FUNDRAISER
Personal Profile
Extract from Southern WEA 2 september 2013
A Southern Branch of the WEA has hit the jackpot again after winning a grant from the Big Lottery months after a previous grant helped to launch the branch.
Banbury Branch Vice Chairman Andy Willis submitted a bid as part of the Big Lottery fund's Award for All Grant, an award for community groups and projects that improve health education and the environment across the UK. The branch were eventually granted over £6,000 for local campaigns and community courses.
The branch committee were keen to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of the branch and organised an event for staff members and volunteers, attended by the Mayor of Banbury, Nicholas Turner. Cream Teas and cakes were on offer to visitors who generously donated in excess of £250 to go towards branch running costs.
Andy has also established a partnership with Sanctuary Housing, a National managed property group, to subsidise courses for their residents in the area.
The WEA would like to congratulate Andy and all the members of the branch for their hard-won funding.
The Award is open to all branches of the WEA and others are encouraged to follow his example. Andy's number one tip when submitting a funding bid is always to use the word "charity" when talking or writing about the activities of the branch.