A Brighton community group has been awarded more than £360,000 in lottery funding.
The Whitehawk Inn has been given a grant of £367,523 for a project to help disadvantaged people to learn, volunteer and participate in social activities and groups.
It will work on the project with two other organisations – The Bridge Community Education Centre, based in Moulsecoomb, and Varndean College.
The grant was one of six awarded to projects in the South East of England this week by the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities programme.
The Whitehawk Inn’s project – the East Brighton Gateway Project – will target people who left school with few or no qualifications.
It is intended to help them to learn life skills and skills that could help them get a job.
The classes offered range from cookery, parenting and first aid training to computer lessons for beginners, an introduction to finance and office skills.
Other vocational courses such as beauty therapy, life coaching and becoming a teaching assistant will be available.
Over the past two years 120 people have been helped back into work by the Whitehawk Inn and 700 people have been given advice, lessons or other support.
Brighton Kemptown MP Simon Kirby said: “I am aware of the very good work the Whitehawk Inn does and how effective its methods are for helping people back into work and helping people get back on their feet.
“This award will be a tremendous boost for the organisation and I know the money will be put to very good use.
“Lives will be changed for the better as a result of this award.”
The Whitehawk Inn is also looking for business partners that could benefit from being associated with an award-winning charity.
The involvement could mean, among other things, lending staff to work as occasional volunteers or providing work placements.
To find out more, contact Whitehawk Inn director Frances Duncan at fduncan@whinn.org.uk.
