Sunshine and Shared Prosperity Funding is powering a digital upgrade for Middle Street Resource Centre users.

Broxtowe Borough Council’s grant of £6,316 to Middle Street Resource Centre means that Broxtowe residents will benefit from upgrades to digital equipment which will meet the needs of the centre’s Mindset Group and other users.

Digital exclusion can make it more difficult to access, for example, support services, medical appointments and welfare activities. The grant has also enabled ten Digital Champions to be trained so that they can help other people get online. The grant has funded re-conditioned laptops, cameras and other equipment.  Solar panels to recharge the new equipment have also been funded. This will reduce the Centre’s carbon footprint. 

Beeston resouce Centre community members using laptops powered by solar panelsThe equipment means that the Centre’s users will have better access to the Internet and other digital resources that have become so important in managing daily life. The Digital Champions will help people get online, take them through software applications and help navigate online forms and processes.

The grant was made possible through the UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) from the UK Government.

Middle Street Resource Centre is a mental health focussed community centre based in Beeston which offers a variety of mental health support groups, therapeutic one to one support, and volunteering opportunities to promote mental health wellbeing. At the heart of the centre is a community café which provides a welcoming space for all.

Councillor Milan Radulovic (MBE), Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Asset Management said;

‘The grant is a reflection of the work the Council is putting in to improve life for our residents. There has been much published on the positive effects of digital inclusion and I feel this grant will allow more residents to get the benefits of being online. The use of solar panels to run equipment is a positive contribution to our climate change strategy’ 

Duncan Mitchell, Chair of Trustees for Beeston Community Resource CIO said;

‘There is so much today that has to be done over the internet in order to participate in society. It’s really important that we can provide our community members with the skills, the equipment and access so that they can enjoy the benefits of the digital society.’

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is UK Government funded and Broxtowe Borough Council has been allocated a total of £2,584,477 over a three-year period 2022-25. Activity funded in 2024/5 includes local business, skills and community projects, including a set of community grant-funded projects.


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