Prospect Community Housing has received £16,402 from the Postcode Community Trust to support a digital initiative that connects people to their community and encourages local residents to share their news and stories.

Thanks to players of the Postcode Lottery, more people will be able to get involved in the Digital Sentinel and help build a strong community in Wester Hailes, South West Edinburgh.

Through the Digital Sentinel Hubs, people can create content in a variety of formats and see their stories online. The Hubs are held in community IT suites and bring people together in a friendly supportive environment. From hyperlocal news to recipes, photos and reviews, the focus is on what is of interest to people living in Wester Hailes. The funding will be used to build on these weekly drop in sessions to develop a network of volunteer citizen journalists, and increase local participation. The funding will also help with print runs and taster sessions to develop local awareness and to support regular volunteers to share their digital skills with others.

As a community based housing association, Prospect Community Housing is firmly rooted within Wester Hailes and committed to playing an active role in improving the quality of life for local residents and in contributing to sustainable networks.

A sign of this commitment was highlighted in its choice of working with a key local partner WHALE Arts Agency to deliver the project.

Prospect’s director Brendan Fowler said, “I am really pleased that this grant from the Postcode Community Trust will enable people to get involved with their community and create stronger local links.”