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Release - Moira to open education centre |
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The
Birmingham Post, Thursday 24 Jan 2002
BBC
newsreader Moira Stuart is to offically open a £1.75 million
training academy aimed at boosting eduation among
Birmingham's black and Asian communities. Birmingham Education
& Training Academy, established a decade ago to help
unemployed black people in the Handsworth and Hockley areas,
has moved to new premises at Ventura House in Hockley
Hill.
The 20,000 sq ft centre, which has taken a year
to complete, which has taken a year to complete, will now house
the BETA
First training organisation, formerly known as Handsworth and
Lozells Methodist Training Initiative. During the past nine
years,
BETA First has been operating from a small communtiy church
in Villa Road, Handsworth, delivering basic key skills to local
people.
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The
area is one of the most disadvantaged in the city with running
at an average of 25 per cent for the black minority popluation
in comparison with nine per cent across the city. The non-profit
making organinsation, which aims to help the local community
manage its own self development, has steadily grown over the
years.
Its principal President is CBI Director General
Digby Jones. Miss Stuart will offically open the new centre
tomorrow.
BETA First chief executive Grace Macaulay said: "Although
the church has been a great asset for us, the premises did not
suit modern training requiremnts, which hindered the organisation
in becoming more efficient."
The new centre is funded by Private and Public cash with £750,000
from the Millenium Commission and more than £500,000 from
the European Regional Development Fund.
Training consortium Active Lts is contributing £18,000
in revenue, while Birmingham City Council is putting in £150,000
from its Capital Receipts Initiative.
BETA First chairman Sybil Morgan said "Ventura
House will help us assist individuals in partnership with the
wider community to manage thier own ecomonic, social, cultural
and community development. "It will provide a landmark
community leadership centre."
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