23 September 2005, Walthamstow: A new plaque celebrating over £500,000 of funding received by Waltham Forest Colleges, Uplands House from New Opportunities for Walthamstow (NOW) was unveiled at the college today. NOW is a £56m regeneration scheme that has benefited local people, communities and businesses in Walthamstow since 1999.

The NOW plaque at Uplands House is the first of 31 similar plaques that will soon be appearing across Walthamstow at projects, community and businesses initiatives funded by NOW.

The aim of the new NOW plaques is to raise awareness of how NOW has benefited community and businesses initiatives throughout the area and provide permanent recognition of the funding NOW has supplied. Each plaque carries NOW's new website - www.walthamstownow.co.uk - that enables people to find out more about NOW and its projects running in the area.

NOW funding has transformed Uplands House, a once derelict building, into a vibrant community college at which hundreds of people each week study for higher education or vocational qualifications. Uplands House is part of Waltham Forest College and approximately 600 people are enrolled in courses covering a diverse range of subjects including languages, health and beauty and childcare.

Colin Granger, Manager, Uplands House said: "Thanks to NOW funding, Uplands House has become a local landmark and is now the first port of call for further education in the area. The plaque will ensure NOW's funding is recognised by all those who benefit from the college."

Guy Davis, Chair, New Opportunities for Walthamstow said: "The NOW plaques serve to celebrate and highlight how NOW funding has benefited Walthamstow at every level. They colourfully communicate that NOW has helped bring change, opportunity and benefit to huge numbers of local people and businesses."

Ramoe Mitchell, a Walthamstow resident, erected the plaque at Uplands House. Ramoe, 18, has directly benefited through NOW having taken part in the NOW funded Supported Training and Employment Pathway (STEP) project that he joined to become a plasterer.

STEP, which received £137,294 in NOW funding, is a construction specific employment programme that helps young people learn skills and secure jobs in the building industry. STEP enabled Ramoe to pass NVQ 1 in plastering and the Foundation Modern Apprenticeship test. To date STEP has delivered 1,223 training weeks, created partnerships with 56 local employers to deliver training and experience and helped 95 local people to get a qualification.

Ramoe Mitchell, said: "STEP has helped me get off the street and learn a new skill. I really enjoy the opportunity to work with people and be part of a team and look forward to working on a building site."

Sign Up To Win
To celebrate the launch of the new NOW website - www.walthamstownow.co.uk - NOW is running a free £50 prize draw. People who register on the site by 31 October 2005 will be in with a chance to win a £50 voucher for the Image Hair and Beauty Salon, Uplands House College, Blackhorse Lane, Walthamstow. The voucher can be used individually, with friends or given as a gift - perfect for Christmas.

NOW successes since 1999 include 1,300 jobs safeguarded or created; 820 residents placed in employment; 12,552 new childcare places provided; new sports facilities used by 70,050 people and 46,086 people benefited from community safety initiatives.

END

About NOW (www.walthamstownow.co.uk)
New Opportunities for Walthamstow (NOW) is a seven-year £56m regeneration programme to make Walthamstow a better place to live, work and visit. NOW started in 1999 with Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) funding from the Government Office for London. The SRB is administered by the London Development Agency (LDA) and the NOW programme has received match funding from many sources including the London Borough of Waltham Forest, Waltham Forest voluntary sector groups, London Buses, the European Union and private companies.

Uplands House College: www.walthamstownow.co.uk/project_uplands_house.htm
STEP: www.walthamstownow.co.uk/project_employment_pathway.htm