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East Kent Partnership gives Aylesham food for thoughtA project to convert a disused building into a hub for community-focused enterprise will receive £30,000 funding from the East Kent Partnership (EKP) this year. The Aylesham Food for Thought project will develop a number of activities that will fit together to form a social enterprise for the village, and is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2007. The first stage will be the redevelopment of the former library, currently an eyesore in the Market Square, into a small coffee shop and outlet for healthy snacks and food. This will include local produce from the Aylesham neighbourhood Project Community Kitchen and, in time, the Aylesham Community Farm. The project aims to establish the building as a focal point for the community where fresh local produce can be bought, as well as bring about improvements to the adjacent garden to make it an area to be enjoyed by the whole community. It is hoped that the initial investment will develop a long-term sustainable project that will benefit everyone in the village. Owned by the community, the project will invest any surplus economic gain back into community activities within Aylesham and the surrounding villages, helping to develop a positive community identity and improving the natural and built environment. Sam Bennett, project manager said: "The aim is to create a really first class venue in the market square where people can meet up and enjoy a coffee or light lunch. "Both the catering business and work to renovate the site is being linked to local training and employment schemes. Therefore, much of the work will be carried out by people who live locally, providing obvious benefits to the local community." Janet Waghorn, Executive Director of the East Kent Partnership, said: "This is an exciting project that will ultimately transform an area that is currently unused into an economic and social asset for the community of Aylesham. "The project is what the community wanted and is based on their ideas and requirements. We are happy to be able to support them." The Aylesham Food for Thought project is just one of a number of projects in east Kent being funded by the EKP in an effort to regenerate the area, help it reach its potential and contribute to Kent's future growth. ENDS For more information please contact: |
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