Prince's Charities Make a Difference in Burnley

CLARENCE HOUSE LONDON SW1A 1BA STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:01 25TH OCTOBER 2011 PRINCE’S CHARITIES MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN BURNLEY – new report highlights “significant contribution” of unique project. Twelve of The Prince of Wales’s core charities have made a significant contribution by working together with local organisations to help regenerate one of Britain’s most deprived former industrial towns, according to an independent report published today. The evaluation report by the Cass Business School, based at City University, concludes that “no other group of charities could have played the same role or achieved as much as The Prince’s Charities.” The report also concludes that the ‘Burnley experiment’ provides a blueprint for similar potential collaborations in other parts of the country. In the report, Robert Hough, Chair of North West Regional Development Agency says: “The charities’ ability to raise a positive profile of Burnley to national players in the private, public and voluntary sectors has been a major contributory factor in the significant progress made in Burnley.” In addition, Steve Rumbelow, Chief Executive of Burnley Council points out: “The UK actually doesn’t integrate the two sides of regeneration (the physical environment and the ‘people’ elements) very well. But in Burnley The Prince’s Charities have really helped achieve this balance.” Among the achievements over the first three years of the “Making a Difference” collaborative charity project are: Youth opportunity and education • 15 Business in the Community (BITC) brokered breakfast clubs are currently operating in Burnley Primary Schools offering a free healthy breakfast five days a week during term time to approximately 500 of the most needy children. This scheme leads directly to improvements in nutrition, attendance and punctuality. • 82 % of young people who have taken part in one of the Prince’s Trust programmes in Burnley are in employment, education, training or volunteering. • BITC, through its Business Class programme, has successfully partnered every secondary school in Burnley with a local business. At Shuttleworth College, for example, there were measurable academic improvements specifically linked to the impact of the initiative. • Representatives of all secondary schools have attended Prince’s Teaching Institute (PTI) summer schools and majority have become members of the PTI schools programme, which recognises and facilitates the achievement of excellence in schools. • The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts have carried out workshops in every secondary school in Burnley, resulting in four permanent pieces of art work in Burnley and Pendle Faith Centre as well as encouraging pupils from different schools and backgrounds to work together. Community • The Prince’s Trust and BITC have helped to transform the Fraser Street Community Centre from a poorly equipped building to a wonderful community facility. Through developing programmes and providing business support and advice, the two Prince’s charities have been integral to the development of the centre which now operates five days a week, helping to support about 300 young people from some of the most challenging backgrounds. • Sandygate Square has been transformed from a ‘no-go’ area to a pleasant green space after BITC procured employee volunteers from businesses to clear the area, following Burnley Borough Council’s commitment to regenerate the area. • The Prince’s charity In Kind Direct has provided nearly £100,000 worth of goods to 15 beneficiary charities in Burnley over the past three years. Crime and anti social behaviour • The Prince’s Trust has helped to reduce youth crime in Burnley by supporting the Army, Police and Burnley Borough Council in the development of the Life Maps courses for young people who have committed or who are at risk of committing crime. • A community “Space Bus”, which provides a safe social environment and valuable information, has helped to considerably reduce levels of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour. Business support for the bus from ASDA was brokered by BITC and enabled the bus to operate on four instead of two nights a week. Criminal damage fell by 784 incidents between May 2007 and April 2009; during the same period anti-social behaviour declined by 1,310 incidents. 7,000 people visited the bus over the past 3 years. The Space Bus is such a success story that ASDA are now supporting the creation of a national scheme. Business and Employment • As part of the Burnley Enterprise Development Programme, BITC sourced senior business leaders to lead workshops for small businesses, resulting in one business securing £20,000 of contracts with seven other organisations involved in the programme. • Of the 27 young people who have completed the Tactical Engineering Development (TED) course (a partnership between The Prince’s Trust the army and others) 22 are now in education or employment. The course helps 16 – 19 year olds learn about engineering by providing a combination of practical workshops, visits to engineering companies and academic training. Notes to Editors The twelve Charities involved in the project “Making A Difference” in Burnley are: 1. Arts & Business 2. Business in the Community (BITC) 3. In Kind Direct 4. The British Asian Trust 5. Mosaic 6. The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts 7. The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment 8. The Prince’s Regeneration Trust 9. The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts 10. The Prince’s Teaching Institute 11. The Prince’s Trust 12. The Start sustainability initiative Teach First – a charity of which HRH is patron has also done significant work in Burnley. To download the Cass Report go to http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/mediacentre/documentdownloads/ The report is an independent assessment by the Cass Business School. It was commissioned by the North West Regional Development Agency and funded by the British Asian Trust, of which HRH is President. For more information please contact: • Clarence House Press Office – 020 7024 5510 • Cass Business School – Helen Merrills 0207 040 4191 www.princeofwales.gov.uk .

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