by Jeanne Bain, Chief Executive

LCDP is a Community Development organisation which was launched by a group of interested people in January 1997. This group of people, led by Andrew Vaughan, Industrial Chaplain in Lincoln, worked for two years to raise funds to get the project off the ground.  I was appointed to the post of Community Development Worker in January 1997 as a lone worker, based in a small managed workspace office in Greetwell Place, near the hospital.  The project had funding for two years.  We moved from Greetwell Place to office space in the Lawn on Union Road.  Here we grew to 3 members of staff and developed the successful Lincoln Phoenix Project who employed 6 staff, one of them being based with us.  Our next move was to the Voluntary Sector Hub, our first office housed the 3 staff comfortably, but when in 2000 our team grew to 6, we moved within the Hub into larger office space in the newly refurbished phase 2. Eight years later, we now employ 13 staff based in our Lincoln office and seconded to other agencies across the City and County.

During our first year, I secured funding from the National Lotteries to employ a support worker, then in the second year, secured SRB funding for the Park Ward community worker. In 2000 I secured ERDF Objective 2 & additional SRB funding to increase our team by 3 workers. This was doubling our size- very scary, as well as gaining funds to sustain the original workers. All of the work has been developed in line with LCDP mission and principles, linking this with Government initiatives such as Neighbourhood Renewal and Sure Start, which are built around the participation and involvement of local people in decisions that affect their lives. LCDPs core business is based on this principle, listening to local people, developing services based on the needs within the communities we work alongside.

In May 2004 I secured additional Community Empowerment Fund and ESF Co-Financing funding to employ two part time workers to deliver training and develop community forums across the City. These are the workers who are based in the Lincoln office. In September 04 we also succeeded in gaining Big Lottery Funding to secure one Training Worker and recruit a Community Development Worker for Gainsborough.  Further funding was also gained to employ additional workers who are seconded to other organisations. For example; Lincoln Phoenix Project Manager, Sure Start Lincoln Central Parent Involvement Worker, St Giles Community Development Worker.

In July 2007 we moved to a new premises on Croft Street, Lincoln, which has become a permanent office base or the project.

After 10 years LCDP is still growing, securing funds from many areas to develop the work further.