A STINGING attack on the way grants are allocated to local groups has been made by well known Forest brass band stalwart Des Yeates.
Fed up with waiting for a response from The Coalfields Regeneration Trust following a request for financial assistance to help replace a badly damaged roof at the headquarters of the Lydmet Lydney band, Mr Yeates took matters into his own hands – with the help of a friend he did the work himself.
Mr Yeates said the band had done all the right things and even went through the Forest of Dean advice office. But since August they had heard nothing.
"It would appear that if you are involved in high profile projects such as The Dome or The Royal Opera House all sorts of funding is available. But for voluntary organisations doing a worthwhile job in the local community, funding seems to be a rarity," he said.
The autumn storms meant the work had to be completed quickly.
A local builder had quoted £5,000 for the re-roofing but this was beyond the band's resources. Instead they purchased the roofing materials for £1,000 and did the job themselves.
Mr Yeates said he hoped the council's application for £1.7 million to refurbish the derelict Lydney docks would meet with greater success than the band's.
"At the same time we have been trying to think of the people who are likely to benefit from a new docks facility. If the pavilion in Bathurst Park cannot be protected from vandals what chance will the isolated docks have?" he asked.