We have been hard at work looking at new and innovative ways of supporting our local community.
With national cuts in arts, culture and community services taking even more of a bashing over the next few years, we have been exploring ways to combat this issue head on.
With continued and brutal cuts on public services this will have an incredible impact on our local community. The reduction of arts and cultural activities for members of our community will in-turn put extra pressure on our ever decreasing mental health services and NHS. Lack of positive and creative education in schools and youth services with contribute to anti-social behavior in our youth. Less opportunity to communicate with others during community events and initiatives will increase conflict. The list goes on. So what are WE, the people of Mossley and beyond going to do about this?
We believe that Social Enterprise is one way forward… So what’s Social Enterprise all about? Isn’t that just a ‘buzz word’ to get people excited?
No! Social Enterprises are businesses that trade to tackle social problems, improve communities, people’s life chances, or the environment. They make their money from selling goods and services in the open market, but they reinvest their profits back into the business or the local community.
Over the next few months we plan on working more closely with other grass roots community organisations, social entrepreneurs and all the lovely people of Tameside that want to make positive change in our world.
We believe that anyone can change the world for the better. Weather your responsible multi national corporation, unemployed, at school, or a you are a self employed we all have a responsibility to look after each other and the world that we live in. Just £1 invested from everyone in Mossley would create a community pot of over £10,000 and with contributions from local business this could increase to a budget that could literally changed lives.
The Vale will be making the first step into creating an open community pot to support our local community. Through private hire, surpluses from events, fundraising and working closely with other local businesses and members of the community we will start to build a community pot that can be accessed by community groups, organisations and individuals that have amazing ideas to support the development our local area and the people who live there.
As part of this mission we have the pleasure in making our first contribution to Mossley Lantern Parade. The Vale and Global Grooves will be providing artists fees for lantern workshop, arts resources, in-kind workshop space, storage and performers fees to help support this years parade.
And we can’t wait to see the wonderful work produced by our community.
If you are interested in finding out more about how you may be able to support the development of The Vale and our Community Funding Pot then please email hello@the-vale.co.uk
You can help in many ways and no contribution is too small:
You could donate to the pot as an individual or business owner
Run a fundraising event
Volunteer at one of our workshops or events
Offer project management or organisational support
Rally the troupes
Give a friendly smile and make a cup of tea
Whatever you can offer we want to hear from you.
When people come together with a shared vision amazing things can happen.