Local Community Interest Company (CIC) The Peel Project has received almost £60,000 to continue their work in supporting adults and young people in Hull. The funding strengthens an existing partnership with mental health charity Hull and East Yorkshire Mind.
The Peel Project CIC, formed in December 2020, was set up to address the lack of grassroots community and youth engagement work that was taking place locally. This lack of local activity was then further restricted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a new organisation, The Peel Project CIC provides support services to the local Hull community with a particular emphasis on supporting people from lower socio-economic backgrounds and those of a Black, Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) heritage. The Peel Project offers a range of support to the local community, particularly around the Central Ward, Hull. The Peel Project focuses on empowering communities to improve their wellbeing and improving lives.
As part of an ongoing partnership with Hull and East Yorkshire Mind, funding totalling £59,983 has been secured from Mind nationally. This will allow The Peel Project to continue its work, developing more sessions for young people and their families. Activities run by the organisation achieve many outcomes, such as improving mental health, fitness and being active, and reducing anti-social behaviour in the local area.
In 2021, the organisation delivered a variety of outdoor fitness activities to young people. Various support services were organised for groups of marginalised women. A wide range of community engagement events were delivered alongside the many improvements to Peel Street Park – the park the organisation now calls home. In addition, 191 hours of fitness activities took place for both young people and adults for the six months between July and December 2021, with 1,589 meals provided to children throughout the summer and winter holidays at activity sessions.
Salem Ali, Founder/Director of The Peel Project, said:
“We have had such fantastic support from so many partners including Hull and East Yorkshire Mind, and we are delighted with the recent funding allocation of almost £60,000. It took us nine months of hard work, planning, collaborating and researching to get it off the ground and start delivering services to the community. This funding will allow us to support more individuals in the local area and to develop new services. We look forward to diversifying our offer of additional services which are not fitness activity related. We will be strengthening existing and new partnerships with other local organisations.”
Emma Dallimore, Chief Executive at Hull and East Yorkshire Mind, said:
“It is incredible that we are able to support The Peel Project with their amazing work that happens day in day out in the local area. By working together, we can ensure that the diverse ethnic communities in Hull feel heard and supported, and have somewhere to turn for a range of support. This funding will allow hundreds more of young people and their families to have access to a variety of outdoor fitness activities, and engagement events within their community.”
The funding will further provide an opportunity for young people from diverse ethnicities to join in a wide range of activities, including football, arts and crafts, Jiu-Jitsu, racket sports, swimming, and community events. The organisation currently has over 300 children registered from 19 different ethnicities, 40% of whom qualify for free school meals.
Other services that The Peel Project offers include a weekly clothing bank, ladies’ community kitchen, befriending sessions with creche facilities, Cancer Awareness Training and opportunities for organisations to engage with our service users.
For more information on The Peel Project, visit wwwthepeelproject.org.uk , email enquiries@thepeelproject.org.uk or reach out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ThePeelProjectHull