Coalfield Regeneration Trust Helps Kidz-R-Us
In December 2005, we approached the Coalfields Regeneration Trust on the very sound advice and assurance from a lady called Shannon, President of Social Enterprise Wales that we at Kidz R Us were in fact a Social Enterprise.
She and her colleagues guided us through I must say a very lengthy and exasperating process of the new pilot Coalfield Regeneration grant scheme.
We were lucky enough to get funding for our project which was to develop a community café here at our Performing Arts Centre, targeted at the comprehensive school near our venue (Park Place Chapel, Tredegar) a building which we have secured through a mortgage and its’ members, the children own it. There was also financial help with the wages for our trainee dance/drama teachers and a choreographer. Plus our most important position and vital to our project Administrator and Catering Manager.
We started work on our kitchen in September when we were guaranteed our grant from the Coalfields. Work started in ernest and we crossed so many hurdles along the way. Our building is very old so we had to contend with rotting timbers, damp walls and new floors, walls, windows etc all had to be put in. As a not for profit organisation we have had to rely on volunteers to get the work done. Slowly but surely we have renovated the kitchen area and surrounding café’.
Staff have been on training courses and have established an active sweet shop/tuck shop whilst we have been having the work done.
As you can see from the photographs we have taken it a step further by creating our own banquet hall. Giving us the opportunity to not only provide a much needed café area but to stretch to children’s themed parties, adult themed parties, Medieval banquets functions and also a very promising grant application has been submitted for a cyber café which will give us the opportunity to open our facilities to higher education for children and adults.
Our downfall is the constant worry of doing all this in five months worth of funding. Impossible you say! Tough, but it is happening.
We are desperately searching for continuing funding especially for the administration jobs as we really need a strong team in place. If you can help us please let us know?
All this is thanks to the Coalfield Regeneration scheme for their faith in us and for giving us the opportunity to prove ourselves and grow. The sky is the limit.
Thank Coalfields!     
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