The Dunkirk and Lenton Partnership Forum was established in spring 1996. A steering group comprising local volunteers and paid workers from Nottingham City Council and the voluntary sector had met over the previous six months to look at aims and objectives, prepare a constitution, consider a structure, seek out partners, apply for funding and establish an office base.

In July 1997 the Forum, in partnership with Nottingham City Council, hosted a successful local consultation day, as a result of which a small area plan was devised covering many aspects of social and economic regeneration. In addition, working groups were established to look at issues in greater detail.

In March 1999, the Forum was awarded £176,000 over three years, to employ staff to carry out work and develop the Forum further. The Executive Committee was expanded so that the Forum could carry out the extra work this would enable us to take on.

In 2003, Dunkirk and Lenton became an electoral ward in its own right for local elections, giving us a stronger voice with the City Council, with councillors dedicated to our community's interests.

We moved to new premises at Rose Cottage on Lenton Boulevard in the Spring of 2002, from temporary accomodation above The Lenton Centre.

The Forum's newsletter along with the Manager and Community Engagement Worker positions are currently funded by Nottingham Community Network's "Involving Communities" Project until March 2008. The 'Administrative Officer' post is funded through Nottingham City Council until March 2009.

A bid to the National Lottery has recently been submitted which, if succesful, could fund the Forum from March 2008 for three years.

We have applied to become a registered charity which, amongst other things, would open up other sources of funding.