This afternoon’s meeting with Justine Ball, our grants officer for the Big Lottery Fund, was very positive. She met with several of the Project Team: Mike Gerard-Pearse, Brian Beasley, Val Stevenson, Nick Stevenson and Peter Trewhitt. First she looked round the Memorial Hall and the site, and then we moved to the School to access their internet and projection facilities.
We discussed the consultation process, the additional future uses of the Hall that have been identified (e.g. after-school activities and adult education classes) and our strategies to obtain matched funding / in kind donations. Some additional detail was required and several of our outcome measures need rewording to fit into their format, but overall Justine was very complimentary of high standard and thoroughness of our application.
The process from here is for our grants officer, Justine, to compile her recommendations for the Community Buildings Programme projects she is overseeing and then agree those recommendations with her team at the end of next week. The agreed recommendations (a project summary consisting of up to 6,000 characters, approximately 1,000 words) for all the Community Buildings Programme Stage II applications will then be submitted to the grants committee which will meet in Birmingham on 25th November. Hopefully we will hear the outcome soon after that meeting.
Justine was enthusiastic about our Stage II application, but the final decision is down to the committee. Only 20% of the Stage I applications got through to the current round, but now there is funding available for 80% of the applications still under consideration.
If successful we will be awarded the full £500,000 (less the development monies already paid) and we will enter the grant set-up process, giving us between 6 and 12 months to identify the rest of the money/resources required to undertake the project. Successful projects will be given a grant officer (possibly the same officer overseeing Stage II), who will work with us to secure the additional funding/resources required and to agree the payment schedule. Projects awarded grants have an excellent level of completion.
Alternatively, if we are unsuccessful we will be given feedback on why, and be given ideas on other possible funding sources.
Whatever the outcome, all those that have put so much effort into developing this project should feel very proud. The outcome is not certain, but the quality of what has so far been achieved perhaps should allow us a hint of optimism. If we are not successful in obtaining the grant, it will not be because of anything we have missed.
Keep the momentum for Project Parwich going, and anyone with ideas for complementary funding sources, useful resources or time to help contact Amanda, Mike G-P, Patti or Brian B.
PARWICH.ORG 
I was present at yesterday’s meeting largely to make up numbers because several of the key people were unable to attend.
Since the early consultations by the Village Action Group and then by the Memorial Hall Committee in 2003/04, my involvement has been peripheral to the project, most recently in passing on information via our websites. However this does mean I have a good idea of how much work has gone to get us this far.
At yesterday’s meeting my overall feeling was one of pride in our community. Seeing our villages reflected back by the BLF Grants Officer was particularly heartening. Also it was quickly obvious that our application is amongst the more professional and thought out. We undoubtedly are a remarkable community.
The Memorial Hall Committee and Parwich Parish Council have worked hard to support this project, as well as the project teams, and, although it might be seen as invidious to name names, Mike G-P, Amanda, Lynette, Val S and Brian B have all in particular put tremendous energy and time in getting us this far.
So now it is a collective fingers crossed on the 25th of November and on with the hard work identifying the additional resources needed.
Crikey, it’s getting tense now – I’ve got more than my fingers crossed!!! Well done everyone involved whatever the outcome.
With a good looking team like that how can we fail?
If we dont get the bid, they could always apply to be judges on Strictly X come factory dancing ………..
(seriously) Great job guys to all concerned.
Thank you for all your time and effort. I know you’ve done all that can be done. Hoping for a positive result on 25th November!