The Leicester Mercury is a driving force behind Positive People, a Millennium campaign launched to help individuals make a difference to their communities and start a positive change for their area.

From the middle of this month, individuals can apply for awards from £2,000 to £5,000 to start a community project.

But the Mercury is now appealing through its pages for mentors with a wide variety of skills to coach the successful applicants.

The two-year scheme is led by Leicester City Council in partnership with Leicestershire and Rutland County Councils and the Leicester Mercury.

It has £670,000 of lottery cash to give away, along with nearly £200,000 of contributions in cash and kind from the Millennium Partnership.

Maureen Milgram, the Mercury’s Millennium Champion, said: “We expect many of the applicants will not have previously applied for or won a grant.

“The work they are doing will be benefiting themselves as individuals at the same time they will be benefiting their communities.”

A mentor will be assigned to each project leader and they will help them start up the project and smooth some of the challenges along the way.

People with varying skills will be needed and a mentor’s talents will be matched with the applicants’ needs.

Maureen said: “We are looking for people with expertise in management, accounting, marketing, community and multi-cultural project organisation. We are looking for people to communicate and certainly with a special talent for listening, understanding and being able to advise.”

Training will be given to mentors courtesy of De Montfort University, one of the 109 businesses, local authorities and organisations who are part of the Millennium Partnership.

Members of the partnership are supporting Positive People by making cash donations and helping with training and resources.

Erica Roberts, director of the Millennium Award Scheme, said: “The Positive People Millennium Award scheme will address the priorities of local communities and provide people in those communities with the opportunity to act on their own bright idea and benefit others.”

Back to the campaigns index

Do you have a story for us?
Ring the HoldTheFrontPage newsdesk on
01332 291111 x6022, or e-mail us now