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In 1998 Manchester Environmental Resource Centre initiative (or 'murky' as we are fondly known) ran a pilot project training 6 unemployed single mums in basic green construction skills.  The project was totally over subscribed, and those who got involved loved it. One trainee is now on a full time construction course, and another is waiting to find out if the 1999 extended version of the course (with 12 participants) is happening - and if she can run it!
The trainees (hopefully from the local area) will transform an old mill in Ancoats into a Centre for Sustainable Development. The Centre is not simply about the environment. It will focus on the many angles of living
sustainably in a city, from community involvement to accessibility issues, from low cost energy efficiency to ideas & support for a more sustainable local economy. It will include an exhibition, office & workshop space, café, notice-boards & events and will actively reach out to people across Greater Manchester.

'The idea behind MERCi is to find solutions to problems before they reach crisis point. This certainly involves encouraging household recycling before Britain becomes one big landfill site, but it is as much about listening to the dreams of young people in Ancoats and offering relevant alternatives to crime. 

MERCi is not about telling people what to do to 'save the planet' - it is about asking the local community what they need in their area and providing advice and support for it to happen.'

The MERCi Green Brick Appeal aims to raise funds towards the cost of this visionary project. We have already raised a substantial part of the refurbishment costs from grant making trusts - but (as with most good things) a lot of it comes with strings - we need to find more funding to
keep it. 
The appeal will be launched on the 19th April, followed by a stream of awareness and fund raising events by supportive organisations and individuals. This will act not only to help reach our target, but will also give people a very tangible way of becoming involved in the creation of the project. 

We have groups and individuals organising various events from a gourmet vegetarian banquet, to a sponsored sort the school garden out in a day, to a pub quiz in the Frog and Bucket(20th May - 8pm). 
We will be involving local schools and businesses, and there will be collection points around the city where members of the public will be able to buy their Green Brick Appeal Badges for a quid. Donations will go towards the refurbishment costs. 

So (suprise suprise) we need your help and being generous types we'll give you various options of how you can do it. You can: 

• Have a donations box, badges and leaflets on your counter as of the 12th April (as already kindly agreed to by some of you)
• Buy (or sell) a Green Brick (£5) Roof Tile (£25)  Window (£50) or Door (£100)
• Come to the pub quiz (see above)or other events (watch this space)
• Put on a fundraising event - from a pub collection to jumping off a crane to 50p extra on items purchased on your premisies (ideas/support available!)
• Encourage your contacts ingroups/ organisations/ schools to become involved (we can give you leaflets/proposals to help with the gentle persuasion!) 

These comments do not necessarily reflect the policy of MERCi.