VAI’s Community Buildings Project
Sixty five people from organisations throughout Islington attended the event on 18th June which marked the end of VAI’s highly successful Community Buildings Project and introduced our new social enterprise.
Mike Sherriff, VAI’s Chief Executive described how the Community Buildings Project had provided a wide range of types of support to a high proportion of the community buildings in the borough. A key element in the support had involved assisting community hubs to gain the VISIBLE Quality Standard. Richard Bridge from Community Matters, which awards this standard, praised the value of VAI’s support in helping organisations to gain accreditation. He noted that Islington has a higher number of organisations which have achieved the VISIBLE standard than any other local authority area. Councillor Rakhia Ismail, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Community Development, then presented certificates to 10 community centres to celebrate their hard work towards the VISIBLE standard.
Mike Sherriff and Janet Keighley concluded the evening by explaining that, although the Community Buildings Project is closing because the its’ 5 year grant from the Big Lottery has ended, VAI plans to continue to provided premises-related services through a new social enterprise. ‘Building Assets’ will provide a range of services to help improve the operation of community buildings, with a London-wide, regional and national remit. The aim is to help organisations to ‘make their buildings work harder,’ by increasing income and reducing costs, and by running their buildings efficiently, legally and to a high standard.
Community Buildings Project Photo Gallery
