@mha.org.uk ....................................................................................... £2m Boost for Vulnerable Recently, <strong>Lichfield</strong> District Council’s Cab<strong>in</strong>et backed <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> the delivery of new temporary accommodation and acknowledged the need for more wrap-around support for people placed <strong>in</strong> temporary accommodation. Cab<strong>in</strong>et recommended that Full Council <strong>in</strong>crease the budget for the capital programme for new temporary accommodation <strong>in</strong> the district by £979,000 from £1,178,000 to £2,157,000. The District Council currently spends around £80,000 every year on emergency accommodation to support local residents, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g families with children and Cab<strong>in</strong>et recognised more needs to be done. At any one time there are more than 30 <strong>in</strong>dividuals and families from the district liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> temporary accommodation. Insufficient supply of accommodation means people <strong>in</strong> need are often placed <strong>in</strong> emergency bed and breakfast, located outside of the district and offer<strong>in</strong>g limited facilities. Fund<strong>in</strong>g for the proposal, which <strong>in</strong>cludes more ‘Hous<strong>in</strong>g First’ hous<strong>in</strong>g pathway units to support local rough sleepers will come from money negotiated from housebuilders and from Right to Buy receipts, money generated through the Right to Buy sale of the council’s former hous<strong>in</strong>g stock, now managed by Bromford. ....................................................................................... Fund<strong>in</strong>g Plea for Memorial A new campaign has launched <strong>in</strong>vit<strong>in</strong>g the public to support the renovation and preservation of the Shot at Dawn memorial, one of the most visited and poignant memorials at the National Memorial Arboretum. The memorial was <strong>in</strong>stalled <strong>in</strong> 2001 with the support of public subscriptions, and now over twenty years later the wooden stakes that pay tribute to the 309 soldiers that were ‘shot at dawn’ dur<strong>in</strong>g the First World War have deteriorated beyond repair. This new campaign aims to raise £45,000 to ensure that the memorial will be preserved for future generations to explore, discover and remember. Whilst refurbishment work to the Shot at Dawn Memorial takes place at the Arboretum from 7 <strong>May</strong> for up to six weeks, the names of those who were ‘shot at dawn’ will rema<strong>in</strong> accessible for those who wish to pay tribute to their service and tragic loss of life. To Advertise call:- Steve Brown 07740 166497 stevebrowncitylife@gmail.com Rebecca Hill 07970 513144 rebeccahillcitylife@gmail.com Mike James 07900 982456 mikejamescitylife@gmail.com
9