Financial support from
Co-operative and Community Finance (C&CF) is helping an award-winning
community media company in South London to
secure its future and provide better facilities for young people.  C&CF is
providing a loan to Eclectic Productions to enable it to purchase and refurbish
its offices in New Cross.  This is part of a joint lending package with Triodos
Bank.

Eclectic
Productions was formed in 2002 after winning an ‘Awards for All’
grant for a small community media project, and it has now grown into a
successful social enterprise dedicated to improving the lives of young people.  In
the last year it has won awards for its contribution to the community and for
creativity.

There are now three
strands to the company, including the running of South City Radio (formerly
Radio Peckham) in which over 200 local residents and 100 local organisations
are involved in broadcasting the station full-time over the Internet.  It also
uses radio technology to help speakers of other languages learn English, and it
runs the Representz programme – a multimedia channel for young people to make
and discuss radio, video and internet content about issues that affect them.

Paul Kilty,
Financial Director at Eclectic Productions believes that in the current
economic climate, purchasing the building is the right step to securing its
future.  He said: “The loan from C&CF has been a great boost to us,
and we are looking forward to starting the refurbishment.  Our plans are to
purchase our offices, and turn the basement into a training facility, radio
studio and conference room.  Having ownership of our office will be a major
asset to the company, and it will enable us to continue to run programmes such
as the teenage pregnancy project, peer research and Representz for the
foreseeable future.”

Speaking about the
investment, Ian Rothwell of Co-operative and Community Finance said:
“Eclectic Productions is a democratic and accountable social enterprise
that has shown dedication to young people and its local community for many
years.  This loan will give its premises a new lease of life and C&CF
believes that the new facilities will encourage more people to become involved
with the worthwhile projects on offer.”

Tags: co-operative, funds

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