Bristol arts charity Knowle West Media Centre has won a £23,965 share of a £2.5m Skills and Opportunities Fund run by NatWest.
The fund supports organisations in disadvantaged communities that help people develop, create or access the skills and opportunities they need to get into work or start a business.
Charities, not-for-profit organisations and state-funded schools and colleges can apply for up to £35,000 each for a specific project from the fund, which will distribute grants totalling £2.5m this year and is expected to help more than 25,000 people.
Knowle West Media Centre is one of three winners from across the South West chosen following a public vote.
It will provide workshops at its ‘training and making’ space – KWMC The Factory – to support 120 people, particularly those currently under-represented in enterprise, in developing the skills and knowledge that will enable them to thrive in the ‘manufacturing and making’ industries.
Chairman of NatWest’s South West and Wales regional board Oliver Watts said: “It was a challenging decision because of the standard of entries we received. But the panel felt that all of the organisations would make a massive impact in their local communities. I’d encourage anyone who wasn’t successful this time to try again when applications open in August for the next round.”
Knowle West Media Centre business development manager Justin Ricks added: “We’re delighted to receive this funding from NatWest’s Skills and Opportunities Fund. We know that satisfaction with local jobs is very low in our area and this funding will enable us to support more people to explore the possibilities of self-employment. Over the next few months we’ll be delivering a range of skills development workshops in digital fabrication, prototyping and product design, and we’re looking forward to supporting more local people, from all backgrounds, to make it in business.”
More than 900 organisations from across the UK and Republic of Ireland applied to this year’s fund before a total of 90 were chosen to enter the public vote.
Pictured at Knowle West Media Centre: Mark Loose, director – business banking – Bristol and Bath, NatWest, second from right, with Knowle West Media Centre’s Dot Baker, Justin Ricks and Fiona Dowling and Tom Barnes
