failed lottery bid

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi all,
        My local club, Kennet & Avon wood turners failed in our bid for a lottery grant. We were hoping to buy a camera and projector for use on club nights like a lot of the clubs have, but we failed.
      I just wonder if there are any clubs our there with second hand equipment that still works that they want to get rid of at a very reasonable rate?
As a young club and in the present fiscal climate we are struggling to raise the funds, or does any one have any bits of advice as to how we can sort this out?
Regards
John
BHT

[Andy Coates]

Hello John

sorry to hear your news. It does seem odd that some clubs receive thousands ans others nothing. I believe that the key is to stress the "community" benefits and any disability access benefits...but it's a little late for that now.

We don't have any spare kit otherwise you'd be welcome to it. What about an ad in the next Revs?

Andy

[Philip Green]

Unlucky John

Did they tell you why your bid failed? I have always found them helpful in explaining why a bid failed and in one case when my last bid was rejected about five years ago because they had made an incorrect assumption, I succeeded in getting them to re-present it at the next assessment panel (held monthly) along with a small piece of additional information and this time it was successful.

Their advice to me on other occasions was to put in another application. Andy is correct when he mentions community and disability. I would also add young people. Your club constitution, which forms part of an application, must include the club's aims with regard to promoting woodturning irrespective of age or ability.

Was the application checked by somebody with the lottery bid experience? I have three successful bids under my belt although none were for woodturning. One of my clubs recently lost out but they had already had a successful bid previously so they had some experience. I don't know if it is true now, but in the past the lottery people liked somebody in a governing body to view and give their support to on an application before being submitted. Has AWGB appointed such a person?

[GwilymF]

Hi BTH, Andy and Statsman have given good advice. Our club was successful recently in getting a grant. We got our local  Association of Voluntary Services to make the application on our behalf stressing the social aspects,to the community, the fact that we catered for a number of disabled members and that all genders were allowed to participate.
Gwilym

[Roger Groom]

Hi All
There seems to have been a change in attitude from the Awards for All team. Several years ago, when my club successfully applied for, and won, a lottery grant, there was not a club at that time, who applied, and were not successful. I believe the new Bury St Edmunds clubs application was recently turned down, and I believe they were told to apply for an Arts Council Grant. Please correct me if I am wrong. If you remember there was always articles in the Woodturning Mag with successful clubs giving a resume of their success. Maybe its the economic climate or maybe sheer profit making which is causing this change of heart. But dont give up, and as said, emphasize the young old and disabled aspect.
Roger Groom

[Paul Hannaby]

Our club was also successful five years ago and our application concentrated on the community aspect and the need for presentation equipment for those with hearing or sight difficulties rather than the art/craft aspect. Perhaps the goalposts have now moved?

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi all,
         many thanks for all your advice. We did push youth, the aged, the disabled and those with PTSD.
We emphasised our equal opportunities, youth training with the scouts and everything else we could think of.
 We failed because we"didn't meet one of the outcomes". On the form you were told how many yes's or no's were
required in certain questions, in the outcomes it said tick those that are relevant. The one we couldn't tick was "improved rural and urban environments-which communities are better able to access and enjoy"It did say we didn't have to tick all 4 boxes but we managed to tick 3. I took advice from our local adviser and was told it was one of the best bids she had seen and we still failed. Am I downhearted? You bet I b****y well am!!
     Statsman your comment about a governing body supporting an application is appreciated but as we are individual clubs that are only affiliated to the AWGB we don't in fact have a governing body and I think this is the right way to do it as each individual club then controls their own accounts, but an AWGB adviser would be a good idea, I might raise that at the next EC meeting.
       I am now chasing down various other routes( some may say "clutching at straws")to try and find the funding from other sources, wish me luck and if anyone knows of any obscure funding body that is itching to give money away please let me know.

[Dave Wilcox]

You have to remember at the moment that a large proportion of the money is being diverted to pay for the Olympics.

[John D Smith]

Hello John,I am sorry your bid failed but knowing you as I do I am sure with your tenacity you will get there in the end.I wish you all the best in your quest.Regards John

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Thanks guys for all your help and advice.
I have had one idea but I have to wait for the banks to close................... anyone good with combinations?
Regards
John BHT

[woodndesign]

Thanks guys for all your help and advice.
I have had one idea but I have to wait for the banks to close................... anyone good with combinations?
Regards
John BHT

A JCB could also be handle ....  but which Banks hold any money these days ...  try the hole in the wall, hopefully not 5s &10s ... hence JCB ..    ....

[thebowlerhattedturner]

 
Can't go for gold...........Gordon sold it all

[Dave Wilcox]

You obviously didn't see the bigger picture from the hint above. Put five circles in your club badge and then quite rightly claim to be a minority group open to everyone whether they are interested or not, or am I being a bit cynical?

[Bryan Milham]

or am I being a bit cynical?

Nah, not at all!!!!!