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Aylesham & District Community Workshop Trust

Aylesham Community Project, Ackholt Road, Aylesham, Kent, CT3 3AJ

Telephone 01304 842826 Fax 01304 841805

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                       17 April, 2007

 

1996 to 2006

 

Serving the Aylesham Rural Area.

 

Aylesham & District Community Workshop Trust was incorporated as a charity in October 1996 and has been serving the community for ten years.

We have been very modest in broadcasting our services to the people of the Aylesham rural area but our ten year anniversary is a time when we should tell our people what we have achieved.

In 1996 the secondary school and Snowdown Colliery had closed and the over riding need was employment and we have delivered the following activities.

Partnership was the key to accessing the funds and delivering our charitable aims;

 

Employment.

1.      We in partnership with English Partnership built ten small workshop units that are still full and sort after by starter businesses.

2.      These units have given 20 people work for ten years equates to 200 person years of employment.

3.      With English Partnership , S.R.B. and A.&D.C.W.T. we renovated the veranda building in the complex .

4.      This building houses Kent Childcare Network services Kent county council training, Kent County Council Library , Kent Scrapstore which delivers resources to playgroups and Aylesham Neighbourhood Project  our families service.

5.      In the Verranda Building there are approximately 15 people working and this building was renovated in 1997 and this equates to 120 years of employment.

6.      In the main building we have run a community conference enterprise which generates funds to deliver out charitable aims.

7.      There are also a café run by Sunshine Catering a local trader ,NHS training department, Kent childcare network ,a Training company with new deal contracts and K.C.C. area computer training room.

8.      These activities employ ten people and equate to 100 employment years. 

9.      In 2003 we on partnership with S.E.E.D.A. built Miner’s Way business Park.

10. There are seven unit let and one under offer employing around seventy people offering services to the people of the Aylesham Rural Area.

 

Training many of the organisations and companies have given local people the opportunity of employment and training to work.

 

Computer Room.

The first commissioned our computer room in 1997 when there was little computer ownership in the village or schools and our priorities were;

1.      We sourced and built the Aylesham Computer room with local people and aided by Pfiser computer staff.

2.      The project was funded by A.&D.C.W.T. and S.R.B. 3 .

3.      We floated Aylesham Computer Club which trained two thousand local people.

4.      We also gave free of charge the use of the computer suite three times per week to Aylesham County Primary school, St.Joseph’s Primary school and Nonington primary school .

5.      In partnership with South Kent College we gave local people the choice of nine evening courses from computer training to art.

6.      In 2001 we upgraded the computer room funded by A.&D.C.W.T. and the Coalfield Regeneration Trust.

7.      We again upgraded in 2003 funded by A.&D.C.W.T. and S.R.B. 5.

8.      Computer training has change dramatically because of ownership both by schools and individuals but we follow the local needs.

 

The Arts.

The coalfield communities always followed the arts and they are famous for the choirs and bands but there were poets and painters were also there.

1. Our first Art exhibition was in the Baptist church and Ned Smith , a former director of sales at the coalfield ,was instrumental in getting on loan for an exhibition a series of paintings from scenes at the coalfaces in Kent.
2. We have hosted Snowdown Colliery Choir in our hall free of charge on numerous occasions once with the band.
3. We have hosted two plays for local people that had limited local support from people.
4. Each Christmas for starting in 1998 for the first time we got three hundred children of St.Joseph’s and the Kent County Primary schools together for a Christmas carol service.
5. We commissioned funded by A.&D.C.W.T. and the  Littlewoods foundation  the statue “The Aylesham Phoenix”
6. We and S.E.E.D.A. funded the statue “Payday at Snowdown Colliery” in memory of the men, women and families associated with the pit.

 

    

 

 

A.&D.C.W.T. Grants.

Aylesham & District Community Workshop Trust is the only voluntary organisation in the area that gives grants to the voluntary organisation from funds that it raises itself .

We started the formal grant giving regime in 2003, 2004,2005 and 2006 and the following organisations have benefited;

1. Elvington Youth Club  £1,000,£720
2. Hersden Neighbourhood Project £1,000
3. Aylesham Neighbourhood Project £502 , £820, £1000
4. Tilmanstone Bowls Club £409, £637
5. Aylesham Youth F.C. £1,000
6. Aylesham Carnival Committee
7. Aylesham Boxing Club £330
8. St. Joseph’s P.T.A. £1000 , £740, £1000
9. Aylesham County Primary School £1,000, £1,000
10. Aylesham Events Committee
11. Womenswould Village Committee £810
12. Snowdown Football Club £657
13. Bettshanger Bowls Club £650, 259
14. Aylesham Pigeon Club £225
15. Snowdown Court Residents  £1,000 ,£927
16. Snowdown Male Voice Choir £859
17. St. Peters Church £1,000 ,£1,000
18. Tilmanstone Welfare ££637
19. Aylesham Bowls Club £1,000
20. Aylesham Youth Club £855
21. Sunshine Corner Nursery £835
22. Aylesham & Snowdown Welfare £1,000
23. Snowdown Rugby Club £1,000
24. Eastry Court Residents £1,000
25. Bettshanger Junior Football Club £236
26. Bettshanger Outdoor Bowl Club

 

Community Emegenct Incident Action.

We have also been instrumental in help the emergency services to inform young people of emergency situations.

1.      2002 “first steps “motor vehicle project to show difficult youngsters the dangers of taking cars without permission.

2.      2003 the traffic police, dog handlers section , local P.C , fire brigade and major incident centre carried out a traffic accident practice in view of the local primary schools and the youth club members.

3.      2004 the second major incident event.

Forward.

1. We have arranged a pantomime for the children of St.Joseph’s and the County primary school.
2. We support East Kent Lifeskill’s centre.
3. We give Aylesham Neighbourhood Project a discounted tenancy at will worth approximately £10,000 per year to them.
4. We will promote a scheme for the training of trades people for the building Industry.

 

 

 

 

Derek Garrity M.B.E. (General manager & Secretary A.&D.C.W.T.)

 

 

Derek Garrity