Great Aycliffe Community Aid Partnership April 6th meeting had an excellent number of partners present. The chairman Ron Mitchie welcomed all with a special welcome to Meng Qi (Mull) who is an MBA Student at Durham University Business School, Meng is working with GACAP to promote Friends of GACAP and Associates of GACAP.

Brian Riley Co-ordinator of GAMP AAP and a partner of GACAP talked partners through the various funding option over the coming months. The three funding options for partners to consider are

• Children, Young People and Families Priorities,

• Older People Priority,

• Employment, Enterprise & Training Priority.

Brian announced 3 dates when support would be available from various locations around the GAMP area.: Wednesday 25th April at Woodham 10.00–1.00, Thursday 26th April 5.00pm–7p.m. at the PCP and Tuesday 22nd May 2.00-5.00pm at the PCP. All expressions of interest need to be in GACAP Offices by 11th May.

The Chairman and Secretary Ron and Joan Mitchie continue to support partners by attending their meetings and functions and helped at the Foodbank collection at Tesco. Simon Day asked for thanks to be recorded to all helpers at the community Easter Meal. 46 people joined the Feast, many of whom would have spent the day alone. A special thanks to Dorothy Bowman for using the mini bus to collect guests.

Nominations were closed for the officers and committee at the AGM. There was still one vacancy on the Management Committee who could be co-opted later. Three changes to the constitution were outlined to incorporate Associates and Friends of GACAP.

The next partners meeting is 4th June at Disc Offices. The AGM is on 20th April at 3.45pm.

Guest speakers are Phil Wilson MP., Sid Rooke, NE First Credit Union and Chris Reeves, Hope for Justice.

The AGM will be opened by the Mayor of Aycliffe if available.