Grant Funding Improves Community Educational Facilities at Huntcliff Comprehensive School

Huntcliff Comprehensive School in Kirton-in-Lindsey, Gainsborough has recently been awarded grant funding of £36,000 by Enventure through the Corus Landfill Communities Fund.

The school has recently received Special Status and is currently undergoing major changes to its departments as part of a £200,000 project to facilitate a much needed Community Educational and Resource Centre. The grant is helping to refurbish the ICT, technology and science departments that will be open for use by community members.

The project will provide educational and training facilities to members of all ages within the community. The unemployed will be a main target group to benefit from the scheme, as they will have full access to a variety of commercial computer software packages as well as training in other industrial skills. The newly improved Compliant Materials Room will offer training and evening classes in the use of CAD and CAM, increasing people’s industrial skills, education and employability.

Corus has not only supported the project financially through the Enventure Landfill Communities Fund but has also donated, delivered and installed machinery for the schools woodwork, engineering and metal workshops. A major part of the project has been the complete overhaul of the schools technology and engineering departments which once completed will provide equipment and facilities which are to industry standard to the local people of Kirton-in-Lindsey and surrounding areas.

As part of the projects brief; to encourage adult education and increase employment levels within the surrounding communities, the new engineering suite will also accommodate an Engineering Foundation Academy.

The project has also entailed the refurbishment of the science lab facilities and the provision of new state of the art computer and training equipment. The food technology department will also be improved and expanded to accommodate the popular and successful evening classes in Indian cuisine and other culinary skills.

The ICT suite has been refurbished and provided with new and improved equipment. Full access to the schools computers for community members will be provided as well as training in how to use them.

The grant money will enable the school to expand as a community college and resource centre. Work commenced on the project just a few weeks ago but progress has been rapid and although the school has suffered set backs due to thieves breaking in and stealing the new equipment, completion is still scheduled for the end of the Easter holidays ready to be open to the public for the beginning of term in April 2004.

Suzanne Hudson, Community Grants Manager for Enventure said: “It is fantastic to support a school that is taking such a proactive role in bettering the community by tackling the problem of unemployment and the lack of adult education facilities in Kirton-in-Lindsey”.