Local group secures funds with the help of Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service
Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service has helped secure funding from the ‘Big Lottery’ of £500,000 (over five years) for a local community group by allowing a staff member to serve on its committee.
The Mediation and Community Support service (MACS), based in Leamington Spa currently covers central Warwickshire and parts of the South. The main aim of the group is to support communities by providing mediation services to those experiencing difficult situations or conflict.
With the help of Big Lottery funding, it is hoped that the project will expand its services to Warwick, Southam, Stratford, Rugby and rural areas in the south of the county. As the mediation project develops geographically there will be a need to recruit, train and support volunteers and staff.
The project hopes to recruit at least 40 volunteers over the next five years. Volunteers for the project will be recruited from local communities to ensure that they can help and empathize with local issues. In addition to the current services available, the project will also offer mediation in the following areas; parent /teenager mediation, prevention of homelessness mediation schools/pupil mediation, neighbour disputes and workplace mediation.
Equality and Diversity Advisor for Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, Donald Patterson said:
“I am really pleased that the bid has been accepted. The mediation and support group provide a crucial service to the people of Warwickshire. I helped and supported the bid as part of the group’s management committee and my role in the process included contributing to the project bid, developing out-comes and identifying future potential partners of the group.”