April 2009 Update

Welcome to the

April 2009 Update

from

The Aldridge Foundation

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Aldridge Foundation engages with Prince's Charities Council

Foundation Chairman, Rod Aldridge, has been invited to join the Prince of Wales' Charities Council.  The Council, chaired by HRH the Prince of Wales, will look at the twenty not-for-profit organisations of which the Prince is President, offering strategic advice on sustainability and helping the Charities to create a larger network.  The activities of the group of charities fit closely with the aims of the Foundation, and Rod will be visiting a range of their programmes both in the UK and abroad.

Aldridge Foundation funded pilot of Essentially Dance continues

Essentially Dance, the initiative offering ballroom and Latin American dance to every child in the country by training school teachers to deliver it as part of core PE provision, continues to grow.  Early evidence shows that the 2,500 young people taking part through the thirty schools in the pilot programme are increasing in confidence and self-esteem, and a report by Roehampton University evaluating the scheme will be delivered later in the spring.  At the end of March, Rod Aldridge met with Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, to discuss the project and links with the ongoing Department of Health Change4Life campaign.  Whilst still in the pilot phase, School Sport Partnerships across the country are encouraged to visit www.essentiallydance.com to register their interest.
For more information on the Foundation's role, contact: 
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Rod Aldridge and Aldridge Foundation lead in new project on public service reform

In March, Rod Aldridge chaired a debate on "Public–private–third sector public service partnerships".  The first step in a joint research project by The Aldridge Foundation, the Centre for Public Sector Partnerships and the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO), the roundtable looked at ways in which businesses and the third sector can work together to deliver public services, including joint ventures and sub-contracting.  
For more information on our part in the research, contact: 
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New Darwen Aldridge Community Academy rises from the ground

While DACA remains open in its predecessor school, the new building is appearing in Darwen town centre.  Scheduled to open in September 2010, the new building will house state-of-the-art facilities, including a hi-tech Entrepreneurial Bridge, where students and members of the local community can operate start-up businesses.  The Academy has specialisms in entrepreneurship and sport, and seeks to raise aspirations in the local area, becoming an asset to the whole community.
For more information on our Academies, contact: 
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