The British Asian Trust funded the launch of the project which is transforming Burnley, Lancashire.
One of Britain’s most deprived former industrial towns is being revived with help from 12 of The Prince of Wales’s main charities thanks to initial funding from The British Asian Trust. The ‘Making a Difference’ regeneration initiative in Burnley, Lancashire has impacted the lives of countless people and is helping to build the future there, according to HRH The Prince of Wales who saw the work of his charities first-hand during a visit on 25 October.
The work of The British Asian Trust and 11 other Princes’ Charities was commended in a recently-released independent report praising their ‘significant contribution.’ “No other group of charities could have played the same role or achieved as much as The Prince’s Charities,” the report by the Cass Business School, at London’s City University, stated. The evaluation report also concludes that the initiative provides a blueprint for similar potential collaborations in other parts of the country.
“We are proud that we could help to make this critical initiative happen in an area challenged by poverty, unemployment and racial tension,” said Hitan Mehta, Trust Executive Director. “We hope that other disadvantaged communities will adopt this regeneration model that is transforming lives, families, businesses and neighborhoods across Burnley.”
The role of the Prince’s Charities in Burnley’s regeneration was extolled by Robert Hough, Chair of the North West Regional Development Agency:
“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,” he said.
The ‘Making a Difference’ initiative focused on youth opportunity and education, community, crime and anti-social behavior, business and employment.
